American specialty cheesemakers give Super Gold performance at World Cheese Awards

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1 2101 Wilson Boulevard Suite 400 Arlington, Virginia U.S.A. Tel Fax NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2010 for more information CONTACT: Margaret Speich U.S. Dairy Export Council American specialty cheesemakers give Super Gold performance at World Cheese Awards Two U.S. cheeses reached the top echelon last week as Super Gold Medal winners at the World Cheese Awards in Birmingham, England. The annual judging is among the largest of its kind, attracting top cheese judges and authorities from around the world. A total of 2,629 cheeses competed this year, coming from more than 29 countries, and once again, U.S. artisan and specialty cheese makers had plenty to brag about: 29 U.S. companies received a total of 79 medals. American participation and impact has grown steadily in the last 10 years, says Bob Farrand, award chairman of the competition, organized by the British Fine Food Guild. The ever-growing participation of U.S. cheese into this global competition has completely transformed the way Europe views U.S. cheese makers, Farrand says. It was in the mid-1990s that a single cheese maker entered an 18-month-old Dry Jack from Sonoma County and our judges realized for the first time that U.S. cheese is not all mild processed blocks of yellow. That cheese (Vella Dry Jack) took gold and one of the British judges was heard to comment, if that s typical of U.S. cheese, Europe needs to watch out. This year 47 cheeses were awarded Super Gold, advancing to the final round of judging. Among them were Spring Brook Farm Tarentaise from the Farms For City Kids Foundation/Spring Brook Farm, Reading, Vt., and Bella Vita, from Firefly Farms, Accident, Md. Spring Brook Tarentaise is a Vermont Alpine Cheese similar to the Abondance cheeses of the Rhone Alps of France. Spring Brook Farm spans more than 1,000 acres Managed by Dairy Management Inc.

2 and is home to over 100 registered Jersey cattle, including 42 milking cows that produce the milk for Tarentaise. The farm is owned by the Farms for City Kids Foundation, a notfor-profit organization with an educational component. The animals and the cheese are cared for in part by school children participating in the foundation program. Bella Vita is a mature, Italian-style goat s milk cheese. Spring Brook Tarentaise, which was also awarded the U.S. Dairy Export Councilsponsored trophy for the Best U.S. Cow s Milk Cheese, is produced under the watch of Jeremy Stephenson, Spring Brook Farm s head cheese maker. We ve done really well in competition this year, Stephenson says. We entered the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (World Cheese Championship) contest, and we won a gold award there for our category. Then we entered at ACS (American Cheese Society) and we took third place for best of show and won gold for our category. Tarentaise also took a medal in an all-jersey competition on the Isle of Jersey, Stephenson says. We are just really gratified to win the WCA award, and to be recognized by USDEC, he adds. It s amazing to us, because we have only been making this cheese for two years. U.S. cheese makers continue to score well in a variety of categories, often equaling or beating competitors from countries where specific cheese styles are rooted in centuriesold tradition. For instance, in the class for extra mature traditional Cheddar, (nine months to one year old) Fiscalini Cheese Co. of California and Grafton Cheese Co. of Vermont both shared medal honors with Quickes Traditional Ltd., of Exeter, one of the most respected Cheddar makers in England. There were more U.S. cheeses entered in this year s competition than ever before, and American cheese makers have been bringing home medals year in and year out, says Angélique Hollister, director of cheese and manufactured products, USDEC. Every time U.S. cheese makers have this kind of success in international competitions it helps to dispel the myth that the United States only produces cheese designed for cheeseburgers and pizza. The credibility that is being earned as American specialty cheese makers continue to grow and develop our cheese craft has a halo effect on all U.S. dairy products wherever they are sold overseas. Farrand says no one is surprised at this point to find great U.S. cheeses at the competition. You can trace that back to Rogue River Blue, which came within a single point of taking the World Championship in 2003, he says. U.S. entries have risen from around 50 or 2

