A Cornish farm shop counter at the height of summer.

Cornwall · Makers · Food & pantry

Cornish food & pantry brands.

Flapjackery's flapjacks, Cornish Sea Salt from the Lizard, Rodda's clotted cream and the smaller producers worth tracking down at the farm shops.

Photograph — Mycreativesideunleashed / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The strongest Cornish category

Food is where Cornwall punches hardest — protected status on the pasty, the clotted cream and the sardines; a dense network of small producers feeding into the farm shops and farmers' markets; and a clutch of brands that have built national distribution while staying genuinely made-in-Cornwall. The pantry takeaway from a Cornish trip should be substantial.

Three brands sit at the centre of the Cornish food landscape with national distribution. Rodda's clotted cream — made in Scorrier near Redruth since 1890 — is the recognised standard for the cream tea. Cornish Sea Salt, harvested on the Lizard peninsula, has built a credible challenge to Maldon in the better delis and Michelin kitchens. Flapjackery, started in Tavistock and now strongly Cornish-presence, makes some of the best gluten-free flapjacks on the high street — under-the-radar gift-shop staple that delivers significantly above the expected quality. All three are worth the freezer or pantry space at home.

Below that headline tier, the Cornish food scene has the depth that the editorial coverage suggests. The pasty (Cornish PGI protection), the saffron bun, the Stargazy pie, the gurnard from the Newlyn boats, the heritage potato varieties, the Cornish cheeses (Cornish Yarg, Cornish Blue, Davidstow Vintage Cheddar), the chocolate makers (Buttermilk, Trevarrian), the gin distilleries (Tarquin's, Curio, Caspyn) — none of these will replace the cupboard staples at home but each is worth a shelf in the suitcase coming back.

The producers worth knowing

  • Flapjackery

    Hand-baked gluten-free flapjacks in a properly wide range of flavours (Sticky Toffee, Salted Caramel, Cherry & Almond, Triple Chocolate). The "all-gluten-free, none-tastes-like-it" thing is the trick that sets the brand apart — properly buttery, properly chewy, properly indulgent. Shops in Padstow, St Ives, Polperro and Looe; strong online business and a wholesale presence in better Cornish farm shops. The classic Sticky Toffee is the entry point; the Black Forest is the dark-horse favourite.

    Best for: Gluten-free gifts that don't feel like gluten-free gifts, picnic supplies, plane food home

  • Cornish Sea Salt

    Hand-harvested sea salt from the Lizard peninsula — a genuine challenger to Maldon at a similar price point, with stronger Cornish provenance and a slightly mineral-heavier flake. The flagship product is the original flake salt; the smoked, chilli and seaweed variants are worth experimenting with for finishing dishes at home.

    Best for: Finishing salt, the considered host gift

  • Rodda's Cornish Clotted Cream

    Made in Scorrier since 1890 — the recognised standard for Cornish clotted cream and the supplier to most of the cream-tea pubs and tea rooms in the county. Travel-stable: the tubs ship overnight to anywhere in the UK, and the cream holds in a domestic fridge for a credible week.

    Best for: The cream tea at home, baking and dessert work

  • Cornish cheeses (Lynher Dairies, Cornish Cheese Co., Davidstow)

    Cornish Yarg (nettle-wrapped semi-hard cheese from Lynher Dairies) is the iconic Cornish cheese — wild-foraged-nettle aesthetic, surprisingly mellow taste. Cornish Blue (creamy, sweet, mild) is the alternative for blue-cheese sceptics. Davidstow Vintage Cheddar is the national-distribution heavyweight. Stocked across the farm shops and at the Padstow Cheese Shop in particular.

    Best for: Cheese-board work, the gift to the cheese-knowledgeable host

  • Cornish gin (Tarquin's, Curio, Caspyn)

    Tarquin's Cornish Dry Gin — distilled in St Merryn near Padstow — is the brand with the strongest national reach. The Sea Dog (navy strength) is the connoisseur's pick. Caspyn (Penzance) is the more botanical-experimental house. Curio Spirits (Lizard) does a credible Wild Elderflower Gin and a sea-foraged seaweed variant. Cornish gin is now a category in its own right.

    Best for: Distinctive gifts, the home bar, Cornwall-themed dinner parties

  • Buttermilk Confectionery

    Truro-based fudge and chocolate maker — hand-cut fudge in distinctive Cornish flavours (Salted Caramel, Clotted Cream, Cornish Sea Salt). Stocked widely in the gift shops and at the airport; the sea-salt caramel is the standout.

    Best for: The gift shop standby that's actually good

Browse all makers

Cornish makers — all categories

Clothing, candles, food and craft from the Cornish brands worth knowing.

Browse all makers