World's Oldest Cheddar-Maker Adopts 'Milk-Source' Heat Pump to Cut Emissions

Barber's Farmhouse Cheesemakers, described by the company as the world's oldest cheddar-maker, has begun using an innovative heat pump system to reduce its carbon emissions while maintaining its traditional cheese-making methods, according to a report by The Guardian.

The company has operated from pastures in south-west England since 1833, milking grass-fed cows and using microbial starters passed down through generations to produce its award-winning cheese, which is now sold internationally, the report said.

In 2024, Barber's began using ultra-efficient heat pumps developed by UK startup Arkaya Energy, according to the report. The devices are designed to quickly cool fresh milk to keep it fresh while simultaneously heating water used in milking operations, replacing conventional chillers and electric-resistance heaters that the company previously relied on, the report said.

The Guardian reported that the technology draws enough heat from the fresh milk to bring water close to the boil, according to the source. This dual-function approach — cooling milk while heating water in a single process — is intended to slash the carbon emissions associated with the company's operations, the report said.

A representative of Barber's Farmhouse Cheesemakers was quoted in the report expressing satisfaction with the technology's performance, stating simply, "it bloody works," according to The Guardian.

The adoption of this heat pump technology represents an effort by a centuries-old traditional food producer to modernize its energy use while continuing long-standing production methods, the report indicated.