The pioneering custom-made machine cruises the aisles of Westcombe Dairy’s huge storeroom meticulously upending its 5,000 wheels of cheddar stacked 12 shelves high.
The cutting-edge equipment picks up each lump before brushing off excess mould and turning them over.
The task of rotating the 55lb cheeses is considered a crucial part of the maturing process.
Up until now the back-breaking job has been carried out by staff at the farm in Somerset who take it in turns to spend a few hours a week flipping the wheels.
But the new machine, nicknamed Tina the Turner, can turn 100 wheels every hour and now each one is upended once a week instead of every couple of months.
Not only does the robot save staff time and their backs, it also helps give the cheese a much tastier flavour.
The robot was bought by father and son team Tom and Richard Calver, who had become weary of the arduous manual labour.
The machine was custom-built by a cheese turning machine manufacturer in Switzerland which spent three years modifying one of their appliances.
It is the first time in the world that one has been converted to turn cheddar cheese.
Tom Calver said: «Turning cheese is an incredibly mundane job and you don’t come across too many people who aspire to be a cheese turner.
«When you turn a cheese over you need to brush it and hoover it.
«There is nothing artisan about doing that job, it is back-breaking work.
«The introduction of ‘Tina the Turner’ has improved our operation massively, not just in terms of efficiency but also flavour because the mould on the cheese can be properly controlled.
«Our wheels would get turned once every couple of months before, now it’s every week.
«The company has been here for 100-odd years and we want to be here for another 100, this is a way of ensuring that.»
He added: «While I won’t say exactly how much the robot cost it was a lot of money, the price is comparable to that of a tractor.»
Tina the Turner operates in Westcombe Dairy’s brand new store built into a hillside near Shepton Mallet.
Cheese matures better when it is stored underground, due to the temperature.
The family-run business, which produces 120 tons of cheddar each year, sells to cheese mongers, wholesalers and supermarkets including Waitrose.
