Wynyard cheese wins big at International cheese 'Oscars'

The 122-year-old awards are the pinnacle competition for cheese and dairy foods, with independent judges from across the globe coming together to assess thousands of cheeses.

Fonterra Regional Operations Manager Tasmania Steve Taylor says the awards are the top recognition for all the hard work that goes into the process from paddock to plate, to turn our Tasmanian farmers’ milk into quality cheese.

“Over 5,000 cheeses are entered in this competition from more than 50 countries around the world, it’s kind of like the cheese version of the Oscars. So, to have won in this context really speaks to the quality of our cheese.

“This year we took home gold for Best Australian Cheddar for our tasty cheddar, as well as Best Mild Cheddar Cheese for our mild cheddar, competing against other global cheddars.

“We also walked away with a silver medal for our mild cheddar and a bronze for our mature cheddar, a great result all round.

“It’s a team effort – from our farmers milk, which is turned into cheese at our Wynyard site, right through to the team who market and sell the cheese,” says Steve.

Overall, Fonterra walked away with seven wins for Australia, with its Stanhope site in northern Victoria also taking home some accolades, winning a gold for Best Mozzarella, and a silver and bronze for its tasty cheddar and mild cheddar.

The full list of Fonterra’s winning products: