One of the year’s most important global cheese competitions, the International Cheese and Dairy Awards, recently took place in Staffordshire, UK, with thousands of cheese, dairy and deli products vying for recognition.
The 2025 competition attracted over 3,700 entries from across the world and judging was carried out by hundreds of experts.
Taking away the competition’s biggest honor, British cheesemaker Belton Farm received the Supreme Champion award for its Coloured Cheshire cheese.
Described as light and crumbly with subtle hints of fresh citrus, the cheese has slightly salty taste due to the rock salt deposits in the Cheshire Plain, where Belton Farm’s cows graze.
This is the second time this particular cheese wins Supreme Champion, as it did so in 2018. It’s also the fifth time Belton Farm claims the prestigious award. In total, the British company received 61 awards and 10 trophies at ICDA 2025.
Justin Beckett, Belton Farm MD, said: “To be named Supreme Champion once again is a huge honour and a proud moment for the whole team.
“Our Coloured Cheshire is a true classic, and this recognition is testament to the skill of our cheesemakers, the outstanding quality of milk from our local farming partners, and the dedication of everyone at Belton Farm to producing the very best in British cheese.”
Supreme Champion Dairy Product (non-cheese)
In the non-cheese dairy category, Lancashire Farm Dairies’ Crème Fraiche won the Supreme Champion Award.
In total, the company claimed four Gold awards (for its Greek-style yogurt, Double Cream, Mixed Berry Kefir, and Créme Fraiche), two Silvers (for its Natural Kefir and Sour Cream products) and two Bronze awards (for its Mango Lassi and Single Cream).
Champion Butter
The ICDA Award Champion Butter went to Gower View Foods’ Brandy Butter, an unsalted Welsh butter made with Courvoisier brandy. The company also scooped the Best Butter, Catering & Food Service, in Show award.
This flavored butter won a Gold award at the 2024 competition, too.
Champion European Cheese
The trophy went to Lustenberger & Dürst for its Jura Montagne.
The cheesemaker claimed Gold in three other Swiss Cheese categories: Emmental, Gruyere, and Any Other Variety (Silvers in Gruyere and Any Other Variety went to Emmi Group’s Kaltbach Gruyere and Appenzelle, respectively).
Meanwhile, Ferrari Giovanni Industria Casearia spa’s Parmigiano Reggiano PDO scooped the Best Italian Cheese award, along with several other gongs:
France’s largest dairy co-op Sodiaal returned from the UK with Champion French Cheese award for its Brie de Meaux PDO; and Futura Foods’ YAMAS! Greek Feta PDO was named Best Greek cheese.
Champions (In Show)
Cream
J&E Dickinson Longley Farm’s Jersey Single Pouring Cream scooped the in-show cream champion gong. A premium single cream suitable for pouring, coffee and cooking.
Yoghurt
J&E Dickinson Longley Farm scooped this award too, for its Honey-flavored Greek Style Yogurt. Last year, the product received a Silver award.
Quark
Besides claiming the non-cheese Supreme Champion Dairy Product award, Lancashire Farm Dairies’ Créme Fraiche 500g also scooped the ICDA Champion Quark in Show gong.
Milk
The Wright Family Dairy’s Pasteurized Jersey Whole Milk stole the show for a second year-running.
Ice Cream
Brinkworth Dairy’s Raspberry Ice Cream scooped the top gong, with founder Ceri Cryer calling the achievement ‘absolutely thrilling’.
The company makes its gelato from the milk of its own heritage Friesian herd, which has been bred on their family farm in Wiltshire since 1910, according to The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald.
Notably, the employee who formulated the award-winning flavor had only been making ice cream for four weeks.
Best Processed Cheese
Rupp AG claimed the Best Processed Cheese award for its Variety Cheese Triangles Pack. The Austrian company, which specializes in cheese solutions for B2B, foodservice and retail, claimed a number of other awards, including Gold and Silver for its Vegan Cream spreads and a Silver in the Processed Cheese (Sticks) category.
Best US cheese
The trophy for Best USA Cheese using any milk or mixed-source milk went to Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog Original. This is the cheese that has all but pioneered soft-ripened goat cheese in the US, with California-based Cypress Grove one of the first players on the US market with such product.
Meanwhile, the Champion award for USA Cheese made using cows’ milk went to Urban Stead Cheese Co for its Street Ched Aged Cheddar.
Notable mentions: From Best Health Drink to Best Organic Cheese
While the full list of winners is available via ICDA’s website, we highlight a few more winners and categories that caught our eye . . .
Longest Cheese Stretch: Bridge Cheese’s 100% Mozzarella
Best Speciality Cheese: Zanetti spa, Parmigiano Reggiano, min 36 months
Best Cheese with Health Benefits: Bouter Group’s Albert Heijn Zaanlander Extra Belegen 35+
Best Health Drink in Show: J&E Dickinson Longley Farm’s Natural Cultured Buttermilk
Champion Organic Cheese: Rygge Meieri’s soft cheese made from cows milk covered in ash
Best New Dairy Product: Delamere Dairy’s Cookies & Cream Flavoured Milk
