One of the largest technical cheese, butter, yogurt, and dry dairy ingredient competitions in the world wrapped up last week. The World Championship Cheese Contest once again rocked the dairy industry and showcased who’s really the cream of the crop when it comes to making, supplying, and innovating cheese and its bounty of categories.
This year, a record-breaking 3,667 cheesemakers entered in the contest. But before announcing the winners last week—a commencement that took place Thursday night at Cheese Champion—the World Championship Cheese Contest revealed the top 20 cheeses of our industry, listing those cutting-edge categories that consistently rise above and showcase dairy excellence. These 20 cheesemakers were also in the running for the top title: World Champion Cheese.
Without further ado, here are the top 20 cheeses—in order of class number—that were judged for the top prize, as listed by the World Championship Cheese Contest:
Class 5: Cheddar, Aged Two Years or Longer
Cheese Name: Agropur Grand Cheddar 3 Years
Maker: Agropur
Company: Agropur
Location: Saint-Hubert, Quebec, Canada
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Class 7: Traditional Waxed Cheddar, Sharp to Aged
Cheese Name: English Hollow Cheddar
Maker: Maple Leaf Cheesemaking Team
Company: Maple Leaf Cheesemakers, Inc.
Location: Monroe, Wisconsin, United States
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Class 29: Parmesan
Cheese Name: Parmigiano-Reggiano
Maker: Team Il Re
Company: Royal A-ware (Netherlands)
Location: Italy
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Class 35: Gorgonzola
Cheese Name: Roth Gorgonzola Cheese
Maker: Team Emmi Roth-Seymour
Company: Emmi Roth
Location: Seymour, Wisconsin, United States
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Class 37: Blue Veined Cheeses with Exterior Molding
Cheese Name: Cambozola Black
Maker: Champignon North America, Inc.
Company: Käserei Champignon
Location: Lauben, Bavaria, Germany
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Class 39: Gouda, Young (0-4 months)
Cheese Name: Holland Master, North-Holland Gouda Mild, PGI
Maker: Team Lutjewiinkel
Company: Royal FrieslandCampina-Export
Location: Lutjewiinkel, Netherlands
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Class 40: Gouda, Mature (4-10 months)
Cheese Name: Lutjewiinkel Noord Hollandse Gouda PDO
Maker: Team Lutjewiinkel
Company: Royal FrieslandCampina-Export
Location: Lutjewiinkel, Netherlands
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Class 43: Gouda, Smoked
Cheese Name: Marieke Gouda Smoked Cumin
Maker: Marieke Gouda Team
Company: Marieke Gouda
Location: Thorp, Wisconsin, United States
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Class 47: Open Class: Soft Ripened Cheeses, Flavored
Cheese Name: Lait Bloomer
Maker: Murray’s Cheese & Jasper Hill
Company: Murray’s Cheese & Jasper Hill;
Location: Long Island City, New York, United States
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Class 48: Latin American Style Fresh Cheeses
Cheese Name: Queso Panela
Maker: El Mexicano
Company: Marquez Brothers International, INC
Location: Hanford, California, United States
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Class 51: Gruyere
Cheese Name: Gourmino Le Gruyère AOP
Maker: Michael Spycher, Mountain Dairy Fritzenhaus
Company: Gourmino AG
Location: Urtenen-Schoenbuehl, Bern, Switzerland
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Class 53: Open Class: Alpine Cheeses
Cheese Name: Le Maréchal
Maker: Fromagerie Le Maréchal SA
Company: Fromagerie Le Maréchal SA
Location: Granges-Marnard, Vaud, Switzerland
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Class 56: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Semi-soft (Semi-hard) Cheeses (6 months and longer)
Cheese Name: Alter Fritz
Maker: Hardegger Käse AG
Company: Hardegger Käse AG
Location: Jonschwil, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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Class 67: Open Class: Hard Cheeses
Cheese Name: Gallus Grand CRU
Maker: Hardegger Käse AG
Company: Hardegger Käse AG
Location: Jonschwil, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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Class 68: Open Class: Hard Cheeses with Natural Rind
Cheese Name: St. Malachi Reserves
Maker: Team Doe Run
Company: The Farm at Doe Run
Location: Coatesville, Pennsylvania, United States
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Class 74: Reduced Fat Soft & Semi-soft Cheeses
Cheese Name: Milner 30+ Extra Matured
Maker: Team Steenderen
Company: Royal FrieslandCampaina-Export
Location: Steenderen, Netherlands
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Class 75: Reduced Fat Hard Cheeses
Cheese Name: Beemster Lite Old 30+
Company: Beemster
Location: Westbeemster, Netherlands
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Class 91: Hard Goat’s Milk Cheeses
Cheese Name: Old Amsterdam Aged Goat Gouda
Maker: Old Amsterdam
Company: Westland Kaasexport BV
Location: Huizen, Netherlands
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Class 93: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Goat’s Milk Cheeses
Cheese Name: Highlander
Maker: Jasper Hill Farm
Company: Cellars at Jasper Hill
Location: Greensboro, Vermont, United States
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Class 104: Hard Mixed Milk Cheeses (0-6 months)
Cheese Name: Iberico Mixed Milk Hard Cheese
Maker: Miguel Angel García-Baquero
Company: Lacteas García Baquero, S. A.
Location: Alcazar De San Juan, Spain
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For more information, including complete results for all entry classes, visit WorldChampionCheese.org. Or stick with us here at Deli Market News as we bring you the latest coverage from this world-class event.
