Our Award-Winning Cheeses
Craftsmanship, Variety and Versatility
The United States produces over 1,000 varieties of cheese, inspired by global cultures, American innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. While the U.S. excels at producing world-famous cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar, brie and many others, there are also cheeses that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet. These quintessentially American cheeses — like cream cheese, Monterey Jack, Colby, and hundreds of others — are known as American Originals.
What makes the finest USA Cheeses unique are that they are unbound by tradition — some of the most awarded and sought-after are those that combine new and old techniques with recipes inspired by global cultures and traditions. These cheesemakers, found across the country, celebrate the ever expanding variety of USA Cheeses.
Award-winning Heritage
Cheeses from the USA have gained recognition and praise on the international stage for many years, winning numerous awards and competitions. These accolades from cheese experts are a clear testament to the fantastic quality and craftsmanship of USA Cheeses. While they may not be as well-known as cheeses from Italy, France or Switzerland, the countless awards from international judges prove that USA Cheeses can compete on a global stage.
The U.S. cheese community’s success was reflected at the 2019-2020 World Cheese Awards (WCA) in Bergamo, Italy, where U.S. cheesemaker Rogue Creamery’s Rogue River Blue was crowned World Champion Cheese, the first American recipient of this honor.
World Champion Cheese Rogue Creamery's Rogue River Blue
Created in Oregon’s Rogue Valley, Rogue River Blue is a soft blue cheese that’s cave-aged for 9 to 11 months then hand-wrapped in organic grape leaves that have been soaked in pear spirits.
The award-winning cheese is a perfect example of American cheese craftsmanship at its best, putting a modern spin on ancient techniques.
World Cheese Awards
2023-2024: 147 U.S. Medals- 7 Super Gold
- 22 Gold
- 41 Silver
- 77 Bronze
- 4 Super Gold
- 15 Gold
- 41 Silver
- 74 Bronze
- World Champion Cheese
- 7 Super Gold
- 17 Gold
- 40 Silver
- 67 Bronze
International Cheese and Dairy Awards
2023-2024: 88 U.S. Medals- 34 Gold
- 29 Silver
- 25 Bronze
- 25 Gold
- 27 Silver
- 18 Bronze
World Championship Cheese Contest
2024-2025: 277 U.S. Medals- 91 Best of Class
- 93 Second Place
- 93 Third Place
- 94 Best of Class
- 95 Second Place
- 98 Third Place
- 89 Best of Class
- 89 Second Place
- 87 Third Place
The Future of USA Cheeses
Cheesemakers first made common cheeses from their homeland such as parmesan, feta, and asiago just to name a few. These cheeses became household favorites in the United States long ago and have since won the hearts of many other nations. However, today an alarming situation is developing that threatens U.S. cheeses' variety and affordability.
The names of some of the most popular American-made cheeses are being threatened by the European Union's (EU) attempts to claim sole ownership of these names. Left unchecked, efforts by any group to "own" generic terms will damage importers and end-users' sales of many popular food products around the globe.
Many U.S. companies have joined in an international effort, called the Consortium of Common Food Names (CCFN), to stop this over-reach on protected geographical indications. Learn more about why this work matters and how you can get involved at the CCFN's website.
