What is the World Cheese Awards and how does it work? Here you’ll find everything you need to know about the event, which is coming to Switzerland for the first time in 2025.
The World Cheese Awards explained
Good to know
- With up to 5000 participating cheeses from around 50 countries, the World Cheese Awards is the biggest cheese event in the world.
- The 37th edition of the World Cheese Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food (UK), will take place in Bern in 2025.
- The World Cheese Awards is being held in Switzerland for the first time ever.
- Winners are chosen for the Super Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. Trophies are also presented for various special categories such as “Best Artisan Cheese”, “Best Raw Milk Cheese” or “Best Female Cheesemaker”.
The adjudication process
All cheeses submitted are tasted blind by an international jury of around 250 people. The jury is made up of leading cheese experts (chefs, buyers, salespeople, journalists, creators, etc.). When putting together the jury, care is taken to ensure a balance in terms of age, gender and professional field. The jury works in teams of two or three at their table and decides for each product whether it is worthy of an award (Bronze, Silver, Gold or even Super Gold). The assess different aspects such as the look of the rind and paste as well as the aroma and texture of the cheese, with the most points awarded for the taste and mouthfeel. Each jury team nominates the most outstanding cheese from their table as the Super Gold winner.
These Super Gold winners are then sent to a second round of judging. A pre-appointed Super Jury of 14 internationally recognised and respected experts judge the Super Gold winners. Each jury member chooses their personal favourite, which they send into the final. All 14 cheeses are tasted again by the Super Jury in front of a live audience and awarded between 1 and 7 points. The cheese with the highest score is named the World Champion Cheese.
The judging is broadcast live on WCA TV .
Fun facts
- Both cheese made from raw milk and cheese made from pasteurised milk are eligible for the World Cheese Awards.
- Cheese made from cow’s, sheep’s, goat’s and buffalo milk, as well as camel’s and mare’s milk, can be entered.
- The cheeses are tasted blind. The names of the products and manufacturers aren’t announced until the very end.
- The World Cheese Awards has only been ‘on tour’ for a few years. To date, it has taken place in Oviedo, Bergamo, San Sebastian and Trondheim, among others.