Organic Parmasan crowned Supreme Champion at International Cheese Awards
An organic parmesan has been crowned Supreme Champion at this years International Cheese Awards, winning the accolade ahead of well over 3,000 other competitors.
A panel of expert judges from the dairy industry judged the parmesan, which is distributed in the UK by Bradbury and Son Ltd and made by the Ferrari Dairy in Lodi, south of Milan, Italy, as the best of all the 3,230 cheeses in the competition. It has been stocked in Waitrose as own brand organic parmesan and also branded Ferrari Organic Parmesan for the past five years.
This years competition saw 300 categories in all, with competitors from 24 countries. Other winners at the event, in its 114th year, included UK Supreme Champion which was won by a Red Leicester from Milk Links Taw Valley Creamery in Devon and M&S, which scooped 14 gold awards in the retailer classes.
Richard Paul, Show Chairman, said: We had record entries and the standard across the board was extremely high our panel of 140 judges really did have their work cut out to make their selections.
But select they did and Bradburys organic parmesan is an extremely deserving Supreme Champion. It, and all the category winners and runners up, can now feature a gold, silver or bronze International Cheese Awards label on pack.
We will now be working hard to educate consumers on what that logo means – that if they spot it they can be safe in the knowledge that the product has been judged, by experts, as outstanding.
George Paul, Managing Director of Bradbury and Son Ltd, which distributes the winning cheese, said: Im absolutely delighted. Ive been in the cheese trade for 42 years and this is our first supreme champion.
Its a cheese with a character all of its own and a testament to the hard work, skill and dedication of the cheesemakers in Italy. Were simply the front man for this magnificent product.
Chloe Graves, cheese buyer for Waitrose, said: Were really pleased with this win, especially as its quite unusual for an overseas cheese to be awarded Supreme Champion. It really is a superb cheese and were delighted the judges at the International Cheese Awards have recognised that.
For a full list of results and trophy winners, please go to www.internationalcheeseawards.co.uk
The International Cheese Awards are taking place on July 27th and 28th, 2010 at the Dorfold Hall Park showground in Nantwich, Cheshire.