From March 1-3, the group of 53 international experts will evaluate 2,919 dairy product entries
Less than a month remains until dozens of highly qualified judges from around the world gather in Madison, Wisconsin for the 2022 World Championship Cheese Contest. From March 1-3, the group of 53 international experts will evaluate 2,919 dairy product entries, selecting the best in each class – and the 2022 World Champion.
This year’s judging team includes cheese graders, cheese buyers, dairy science professors, and researchers with more than 700 combined years of experience in the dairy processing industry. They hail from 16 countries and 13 U.S. states. They are:
“The skill, expertise, and knowledge of our Contest judges are part of what make this competition so unique,” said Kirsten Strohmenger of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, host of the biennial event. “Their precise, rigorous evaluation adds meaning and value to the golden Contest seal consumers see on the store shelf, helping to boost sales and drive interest in the winning companies.”
Under the leadership of Chief Judge Jim Mueller, Chief Judges Emeritus Bill Schlinsog and Bob Aschebrock, and Assistant Chief Judges Tim Czmowski, Stan Dietsche, Josef Hubatschek, Mariana Marques de Almeida, and Sandy Toney, the judges will calculate a precise score for each cheese, butter product, yogurt, and dry dairy ingredient entered in the Contest. Products are evaluated on a variety of attributes including flavor, body, texture, salt, color, finish, packaging, and others.
Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded to the three highest scoring entries in each of this year’s 141 distinct classes. The World Champion Cheese will be announced live online at WorldChampionCheese.org at 2:00 p.m. (CT) Thursday, March 3.