3 so at the start of the decade to more than 400 this year. There were two Super Golds, which means they were in the top 50 out of 2,600 cheeses, and 12 other Golds out of 79 total awards. it s only a matter of time before we have a U.S. world champion. Be patient, we ve just had to wait a whole decade for a British winner! The World Champion Cheese, selected by a Supreme Panel of 15 expert judges from 11 different countries, was Cornish Blue from Cornish Cheese Co., Cornwall, U.K. The company has at least one characteristic in common with many American artisans it has been producing cheese for just less than 10 years. This year s judging and awards took place at the BBC Good Food Show, one of the top consumer food events in Europe, which draws more than 80,000 visitors each year. Among U.S. companies with multiple medals were Marin French Cheese from California; Carr Valley Cheese and Sartori Foods from Wisconsin; Sorrento Lactalis from New York; Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery from Vermont; and Baetje Farms from Missouri. -END- World Cheese Awards winners from the United States Class 5001 (Soft goats milk cheese plain - fresh) - Fresh Chèvre, Cypress Grove Chèvre Inc., Arcata, Calif., Gold Class 5002 (Soft goats milk cheese plain - mould-ripened) - Yellow Buck Chevre 24oz, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Silver - Bloomsdale, Baetje Farms, Bloomsdale, Mo., Silver - Sainte Genevieve, Baetje Farms, Bloomsdale, Mo., Bronze - Camembert, Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy, Longmont, Colo., Bronze - Humboldt Fog, Cypress Grove Chèvre Inc., Arcata, Calif., Bronze Class 5003 (Semi-hard goats milk cheese plain) - Manchester, Consider Bardwell Farm, West Pawlet, Vt., Gold - Midnight Moon, Cypress Grove Chèvre Inc., Arcata, Calif., Bronze - Fleur de la Vallee, Baetje Farms, Bloomsdale, Mo., Bronze Class 5004 (Hard goats milk cheese plain) - Bella Vita, Firefly Farms, Accident, Md., Super Gold - Bandaged Billy, Carr Valley Cheese Co. Inc., Lavalle, Wis., Gold Class 5005 (Goats milk cheese with additives) - Three Pepper, Baetje Farms, Bloomsdale, Mo., Silver - Garlic and Chives, Baetje Farms, Bloomsdale, Mo., Silver 3

4 - Herb de Provence, Baetje Farms, Bloomsdale, Mo., Bronze - Vermont Creamy Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Peppers, Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery, Websterville, Vt., Bronze Class 5006 (Goats milk cheese blue) - Mountain Top Bleu, soft ripened, Firefly Farms, Accident, Md., Gold Class 5102 (Semi-hard ewes milk cheese plain) - Lamb Chopper, Cypress Grove Chèvre Inc., Arcata, Calif., Silver Class 5106 (Hard ewes milk cheese plain) - Cave Aged Marisa, Carr Valley Cheese Co., Lavalle, Wis., Silver - Native Sheep, Carr Valley Cheese Co. Lavalle, Wis., Silver Class 5205 (Mature traditional Cheddar made between 8/1/09 and 11/23/09) - Eagle Cave Aged Cheddar, Meister Dairy, Muscoda, Wis., Silver Class 5206 (Mature block creamery Cheddar made between 8/1/09 and 11/23/09) - Prairie Breeze, Milton Creamery, Milton, Iowa, Gold Class 5209 (Extra Mature traditional Cheddar made between 11/24/09 and 3/30/09) - BWC Extra, Fiscalini Cheese Co., Modesto, Calif., Silver - Cave Aged Clothbound Cheddar, Grafton Village Cheese Co., Brattleboro,Vt., Bronze Class 5210 (Extra Mature creamery Cheddar made between 11/24/09 and 3/30/09) - Private Stock Cheddar, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Montpelier, Vt., Silver Class 5232 (Gouda - made after 12/1/09) - Marieke Gouda Super, Holland's Family Cheese, Thorp, Wis., Silver Class 5234 (Any very hard cheese not in any other class) - Sartori Reserve SarVecchio Parmesan, Sartori Food Corp., Plymouth, Wis., Silver - American Grana, BelGioioso Cheese Inc., Green Bay, Wis., Silver Class 5235 (Any hard pressed cheese not in any other class) - San Joaquin Gold, Fiscalini Cheese Co., Modesto, Calif., Bronze Class 5236 (Any semi-hard cheese not in any other class) - Spring Brook Farm Tarentaise, Farms For City Kids Foundation, Reading, Vt., Super Gold - Toma, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Point Reyes, Calif., Silver - Asiago, BelGioioso Cheese Inc., Green Bay, Wis., Bronze Class 5302 (Cottage cheese American style chunky) - Vermont Style Cottage Cheese, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Montpelier, Vt., Silver Class 5304 (Ricotta) - Ricotta - whole milk, Sorrento Lactalis, Buffalo, N.Y., Silver - Whole-milk Ricotta, Bellwether Farms, Petaluma, Calif., Bronze Class 5305 (Mascarpone) 4

