British producers are fighting a European Union proposal that would bar the making of the renowned soft Halloumi cheese outside of Cyprus.

The sheep’s cheese is a favorite of connoisseurs especially for its ability to be fried and stand up to the heat and still come out chewy and delicious.

The United Kingdom is the biggest European market for Halloumi outside of Cyprus, a former British colony. The application for Cyprus Halloumi/Hellim to be granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status is under consultation by the European Union.

The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has asked cheese producers here for their responses to the consultation with a deadline of September to register if they oppose it, the British newspaper The Mirror reported.

Mark Hardy, who runs Sussex cheesemaker High Weald Dairy, said the move would be a massive blow to his business if successful.

He told The Grocer magazine he would continue making Halloumi even if PDO status was granted and he was forced to sell it under a different name to get around the regulation.  He said: “Hopefully our customers would know what it is.”