The World Cheese Awards 2019

October brings the best of Italian and world dairy art to Bergamo from October 17 to 20 at Forme, an exhibition of cheeses and specialities that will also host the World Cheese Awards this year, the first time that the "Cheese Olympics" has been  hosted in Italy.

What are the World Cheese Awards?

Organized by The Guild of Fine Food, the World Cheese Awards has rewarded the best producers on the planet for over 30 years, from small artisans to big brands.

In its Italian debut, the 32nd edition of the competition has a record-breaking total of 3,804 candidates (up 10% from the previous 2018 record) - collected in just over a month and a half of registrations, from 22 July to 9 September. - Six continents and a record of 42 countries will participate, from the A of Argentina to the W of Wales (Wales), also including Japan which enters the competition for the first time with 42 kinds of cheese. It's also a record year for Italy, which in its debut as host country is competing with as many as 845 candidates (up 102% compared to last year).

Among the entrants are Mexico, with traditional products such as Chihuahua and Queso Panela but also more internationally known cheese like Gouda type cheeses and Manchego, a pecorino from Israel, cheeses from South Africa with hints of chocolate, caramel, purple pumpkin and harissa, passing from a soft goat cheese with a rind flourished from Australia wrapped in the vine leaves of a local vineyard.

The jury will elect the Bronze, Silver or Gold medals, with an exceptional cheese being awarded the Super Gold!

The cheese festival and the cheese tour

After the first day dedicated to the experts, the arena of the World Cheese Awards will open the doors to the general public with the Cheese Tours, cheese tasting tours from all over world that will take place at the Cheese Festival, the great show of dairy art for all the fans and the curious who will be hosting a busy program of tastings and pairings, tours guided by ONAF experts, laboratories of the Accademia del Panino Italiano, show cooking and an exhibition-market.