A round of applause is due for Sweet Grass Dairy as the cheesemaker has taken home a 2023 sofi™ Gold Product Award in the Cheese – Cow’s Milk category. This top honor was earned at the Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) sofi™ Awards for its Asher Blue variety, which the company has been fine-tuning for over a decade.
“We are humbled and grateful to receive the prestigious sofi™ award for Asher Blue as a Gold winner for Best Cow's Milk Cheese,” said Jessica Little, Co-Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Sweet Grass Dairy. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, who takes pride in crafting exceptional cheeses using our family’s grass-based milk. We are honored to be recognized among so many talented artisans in the industry, and we look forward to continuing to produce delicious and innovative cheeses for our valued customers, as well as continuing to tell the story of the value and benefits of regenerative agriculture through our handcrafted products.”
Asher Blue is named after Sweet Grass Dairy owner’s second son, a release explained. It has a natural rind and a creamy, yet crumbly texture. The variety is a mild, raw milk blue with an earthy flavor and mild notes of cocoa on the finish.
Sweet Grass Dairy’s Asher Blue was one of nearly 2,000 products entered in the competitions, and after taking home the Gold Product Award, it will compete against other category winners for the 2023 sofi Gold Product of the Year Award. The winner will be selected at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City from June 25–27.
“Winning a Gold sofi™ Award for Asher Blue is an incredible win for the Sweet Grass Dairy Team,” said Jeremy Little, Co-Owner and Cheesemaker of Sweet Grass Dairy. “We have made a substantial investment in our new creamery to facilitate as much control over all the variables necessary to make a world-class blue cheese. This award is a testament to 15 years of diligently tweaking a recipe modeled after my favorite cheese. I couldn't be happier as a cheesemaker.”
SFA partners with Rutgers Food Innovation Center in Bridgeton, New Jersey, for the sofi Awards judging and logistics management. Entries were judged on a blind basis and products were considered on taste—including flavor, appearance, texture, and aroma—ingredient quality, and innovation.
Three cheers for Sweet Grass Dairy on this win!
