As a cheesemonger, I get a lot of questions. But over the past year or so, one has been coming up more and more: "Do you have any A2 cheese?"
It's a fair question, and one I wanted to answer properly — because the honest answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. So here's everything you need to know about A1 and A2 beta-casein protein, why people are seeking it out, and how our range stacks up.
What is beta-casein, and what's the difference between A1 and A2?
Milk contains several proteins, and the most abundant group is called casein. Within casein, beta-casein makes up roughly a third of the total, and it comes in different genetic variants, the two most common in British dairy being A1 and A2.
The difference between them comes down to a single amino acid at position 67 of the protein chain. A2 beta-casein has proline at that position. A1 beta-casein has histidine. That one swap changes how the protein breaks down during digestion. A1 beta-casein releases a peptide called beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) during digestion; A2 beta-casein does not.
Why are people seeking it out?
Research into BCM-7 and its effects is still ongoing, and it would be wrong to overstate the science. But a growing number of people report that they digest A2 milk and cheese more comfortably than conventional dairy, particularly those who previously assumed they were lactose intolerant (BCM-7 is not the same as lactose, and the two conditions are distinct).
Several peer-reviewed studies have found associations between A1 beta-casein consumption and digestive discomfort, and a 2020 review in Food Chemistry noted that BCM-7 may have opioid-like effects in the gut for some individuals. For many customers, the interest is less about definitive clinical proof and more about personal experience, they simply feel better when they choose A2 dairy.
What does this mean for cheese?
Here's where it gets interesting, and where we're in a genuinely good position. A1 vs A2 classification is all about the breed of animal producing the milk. And because we work exclusively with named British artisan producers, we know exactly which breeds are behind every cheese we stock.
Always A2 - goat and sheep milk cheeses
All goat and sheep milk is naturally A2. Their beta-casein always carries proline at position 67, which means no BCM-7 is released during digestion. If you're looking for the most reliably A2 option on our shelves, start here:
- Sinodun Hill — Made from pedigree Anglo Nubian goats at Norton & Yarrow's farm in Oxfordshire. Rich, butterfat-forward milk with a gentle, rounded flavour.
- Driftwood — White Lake Cheese, Somerset. Toggenburg, British Alpine and Saanen goats produce a clean, bright milk that gives Driftwood its fresh citrus character.
- Rachel — Also from White Lake. The same herd, a different style — aged longer, firmer, more complex.
- Spenwood — Village Maid Cheese, Berkshire. Made from the milk of Dorset Friesland sheep — a breed prized for exceptional milk yield and the rich, naturally sweet character it brings to cheese.
- Wigmore — Also Village Maid, also sheep's milk. Sourced from trusted local Berkshire sheep farms, this is one of the creamiest, most quietly impressive cheeses we stock.
Strong A2 odds - specialist cow breeds
Certain cow breeds carry a much higher proportion of A2 genetics than the typical UK dairy herd. These aren't guaranteed A2 without individual herd genotyping, but at a breed level they're your best bet among cow's milk cheeses:
- AlpenCheddar - A unique collaboration: made from a blend of Brown Swiss curd from Bavaria and curd from Quickes in Devon. The Brown Swiss component gives it stronger A2 odds than most cow's milk cheeses on our shelves, though the Quickes element means it can't be classed as fully A2. An honest and fascinating hybrid.
- Ogleshield - Montgomery's Jersey herd in Somerset. Jersey cattle are approximately 66–78% A2/A2 at breed level, making them one of the stronger A2 options in British dairy.
- Baron Bigod - Fen Farm Dairy, Suffolk. Made exclusively from Montbéliarde milk — a French dual-purpose breed that research suggests is A2-leaning, though it is less well-studied than Jersey or Brown Swiss.
Mixed A1/A2 - the honest answer for most British cow's milk cheese
The majority of British artisan cheese is made with Holstein Friesian milk - the workhorse of the UK dairy industry. Holstein Friesians are a mixed A1/A2 breed, with roughly 35–48% of animals in a typical herd carrying A2/A2 genetics. This means the cheese is neither purely A1 nor purely A2, but a blend of both in the milk.
This includes many of our most celebrated cheeses - Westcombe Cheddar, Montgomery's Cheddar, Lincolnshire Poacher, Cropwell Bishop Stilton, Tunworth, and others. These are extraordinary cheeses made by extraordinary people. They're just not the answer if you're specifically seeking A2.
Hafod and Cornish Yarg - both made from Ayrshire milk -are worth noting separately. Ayrshire is one of the more A1-leaning cow breeds in British dairying, with A1 allele frequencies of around 51–72% depending on the herd. Both are outstanding cheeses, but they're not what you'd reach for on A2 grounds.
A note on Jersey and the B variant
One thing worth knowing if you're researching this seriously: Jersey cattle carry a third beta-casein variant called B, which also has histidine at position 67 - the same as A1 - and so also releases BCM-7 during digestion. When you account for the B variant alongside A1, Jersey's effective "A2-pure" rate drops somewhat. It's still a meaningfully better profile than Holstein Friesian, but it's not as simple as "Jersey = A2."
Our honest position
We're not going to label our cheeses A2 unless the producer has done herd-level genotyping to verify it. What we can do - and what we think is more useful -is tell you exactly which breed produced the milk, so you can make your own informed decision.
If A2 protein is important to you, our goat and sheep milk cheeses are your safest choice. Our Brown Swiss and Jersey-milk cheeses are your best options within cow's milk. And if you want to talk it through in person, our team in Stamford - or Perry directly - are always happy to help.
As always, the best cheese is the one that makes you feel good - in every sense.
Perry Wakeman
CEO & Affineur of the Year, Rennet & Rind