SPECIALITY cheese maker Shepherd's Purse plans to double production over the next year as it looks to break into the growing US cheese market.

The company, based near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, already sells its produce across the UK and last year clinched a deal to export to Germany, but is now turning its sights to the US market.

The entire Shepherd's Purse range will be showcased at the US Summer Fancy Food trade show in New York in July, with the hope that it will result in listings in top-market delicatessans and at least two major retail chains.

John Kerwin, sales director for Shepherd's Purse, said the speciality cheese market has flourished recently in the US, with huge demand for British cheeses.

"We have achieved remarkable success in the British market, with our cheeses stocked across all the major supermarkets, and we knew our products would have great potential in overseas markets," he said.

"We are well placed to achieve our full potential internationally now we have found a route to market and can see production levels double, or even treble, over the coming year."

The Shepherd's Purse range of cheese - including the best-selling Yorkshire Blue, Mrs Bell's Blue, Katy's White Lavender and Yorkshire Feta varieties - will be distributed by Cheese From Britain, which operates a network of more than 30 regional and national distributors in the US, and ships 80 per cent of all UK cheeses into the continent.

Judy Bell, chief executive of Shepherds Purse, said: "We know that Americans love our cheeses. In recent years, we have welcomed US buyers to the dairy to sample our cheeses and we are confident our range will be hugely popular with today's adventurous and flavour-seeking American consumer."