French monks’ prayers answered as emergency lockdown cheese sale takes off

Trappist monks in Burgundy famed for their cheeses launch internet sale to clear the cellars due to slump in demand during lockdown

Credit: AFP

A French monastery in deepest Burgundy launched an emergency online sale Friday to empty its cellars of 4,000 of its prized cheeses after a sudden drop in demand last year due to the coronavirus crisis.

And their prayers appear to have been answered with the sale a roaring success.

In normal times, it can be hard to get hold of one of the semi-soft cheeses that the Trappist monks at the Citeaux abbey just south of Dijon have been producing since 1925. It  won silver medal at last year’s prestigious international food and drink competition in Lyon.

Most go to restaurants or intrepid cheese lovers who make the pilgrimage to their shop at the birthplace of the Cistercian Catholic.

"Normally we turn down orders. We are sold in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai," brother Jean-Claude, in charge of marketing at the monastery founded in 1098, told AFP.

Sales of cheese eaten at home has rocketed over the last year amid lockdowns

Credit: LUCIEN LIBERT /REUTERS

However, with restaurants closed since October, the abbey found itself with 4,000 cheeses on its hands — the equivalent of 2.8 tons.

"We tried explaining to our 75 cows that they needed to produce less milk but they don’t seem to have understood," said Jean-Claude.

"Our sales are down nearly 50 percent," he said. "We need to clear out our stock."

So the monks teamed with the internet start-up Divine Box, which sells products made by abbeys in France and elsewhere, with a goal of selling at least a ton of cheese by Tuesday.

The minimum order is two wheels at €23 (£20), plus shipping.

By Friday evening, the flash sale appeared to have gone ballistic with some 1.6 tons already sold.

"We’re going to make it," said Jean-Claude.

The monks are not the only cheese-makers to fall foul of Covid.

Last year the French were told to eat more cheese in patriotic bid to save traditional fromage under lockdown

Credit: Richard Bord/Getty Images Europe

Shortly after lockdown commenced a year ago, a string of producers pleaded with the French to do their national duty and buy cheese or see tons of the stuff go to waste.

Figures on Friday from FranceAgriMer and Kantar suggest the French partially heeded the call as they bought 8 per cent more cheese in 2020 compare to the previous year.

Mozzarella saw the steepest rise in demand among major cheese categories, with a 21 per cent volume jump.

Meanwhile, Emmental was the top seller with 164,500 tons sold, followed by camembert, on 48,500 tons and raclette, famed for melting over potatoes alongside charcuterie on cold winter evenings — up 12 per cent.

“Families had to cook more at home, which explains the high rise in ingredient cheeses (mozzarella, Emmental, compté etc),” said FranceAgriMer.

However, other niche cheeses destined for restaurants appear to have suffered.