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Banner graphic featuring three dairy cows in a pasture on the left, assorted cheese, butter, and milk products on the right, and the headline "Winners Named in International Cheese & Dairy Awards" centered between the images.

Winners Named In International Cheese & Dairy Awards For 2026

HART Insight Summary

The 2026 International Cheese & Dairy Awards recognized exceptional cheesemakers from around the world, with U.S. producers earning numerous awards across a wide range of cheese categories. The results highlight the continued focus on quality, craftsmanship, and product innovation that helps dairy manufacturers compete on the global stage.

Key Takeaways

  • More than 4,500 cheeses and dairy products were evaluated by over 250 international judges.
  • U.S. cheesemakers earned numerous gold, silver, and bronze medals across multiple cheese categories.
  • Several Wisconsin-based producers, including Carr Valley Cheese Co., Deer Creek Cheese, Emmi Roth, and Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, were recognized for award-winning products.
  • International competitions continue to showcase innovation, consistency, and quality throughout the global dairy industry.

At A Glance

  • Estimated Reading Time: ≈3 minutes
  • Original Publish Date: July 2026
  • Source: Cheese Market News

A triple-cream Blue cheese from New Zealand was named Supreme Champion Cheese at the 2026 International Cheese and Dairy Awards, held June 24-25 in conjunction with the International Cheese and Dairy Expo at the Staffordshire County Showground in England.
Lactalis-Mainland Dairy New Zealand won the Championship Nantwich Agricultural Society 1897 Trophy for Kapiti Kikorangi Blue. The Reserve Supreme Champion Cheese was a Mature Cheshire made by Bourne’s Cheshire Cheese, which won the Paul Smith-Palmer Memorial Trophy.

Among The Trophy Winners Were 3 U.S.-Based Cheesemakers.

Deer Creek Cheese won the Cheese Lover’s Trophy, presented by Cathedral City, for Vat 17 World Cheddar by Deer Creek. Tillamook won the Blue Water Shipping Award for Best USA Cheese for its Cream Cheese. Rogue Creamery won the U.S. Dairy Council Trophy for its Caveman Blue Cheese.

The contest included more than 4,500 entries that were evaluated by more than 250 judges from around the world.

The following U.S. cheesemakers were among the medal winners:

  • Associated Milk Producers Inc. won a gold medal for Easy Melt Loaf.
  • Beehive Cheese Co. LLC won a gold medal for Barely Buzzed and a bronze for Red Butte Hatch Chile.
  • Cabot Creamery Cooperative won a gold medal for Mild Cheddar and silver for Extra Sharp Cheddar.
  • Carr Valley Cheese Co. Inc. won gold medals for its Apple Smoked Cheddar, Airco, Cave Aged Cardona, Sante, Boozin Billy and Bread Cheese; silver medals for its Smoked Fontina, Cave Aged Marisa, Boozin Ewe and Gran Canaria; and bronze medals for its Black Truffle Blue, Ba Ba Blue, Cave Aged Mellage, Smoked Glacier Point Blue, Menage and Mobay Butter.
  • Cowgirl Creamery won gold medals for its Hop Along (2) and Red Hawk; silver medals for Wagon Wheel Reserve (2) and Devil’s Gulch; and bronze medals for Pierce Point, Wagon Wheel Reserve, Red Hawk and Mt Tam.
  • Cypress Grove won gold medals for its Fresh Goat Cheese Log with Meyer Lemon & Honey, and Fresh Goat Cheese with Dill Pollen; silvers for its Fresh Goat Cheese with Meyer Lemon & Alfalfa Honey (2), Fresh Goat Cheese made with Peppers & Exotic Spice, and Soft-Ripened Goat Cheese with Edible Vegetable Ash; and a bronze for its Fresh Goat Cheese with Basque Piment d’Espelette.
  • Deer Creek Cheese won gold medals for Vat 17 World Cheddar by Deer Creek (2) and the Indigo Bunting by Deer Creek; silver medals for The Fawn by Deer Creek, The Luna Moth by Deer Creek, The Night Walker by Deer Creek, The Robin by Deer Creek and The Swan by Deer Creek; and a bronze medal for 1 Year Aged Cheddar by Deer Creek.
  • Emmi Roth won gold medals for Roth Grand Cru Surchoix Wheel, Roth Aged Gouda and Roth Grand Cru Original Block; and a bronze medal for Roth Grand Cru Reserve Wheel.
  • Fiscalini Farmstead won a bronze medal for Smoked Cheddar.
  • Great Lakes Cheese won a bronze medal for Sweet Cheddar.
  • Joseph Farms Cheese won a gold medal for its String Cheese and silver medals for Part Skim Mozzarella and Special Reserve Extra Sharp Cheddar.
  • Pennyroyal Farm won a gold medal for Boont Corners Vintage and silver medals for Boont Corners Reserve and Boonter’s Blue.
  • Perrystead Dairy won gold medals for Atlantis (2) and Madcap.
  • Pleasant Lane Farms Creamery LLC won a gold medal for Young Gouda and bronze medals for Farmstead Sharp Cheddar and 1795 Signature Cheddar.
  • Rogue Creamery won gold medals for Smokey Blue Cheese, Oregon Blue Cheese and Caveman Blue Cheese; silvers for Rogue River Blue Cheese (2); and bronze medals for Rogue River Blue Cheese and Smokey Blue Cheese.
  • Sartori Cheese won a gold medal for SarVecchio and a silver for MontAmore Cheese Bites.
  • Schuman Cheese won a gold medal for Cello Vanilla Mascarpone.
  • Tillamook won gold medals for Seriously Strawberry Cream Cheese, Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread and Cream Cheese; silver medals for Jalapeno Honey Cream Cheese Spread and Cream Cheese (2) and Colby Jack; and bronze medals for Very Veggie Cream Cheese Spread and Seriously Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread (2).
  • Tulip Tree Creamery LLC won silver medals for Trillium and Nichtshade.
  • Urban Stead Cheese Co. won a gold medal for Street Ched and a bronze medal for Quark.
  • Widmer’s Cheese Cellars Inc. won a silver medal for Matterhorn Alpine Style Cheddar and bronze medals for Smoked Butterkase and Jalapeno Brick Spread.

HART Perspective

International cheese competitions recognize more than exceptional flavor—they also reflect the consistency, precision, and craftsmanship required to produce high-quality dairy products at scale. As consumer expectations continue to rise, reliable processing equipment and repeatable production methods play an important role in helping cheesemakers maintain the quality standards that earn industry recognition.

What This Means For Dairy & Cheese Plants

  • Consistency: Repeatable processes help deliver uniform product quality from batch to batch.
  • Quality: Precision throughout production supports the flavor, texture, and appearance consumers expect.
  • Innovation: Award-winning cheeses demonstrate how product development and traditional craftsmanship can work together.
  • Global Competitiveness: Producing high-quality products helps manufacturers stand out in both domestic and international markets.

Attribution

This summary is based on industry reporting originally published by Cheese Market News. HART Design & Manufacturing has added independent analysis and dairy-processing context. The original publisher did not contribute to or review these additions.

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