The boss of a cupcake company has pre-purchased ten tons of German soft cheese over fears that a no-deal Brexit will slow deliveries and leave the firm with 'no cheesecakes or decorations'.
Asher Budwig, managing director of Lola's Cupcakes, says the company identified the ingredient as one whose supply might be affected by the UK leaving the European Union as it is imported from Germany.
He told the BBC: 'If ferries can’t come through the port, I mean the factory will literally grind to a halt,
‘No cheesecakes, no decorations on cupcakes, you know that’s a massive issue for us and our customers and all the team actually that work here, there’s over two hundred people that work here.'
The boss of Lola's Cupcakes (cakes pictured above) ordered some ingredients in advance
Asher Budwig (pictured), managing director of Lola's Cupcakes, says the company identified soft cheese as one of the ingredients whose supply might be affected by Brexit disruption as it is imported from Germany
He explained that his firm analysed possible stress factors for the business arising from Brexit and concluded soft cheese, which ordinarily arrives via just-in-time deliveries from the Continent, might be at risk.
Mr Budwig reached out to the UK importer from whom he buys the cheese, and the importer asked the factory for a larger order to ensure supplies.
He said: 'They spoke to the factory in Germany, they produced a lot more - ten times what we would usually go through in a given week - got that all over here to the UK.
‘It’s being held down in Somerset for us, in a huge chilled distribution facility and then we just call it off as and when we need to, whatever we need we’re asking for.'
He said that in the current 'political environment' the firm was now asking itself 'what's the next steps?', adding 'we only purchased ten tonnes'.
Asher Budwig said his team would not be able to make cheesecakes (pictured) if ferries cannot come through
It comes as Theresa May attends another summit with EU leaders – where she will ask for a new delay on Brexit beyond April