5 - Mascarpone, Sorrento Lactalis, Buffalo, N.Y., Bronze - Bella Gento Mascarpone, Sorrento Lactalis, Buffalo, N.Y., Bronze Class 5306 (Quark plain or with additives) - Vermont Quark, Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery, Websterville, Vt., Bronze - Quark Blackberry 8oz, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Bronze Class 5307 (Mozzarella, fresh, cows milk in balls (large or small)) - Sliced Fresh Mozzarella (12oz), Sorrento Lactalis, Buffalo, N.Y., Gold - Galbani Fresh Mozzarella (8oz), Sorrento Lactalis, Buffalo, N.Y., Silver - Ciliengini Fresh Mozzarella (3oz), Sorrento Lactalis, Buffalo, N.Y., Bronze - Mozzarella 16oz ball, Lactalis American Group, Tipton, Calif., Bronze - Fresh Mozzarella, BelGioioso Cheese Inc., Green Bay, Wis., Bronze Class 5308 (Mozzarella, block, slices or string) - Mozzarella - whole milk high moisture, Sorrento Lactalis, Buffalo, N.Y., Bronze Class 5311 (Brie made from pasteurised milk) - Rouge et Noir Triple Créme Brie 8oz, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Gold - French Gold 24oz, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Bronze - Rouge et Noir Original Brie 8oz, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Bronze - Rouge et Noir Original Brie 5lb, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Bronze Class 5313 (Camembert made from pasteurised milk) - Le Petit Camembert 4oz, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Silver Class 5314 (Any other mould ripened, soft or unpressed cows milk cheese - plain) - Green Hill, Sweet Grass Dairy, Thomasville, Ga., Silver Class 5317 (Rind washed cheese not in any other class) - Schlosskranz-Herz, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Gold Class 5318 (Smoked cheese - soft/semi soft) - Smoked Mozzarella, Lactalis American Group, Tipton, Calif., Bronze Class 5403 (Gorgonzola) - Black River Gorgonzola, DCI Cheese Co., Richfield, Wis., Bronze - Montforte Gorgonzola Wheel, Arthur Schuman Inc., Fairfield, N.J., Bronze Class 5404 (Blue vein cheese any variety, uncut, natural rind) - Le Petit Bleu 4oz, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Silver Class 5405 (Blue vein cheese any variety, uncut, foil wrapped) - Blue Cheese, Organic Valley Family of Farms, La Farge, Wis., Bronze Class 5501 (Cheese made with the milk of more than one animal) - Mélange Brie, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Gold - Menage, Carr Valley Cheese Co., Lavalle, Wis., Silver - Cave Aged Mellage, Carr Valley Cheese Co., Lavalle, Wis., Silver 5

6 Class 5503 (Semi-hard cheese produced on farm or dairy with a total output not exceeding a weekly average of 2 tons) - Pawlet, Consider Bardwell Farm, West Pawlet, Vt., Silver - Butternut, Willow Hill Farm, Milton, Vt., Bronze - Promontory, Beehive Cheese Co., Uintah, Utah, Bronze - Full Moon, Beehive Cheese Co., Uintah, Utah, Bronze Class 5504 (Soft cheese produced on farm or dairy with a total output not exceeding a weekly average of 2 tons) - Dorset, Consider Bardwell Farm, West Pawlet, Vt., Silver Class 5509 (New Cheese - hard or semi-hard. Open to any new cheese first marketed after 10/1/09) - Aged Fontina, Sartori Food Corp., Plymouth, Wis., Bronze Class 5511 (New Cheese - with additives. Open to any new cheese first marketed after 10/1/09) - Cinnamon BellaVitano, Sartori Food Corp., Plymouth, Wis., Gold - Lavendar TouVelle, The Rogue Creamery, Central Point, Ore., Silver - Espresso BellaVitano, Sartori Food Corp., Plymouth, Wis., Silver Class 5512 (All other new cheeses. Open to any new cheese first marketed after 10/1/09) - Cherbourg, Baetje Farms, Bloomsdale, Mo., Bronze Class 5605 (Hard pressed or repressed Cheddar with savoury additives) - Sage Cheddar, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Montpelier, Vt., Silver Class 5606 (Other hard pressed or repressed cows milk cheese with savoury additives) - Sartori Reserve Basil & Olive Oil Asiago, Sartori Food Corp., Plymouth, Wis., Bronze Class 5607 (Hard pressed or repressed cows milk cheese with savoury additives) - Sartori Reserve Balsamic BellaVitano, Sartori Food Corp., Plymouth, Wis., Silver Class 5608 (White mould ripened soft or unpressed cows milk cheese with savoury additives) - Rouge et Noir Garlic Brie, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Bronze - Rouge et Noir Peppercorn Brie, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Bronze - Rouge et Noir Tomato Basil, Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, Calif., Bronze Class 5611 (Cream or fresh cheese with savoury additives) - Marinade with spices Mozzarella Medallions, Lactalis American Group, Tipton, Calif., Gold - Curry Cheese Torta, Rising Sun Farms Inc., Phoenix, Ore., Gold - Sweet Pepper & Chipotle Cheese Torta, Rising Sun Farms Inc., Phoenix, Ore., Silver - Artichoke Lemon Cheese Torta, Rising Sun Farms Inc., Phoenix, Ore., Bronze Sponsor Award U.S. Dairy Export Council Trophy for Best USA Cheese - Spring Brook Farm Tarentaise, Farms For City Kids Foundation, Reading, Vt. 6

7 U.S. performance at the World Cheese Awards Total U.S. Entries Winning Companies Total U.S. Medals Gold Silver Bronze , from 60 companies , from 52 companies , from 34 companies , from 51 companies , from 34 companies , from 29 companies , from 53 companies The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products. USDEC accomplishes this through programs in market development that build global demand for U.S. dairy products, resolve market access barriers and advance industry trade policy goals. USDEC is supported by staff across the United States and overseas in Mexico, South America, Asia, Middle East and Europe. 7