United States cheesemakers came away with 85 medals at the World Cheese Awards, the most ever for U.S. entrants in the competition. Hundreds of cheese companies worldwide participated, sending more than 2,500 cheeses to Birmingham, England, where they were judged by a field of more than 200 expert tasters from around the world.
American cheesemakers sent four cheeses to the final round of 16. Limited Edition Cognac BellaVitano, from Sartori Foods, Plymouth, Wis., took third place overall from the final evaluation, also earning it a trophy for the “Best U.S. Cow’s Milk Cheese,” an award sponsored by the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC).