07 December 2010, 13:00 PM
  • A British blue cheese has fought off competition from over 2,500 international entries to be named Supreme Champion at the World Cheese Awards

The Cornish Cheese Company won with its Cornish Blue – marking the first time a UK producer has walked away with the top prize in a decade. The reputation of British cheese was further boosted after Yorkshire-made cheese Swaledale Blue won the Reserve Champion title.

Phillip Stansfield at The Cornish Cheese Company was ‘overwhelmed’ by the win, and the business has reported a significant increase in orders for the winning product. John Sheaves, chief executive of Taste of the West said: “I am absolutely delighted for Philip and Carol and the whole team at Cornish Blue. They became members of Taste of the West in 2001 – while they were developing their product – so it’s a great achievement for them now to be crowned world champions.”

“They are a great inspiration for all the small producers in the West Country who aspire to achieve this level of excellence. We are so proud to have Cornish Blue as a world champion among our membership,” he adds.

The awards were held as part of the BBC Good Food Show last month and were judged by a 14-strong panel of experts, including cheese maker and food writer Alex James. Other British winners include David Hartley, managing director of The Wensleydale Creamery – who won a prize for his ‘exceptional contribution’ to the cheese industry – and J. A & E Montgomery, which walked away with the Best Traditional Cheddar title.

Acclaimed international winners include Croatian sheep’s milk cheese Paski Sir, crowned Best New Cheese, and Gruyère Premier Cru, named Best Continental Cheese.