Cheddar cheese (or simply cheddar) is a natural cheese that is relatively hard, off-white (or orange if colorings such as annatto are added), and sometimes sharp-tasting. It originates from the English village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England.
Cheddar is produced all over the world, and cheddar cheese has no Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). In 2007, the name West Country Farmhouse Cheddar was registered in the European Union and (after Brexit) the United Kingdom, defined as cheddar produced from local milk within Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall and manufactured using traditional methods. Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) was registered for Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar in 2013 in the EU, which also applies under UK law.
Globally, the style and quality of cheeses labelled as cheddar varies greatly, with some processed cheeses packaged as "cheddar". Cheeses similar to Red Leicester are sometimes marketed as "red cheddar”.
Cheddar is the most popular cheese in the UK, accounting for 51% of the country's £1.9 billion annual cheese market. It is the second-most popular cheese in the United States behind mozzarella, with an average annual consumption of 10 lb (4.5 kg) per capita. The United States produced approximately 3,000,000,000 lb (1,300,000 long tons; 1,400,000 tonnes) of cheddar in 2014, and the UK produced 258,000 long tons (262,000 tonnes) in 2008.
