Vermont Creamery earned top honors for excellence in artisan cheesemaking with six wins at the 34th annual American Cheese Society Competition (ACS) held this summer in Denver, Colorado.

For the second consecutive year, Vermont Creamery’s Crème Fraîche was recognized with a first-place ribbon; it is also the second consecutive year that Mascarpone has taken a second-place ribbon at ACS.

Unsalted Cultured Butter took a first-place ribbon; third place ribbons went to Vermont Creamery’s flagship aged cheese, Bonne Bouche, as well as Coupole^® and Cultured Butter with Sea Salt and Maple.

“Like Land O’Lakes, Vermont Creamery offers value-added branded products that consumers crave and experts praise,” says Chris Roberts, EVP and COO of Land O’Lakes’ Dairy Foods business.

“Awards like this – and the many others Vermont Creamery continues to earn – offer further proof the brand is synonymous with excellence in artisan cheese-making. That’s important because a high-quality and trusted brand, like Vermont Creamery, helps accelerate growth in our important Dairy business.”

Growing market

The artisan cheese market continues to grow and attract new consumers. Adeline Druart, president of Vermont Creamery, says when she first visited the ACS Competition 10 years ago, there were fewer than 1,000 entries. This year, there were more than 2,000.

Vermont Creamery has grown over nearly 35 years to be a premiere producer of fresh and aged goat cheese, crème fraîche and cultured butter. With hundreds of awards and burgeoning national distribution, Vermont Creamery is respected as a pioneer of the artisan cheesemaking movement in America.

“It's very exciting to watch interest in specialty cheese grow,” says Adeline. “It shows us that consumers are broadening their horizons and asking for these products at their local grocery store cheese counter.”

Winning at ACS is particularly meaningful because it is considered among the most prestigious.

“ACS is like the ‘Top Chef’ competition of specialty cheese,” says Adeline. “It is the most technical sensory evaluation in our industry. Entries are assessed in blind packaging by a group of the most highly esteemed and qualified professionals. These accolades reflect the rigor and passion of our entire team who work tirelessly to craft cheeses and butter that tell our unique story.”