Cheddar cheese from cow's milk, of good standard merchantable quality, compliant with EU legislation.
Cheddar Cheese Mild
| Milkfat in dry matter | between 50% and 54% |
| Moisture | maximum of 38% |
| Salt in dry matter | between 2.3% and 3.3% (between 1.45% and 2.10% on product) |
| Origin based | United Kingdom or Ireland |
| Maturity at loading | Mild (typically between 4 to 12 weeks ripening) |
| Shelf life at loading | at least 6 months |
| Packaging | vacuum-packed blocks circa 20 kg |
Cheddar Cheese Curd
| Milkfat in dry matter | between 50% and 54% |
| Moisture | maximum of 38% |
| Salt in dry matter | between 2.3% and 3.3% (between 1.45% and 2.10% on product) |
| Origin based | European Union |
| Remaining shelf life | at loading minimum of 14 to 21 days |
| Packaging | food-grade lined crates or bags circa 10-20 kg |
Minimum of one full truckload.
Picked up within one month of the assessment date.
Ex Works.
EUR/metric ton (1,000 kg).
This benchmark specification follows the DCA General Methodology, which outlines processes including data hierarchy, validation, use of expert judgement, and governance. The benchmark is administered in accordance with the IOSCO Principles for Financial Benchmarks and DCA’s internal compliance framework. Operational validation and weighting techniques are applied in line with the DCA General Methodology. Detailed controls are not disclosed publicly for confidentiality and data integrity reasons.
The European Union (EU) is defined as the EU Member States on the assessment date.These benchmarks are produced for and apply to transactions within the EU and reflect the principal zone of active market participation across Member States.
The origin of the input data is Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, and Germany. These markets are part of the EU and represent the core supply base for this benchmark.
The benchmark reflects the average price excluding commission and VAT of transactions completed during the assessment period (Friday of the preceding week through Thursday of the current week). Prices are rounded to the nearest €5, in line with the Public Methodology Summary.
Prices are based on validated data provided by professional market participants, primarily consisting of concluded transactions within the defined assessment window. Submissions are reviewed for accuracy and consistency; statistical checks identify outliers, which are excluded from the calculation while all submissions remain recorded in DCA’s internal system.
While DCA may consider the indicative volume associated with each transaction, all validated prices are aggregated using a transparent arithmetic mean rather than a proprietary weighting formula. The benchmark value is determined and published through DCA’s controlled Price Reporting System in accordance with the DCA General Methodology.
Price input is collected on Thursday from 09:00 until 15:00 CET. The benchmark price is published on Thursday at 15:30 CET. In the event of a public holiday, the collection and publication schedule follows the Public Holiday Schedule published on the DCA platform.
Any questions or complaints regarding this benchmark may be submitted to DCA Market Intelligence via pra@dcami.com, in line with the DCA Complaints and Appeals Procedure (see Public Methodology Summary).
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Version: December 2025