Netherlands Wins World Champion Title with Beemster Royaal Grand Cru

In this episode of BC Food News, host Jennifer English discusses the results of the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest. The top prize was won by Beemster Royaal Grand Cru, a cheese made in Westbeemster, Netherlands, scoring 98.68 out of 100, among 3,375 entries. The first and second runners-up were Appenzeller Purple Label from Appenzell, Switzerland, and Alter Fritz from Jonschwil, Switzerland respectively. The event saw representation from 25 countries and 34 U.S. states and territories, with U.S. cheesemakers earning the most gold medals overall. Wisconsin led in first-place awards, followed by New York and Vermont. The contest, hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, is celebrated for its technical evaluation of dairy products and boasts an internationally renowned team of 56 judges. POST [email protected] data