Cheese news: What’s happening in the world of cheese and dairy right now?

ICDA winners named

At the Stafford County Showground on 25th June, entries to the International Cheese & Dairy Awards 2026 were judged and winners announced.

Lactalis – Mainland New Zealand won Supreme Champion Cheese with Bourne’s Cheshire Cheese in reserve and winner of The Champion UK, Walo van Muhlenen was named Supreme Specialist/Artisan Cheesemaker, The Wright Family Dairy won Supreme Champion Dairy Product – Non Cheese, and Booths won Supreme Retail Cheese of the Year.

Ian Luxton, chairman of ICDA said, “After so much hard work by so many volunteers, it was rewarding for everyone to see large numbers attending across both days in support of our industry. The post show feedback has been excellent, and the year-on-year improvements have been demonstrable, with investment in additional carpeting and complete coverage this year. The World Panel presentation was both well received and well attended. It was pleasing to see large numbers in place for the Trophy presentations and both the Supreme Cheese and Dairy champions were worthy winners.

“The ICDA has cemented its status in its relatively new venue as perhaps the most important Dairy Event for networking and meeting customers and buyers alike. The Dairy UK lifetime achievement award was presented to Paul Rowe, recently retired from First Milk and a worthy recipient. A huge thank you to everyone involved during the staging and delivery of this unique and increasingly important event run for the industry, by the industry.”

Alan Kirby, cheese buyer at Booths, said, “Awards like these are ultimately a celebration of the cheesemakers behind every product. We spend a huge amount of time seeking out producers who share our values – craftsmanship, provenance and exceptional quality – whether they’re making Lancashire cheese just a few miles from our stores or traditional cheeses from further afield.

“Customers increasingly want to know where their food comes from and who made it. That’s why we believe specialist cheese counters, backed by knowledgeable colleagues and strong relationships with artisan producers, are more important than ever. We’re incredibly proud that our approach has been recognised with Supreme Retail Cheese of the Year.”

Lowri Wright, founder of Wright Family Dairy, said, “We’re absolutely thrilled to have been awarded Supreme Champion Dairy Product at the 2026 International Cheese & Dairy Awards. To know that our pasteurised Jersey whole milk came out on top after judging by industry experts makes the recognition even more special. It’s a real testament to the care that goes into every stage of production, from looking after our Jersey cows and producing high-quality home-grown forage, to gently batch pasteurising the milk and getting it into customers’ hands as fresh as possible.”

Village Maid Cheese celebrates 40th anniversary

“It’s been quite a journey,” says Jake Wigmore, director of Village Maid Cheese, which began in a small outbuilding of the home his mother Anne - founder of the business alongside husband Andy - lived in, in Spencers Wood, Berkshire 40 years ago. 

“Along the way we’ve won a host of awards at the World, British and Great Taste Awards, and supplied some of the most prestigious venues in the UK, including The Ritz, Sketch, The Dorchester and Buckingham Palace, to name a few. Today, our growing team runs two dairies, 5 to 6 days a week, processing up to 20,000 litres of milk weekly.”

White Lake unveils four new cheeses for summer

Founder of White Lake Cheese, Roger Longman, was inspired by international cheesemaking cultures to create the new additions to the range, which include:

Persian Gold: a fresh and lactic cheese-in-a-jar which is held in rapeseed oil infused with garlic, basil, marjoram, thyme and peppercorns in a nod to Southwest Asia. It is already an award-winner, picking up a gold at the British & Irish Cheese Awards and two silvers at the Artisan Cheese Awards. 

English Pecorino Fresco: inspired by one of Italy’s most loved cheeses and is a semi hard sheep’s milk cheese, matured for three months for a rich flavour and creamy texture. 

Tuppence: inspired by the French cheese Crottin, and can be eaten young for a clean and slightly citrussy taste or matured for a more savoury flavour. It won gold at the Artisan Cheese Awards.

Glastonbrie: a Brie-style cheese, made using Jersey cow’s milk for a rich flavour, and boasts notes of mushroom, umami, malt, strawberries and pears. It won a Bronze in the Cow’s milk class at the British & Irish Cheese Awards 2026. 

“We’re always working on something new at White Lake, and I’m really excited to get these ones out there with a load of award wins behind them already,” said Roger.

Fen Farm Dairy releases seasonal cheese

The Suffolk-based cheesemaker Fen Farm Dairy has announced the arrival of its latest seasonal cheese – Suffolk Punch – which will be coming to an end early to mid-September. 

Created to make the most of the nutrient-rich milk produced during the summer, the lactic new cheese has tasting notes of yeast, caramel and hay, as well as the ‘crispy bits from roast beef’. 

It has a sticky orange rind and very soft interior, and takes its name from the Suffolk Punch horses which historically worked the land around the dairy.

St Jude wins top title at Virtual Cheese Awards

The Suffolk-made cheese was named Supreme Champion in the live-streamed final judged by some of the UK’s best-respected cheese experts, after impressing them with its exceptional balance, elegant presentation and outstanding flavour. 

Julie Cheyney, cheesemaker at St Jude Cheese, said: “Thank you all so much for crowning St Jude the Supreme Champion. The team and I are absolutely delighted. St Jude is very dear to my heart and has proved to be a wonderfully robust little cheese despite moving with us across three different counties over the years. 

“We know what makes her happy and work hard every day to keep her environment just right. To receive this recognition from such an esteemed panel of judges means the world to us.” 

Sarah de Wit, founder of the Virtual Cheese Awards, said, “Every year we’re reminded just how extraordinary British and Irish cheesemaking has become, but this year’s Supreme Final was exceptional. The standard was incredibly high, and our finalists represented the very best of traditional craftsmanship, innovation and quality. 

“St Jude stood out because it delivered excellence in every aspect. It is a beautifully balanced cheese with remarkable finesse and character, and we’re delighted to recognise Julie Cheyney and the team with the Supreme Champion title.”