2025 United States Cheese Champion Announced, Nine Cheeses In Wisconsin Finish In Top 20
The nation’s top cheese has officially been crowned and it hails from Connecticut, beating out 19 other finalists, including nine from Wisconsin.
2025 United States Championship Cheese Contest Overview
Hosted by the Wisconsin Cheesemaker’s Association, the 2025 United States Championship Cheese Contest, held at the Resch Expo, was a two-day competition of constant evaluation, with over 2,000 entries from 31 states.
Wisconsin Finalists
But, judges sliced the final contestants down to 20, with the following nine finalists from Wisconsin:
- Cello Assiago: Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese in Turtle Lake
- Cello Organic Copper Kettle Parmesan: Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese in Turtle Lake
- Buholzer Brothers Havarti Cheese: Klondike Cheese Co. in Monroe
- Buholzer Brothers Dill Havarti Cheese: Klondike Cheese Co. in Monroe
- Lake Country Dairy Gouda: Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese in Turtle Lake
- BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh Basil, & Garlic Marinated: BelGioioso Cheese in Denmark
- Henning’s Cheese Onion and Chive: Henning’s Cheese in Kiel
- Blue Spruce Blue: Carr Valley Cheese Company in Linden
- Mobay: Carr Valley Cheese Company in Mauston
Henning’s Cheese Celebrates Being A Top 20 Finalist
Kerry Henning, the President and Master Cheesemaker at Henning’s Cheese, said he, his son and nephew got the news of being a finalist and immediately came up to the Resch Expo. Henning said they’ve been making their Onion and Chive Cheddar for a few decades.
“It’s something we’ve been making probably 20 years, it’s an oldie but still good,” Henning said. “We put it in baked potatoes and other things, it’s a great cheese.”
Henning said it was hard to express how happy he was, especially finishing in the top 20.
“It is awesome,” Henning said. “There’s [about] 2,400 in this contest, [so] finishing Top 20 is a great feeling.”
Judges’ Perspective
Cathy Strange, an Ambassador for Food Culture at Whole Foods Market, and one of the judges for this year’s competition, concurred, saying that the top 20 is an accomplishment on its own, considering the number of contestants.
“To even be in the Top 20 is an amazing feat given there are 2,400 entries,” Strange said. “The technical and the judge’s ability is incredible, so that kind of honor is amazing.”
Top Winners Announced At The 2025 Championship Cheese Contest
The finalists and overall winner of the contest were announced on Thursday afternoon.
Cello Organic Copper Kettle Parmesan, made in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, was named the No. 3 overall finisher with a score of 98.81
The runner up was St. Malachi Reserve, produced by The Farm at Doe Run in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, with a score of 98.88.
But, the winner, and therefore the 2025 United States Champion Cheese, with a score of 98.89, was an aged gouda named Arethusa Europa, made in Bantam, Connecticut by Arethusa Farm Dairy.
Consistency In Excellence
Holding the grand champion, Arethusa Europa, Strange said it was like déjà vu, as it won the most recent contest as well.
“This cheese won the last contest, and it shows consistency in production and sourcing of ingredients,” Strange said. “It has a complexity of flavors from fruity to savory, and it just melts in your mouth.”
The full finalist list can be seen on the U.S. Champion Cheese website.
Next year’s contest is in Madison from March 3-5.
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Source: We Are Green Bay
