Supplying Irish and Continental cheese for 40 years.
Our Story
Traditional Cheese Company (TCC) was founded in 1985 by Eugene Carr, a pioneer in the Irish cheese industry. With years of experience at the Irish Dairy Board, he played a key role in shaping Ireland’s cheese market, developing the Cheddar grading system in 1979—a method still used today. As the Irish Farmhouse Cheese movement gained momentum in the mid 1980s, Eugene saw an opportunity to help small cheesemakers bring their products to market, leading him to establish TCC as an independent specialist wholesaler.
TCC quickly became a vital link between Irish cheesemakers and consumers. Eugene worked closely with producers, offering guidance on product development and market opportunities. In the 1990s, as pizza culture grew in Ireland, he used his European contacts to introduce grated mozzarella to the market, solidifying TCC’s role as a key supplier for the foodservice industry. In 1999, TCC partnered with Superquinn and eight Irish producers to launch Ireland’s first top-tier private label cheese range, setting a new benchmark for quality and consistency.
Pioneering Irish Farmhouse Cheeses
“Eugene’s vision brought emerging Irish Farmhouse cheeses and artisan producers beyond local markets. By recognising the potential in these high-quality, handcrafted cheeses, he helped elevate Irish cheeses to a wider audience, both in Ireland and abroad.” – Grainne Whalley, Managing Director
The Management Team at Traditional Cheese Company
Grainne Whalley,
Managing Director
Des Lynch,
Finance Director
Diarmuid Browne,
Purchasing Director
Derek Cahill,
Sales Director
Julian Carr,
Director
Today, under the leadership of Managing Director Gráinne Whalley, TCC continues to uphold Eugene’s legacy.
The team still uses the company’s traditional grading system to assess Irish Cheddar, ensuring the highest quality. Gráinne is widely respected in the industry and serves as a judge at major international cheese awards, reinforcing TCC’s reputation for expertise.
With state-of-the-art production facilities, TCC now supplies specialty cheeses to retailers, foodservice providers, and manufacturers across Ireland and beyond. Despite its growth, the company remains committed to the same values that Eugene established—quality, innovation, and a passion for great cheese.
Our Awards
TCC have the knowledge and expertise for sourcing, grading and maturing cheese along with selecting best in class cheese from producers across Europe. We have a proven track record of sourcing and supplying cheese at entry, mid and top tier levels.
Product we have sourced and selected have won many awards at National and International level, including the World Cheese Awards, IQFA Irish Speciality Cheese Award, Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards, Great Taste Awards and International Cheese Awards.
Production facilities
Our production facilities are designed to meet the highest standards of food safety, efficiency, and quality control.
They include dedicated high care rooms with positive air flow systems, ensuring a controlled environment that minimises contamination and maintains product integrity.
These facilities enable us to efficiently handle a wide variety of products while meeting the exacting standards of our retail, foodservice, and manufacturing partners.
Quality / Technical
At Traditional Cheese Company, we take great pride in our commitment to providing the highest possible Food Safety and Quality standards in all our products. We are dedicated to ensuring that our products are safe, legally compliant, authentic, and of the utmost quality for our valued customers.
Our Quality Department serves as the cornerstone of our pursuit of excellence, focusing on continuous improvement and the implementation of a robust Quality Management System in alignment with legal, regulatory and industry standards. We understand that quality should be monitored and controlled at every stage of production; hence, we employ stringent Quality Assurance measures that guarantee our products meet the highest criteria before they reach our customers.
Every member of our organization shares the responsibility for maintaining product safety and fitness for purpose. From the receipt of materials to the final dispatch of products, our employees are vigilant in monitoring product quality. We are committed to fostering a positive food safety and quality culture, integrating it into our operations through our food safety and quality culture plan. This collaborative effort ensures that all employees work towards our common goal of consistently applying food safety & quality practices.
Traditional Cheese Company is committed to meeting all industry and customer Food Safety and Quality Standards including but not limited to BRC Food Standard, BRC Agents and Brokers, Organic Trust, AOECS Standard for gluten-free foods, Repak, Musgraves, Dunnes Stores, Lidl, Aldi and General Market.
Together, we can continue to uphold the standards that our customers have come to expect from Traditional Cheese Company.
“Our people and partners are at the heart of everything we do — we work together to create exceptional products our customers can trust, because we trust one another.”
Grainne Whalley, Managing Director
People First:
A Workplace Built on Respect and Inclusion
At TCC, we’re committed to fostering an all-inclusive, family-oriented workplace where everyone feels respected, supported, and valued. Through initiatives like our Dignity in the Workplace workshop, we ensure that all employees understand their rights and the culture of mutual respect we strive for every day. As proud members of Sedex, we are equally dedicated to upholding ethical, responsible business practices across every part of our operation.