With its more than 200 staff and export markets in the four corners of the globe it is easy to forget how close we came to losing Wensleydale Creamery. While it is a roaring success today, in 1992 it nearly disappeared for good after then owner Dairy Crest closed the factory and shifted production to neighbouring Lancashire.
However, a committed band were quite simply not prepared to let the near millennium-old cheese-making tradition die in the dale.
A management buyout was organised, backed by benefactor and Dales businessman John Gibson, who remained chairman of the firm until 2006 and is still a shareholder.
Among those who also participated in the buyout was current managing director David Hartley.
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