World Cheese Awards 2018, Bergen, Norway

A truly global cheese event, the World Cheese Awards has been bringing together cheesemakers, retailers, buyers, consumers and food commentators worldwide for over three decades.

The 2018 edition of the World Cheese Awards was part of a brand new festival, Matnasjonen Norge, in partnership with HANEN, an organisation promoting the best that the Norwegian countryside has to offer.

A record-breaking 3,500 cheeses from every corner of the globe lined up in the judging hall at Bergen’s Grieghallen on 2 November 2018 and were judged by an international panel of 230 experts from 29 nations. Watch the finest palates and noses around judge every entry in one day, available now on WCA TV.

Results 2018

Download a pdf of results | Trophy winners pdf | Super Golds pdf | Top 16 pdf | Contribution to Cheese Roll of Honour

Search for winners online www.worldcheeseawards.com

Read about how the judging unfolded here

WCA 2018 - Bergen

The largest ever World Cheese Awards took place in Bergen at the start of November 2018. 3,472 cheeses were judged by 235 judges. See all the highlights in our WCA 2018 photo gallery.

Judging day gallery

Highlights from the 2018 World Cheese Awards in Bergen, Norway
Patricia Michelson from La Fromagerie chats to Jason Hinds from Neal's Yard
Judges from Spain, Basque and the Canary Islands gather together
John Farrand, MD of the Guild of Fine Food, welcomes judges from 30 countries to Bergen
Jo Pickard and Nigel Barden presented WCA TV, which was transmitted live around the world throughout the day
Sam Wilkin, presenter of the Fine Food Podcast, gets ready for judging
78 teams tasted 3,472 cheeses
Cheeses came from 41 countries around the world
Judges worked in teams of three to identify Bronze, Silver, Gold and Super Gold award winners
Assessing each cheese by looking at its rind and body, its colour, texture, consistency and, most importantly, taste
A judging team, led by Kris Lloyd from Australia, inspecting one of the entries
The largest cheese only competition in the world, the WCA sees a huge range of styles entered each year
Falco Araujo from Brazil, Nevada Berg from Norway and Jason Hinds from Neal's Yard taste their entries
World Cheese Awards 2018
Bergen, Norway
A traditional Norwegian marching band started the official WCA opening ceremony
Guests and visitors gather for the official opening ceremony of the food festival Matnasjonen Norge
Bård Hoksrud, Norway's Minister of Agriculture and Food addresses the opening ceremony attendees
Julie Andersland, Commissioner of Climate, Cultural Affairs and Business Development in Bergen city welcomes visitors
Gill Meller from River Cottage and Val Rumbelow from LACTALIS Group taste an entry
Sam Frank from USA records the score for an entry
Tom Chatfield, Gunnar Nagell Dahl and Veronica Baetje judge their team's entries
Bill de la Hey from Scotland, Regula Ysewijn from Belgium and Sue Sturman from the USA
Norwegian food expert and author, Bodil Irene Nordjorde looks at a cheese with Daniel Williams
Suzy O'Regan from South Africa assesses an entry
Carlos Yescas from Mexico with an unusual egg-shaped cheese
José Pizarro fights for a cheese
Over 700 people watched the WCA final in the theatre at the Grieghallen
Bruno Cabral from Brazil
Patrick McGuigan, cheese journalist from the United Kingdom
Siri-Helen Hansen Barry from MENY, Norway
Roland Barthelemy from France
Jose Pizarro gives his comments
Victoria Urresti Garcia from Basque Country
John Farrand, the official scorekeeper during the final
World Champion 2018 winner: Fanaost from Ostegaarden

Welcome drinks at Roast, Scandic Ørnen

Judges’ dinner at Haakon’s Hall, Bergen

How the competition works

In November 2018, cheeses from six continents were staged in a huge arena at the Grieghallen in Bergen, Norway. All entries were judged in a single day by carefully assembled teams of technical experts, buyers, retailers and food writers.

Judges worked in teams of three, identifying any cheeses worthy of a gold, silver or bronze award. They looked at the rind and the body of the cheese, its colour, texture, consistency and, above all, its taste.

Each of the teams then nominated one exceptional cheese as the Super Gold from their table. These top-flight cheeses are the best in the world and were then judged a second time by the Super Jury of 16 internationally-recognised experts, who each selected a cheese to champion in the final round of judging.

The Super Jury, representing all four corners of the globe, then debated the final 16 in front of a live consumer and trade audience, before choosing the World Champion Cheese live on WCA TV, with cheese lovers across the globe tuning in for the drama.

As well as striving for Bronze, Silver, Gold and Super Gold, there were country and cheese specific trophies to award in 2018. Searchable results are available here.

Ordering Logos and Labels

Order forms for World Cheese Awards 2018 labels and the electronic logo artwork are available from the links below, along with the Brand Guidelines for use of both labels and electronic logos.

Please download and read the Brand Guidelines and then complete and return the relevant order form(s). Please note that all orders are processed in order of receipt.

Brand Guidelines:

World Cheese Awards Brand Guidelines 2018 | World Cheese Awards Brand Guidelines 2018 – ES | World Cheese Awards Brand Guidelines 2018 – French | World Cheese Awards Brand Guidelines 2018 – Italian | World Cheese Awards Brand Guidelines 2018 – Portuguese

Order form for Labels & Overseas P&P costs:

World Cheese Awards 2018 Label Order Form | World Cheese Awards Label Orders – Overseas P&P

Order form for Electronic Logo Artwork:

World Cheese Awards 2018 Logo Order Form

Please note that a charge may be applicable for the Logo Artwork, depending on the company turnover as stated on entry to the awards.

How to enter 2018

World Cheese Awards 2018 now closed. The following is for information only:

2018 Cost of Entry
Cheesemakers in the UK*: £48 (+VAT) per cheese
Cheesemakers in Europe and Rest of World: £48 per cheese
*There is a special Specialist Cheesemakers class where association members can enter one cheese at £15 (+VAT)

Entry documents 2018

Consolidation Points & Deliveries

Entrants: Please do not send any cheese until you are contacted with delivery instructions and labels in early October.

Download a copy of the consolidation points guidance document here: WCA 18 consolidation points | WCA 18 Points de regroupement | WCA 18 Punti di Consolidamento | WCA18 Pontos de Consolidação | WCA18 Puntos de Consolidación

WCA 2017 - London

The 2017 edition of the World Cheese Awards took place at Tobacco Dock in London.

The 3001 entrants at the World Cheese Awards 2017
John Farrand, MD of Guild of Fine Food, leading the judges to the cheese judging room
World Cheese Award judges on their way to taste 3001 cheeses
The cheese judges about to enter the judging room.
$World Cheese Award judges tasting just a small fraction of the impressive array of cheeses$
World Cheese Award judges tasting just a small fraction of the impressive array of cheeses
Buchanans hosted the World Cheese Awards Deli
The World Cheese Awards is kindly sponsored by international sponsors including Le Gruyère, Grana Padano and Barber's
One of 66 judging tables
A judging panel hard at work
Eleonora Borgonovi from Italy
Xanthe Clay, Charlie Beatty and Mary Quicke inspect a cheese with Sam Frank from Jumi in the US
Sue Cloke and Patrick McGuigan prepare the next cheese for tasting
Regula Ysewijn from Belgium
Adrian Boswell from Selfridges
Mark Hartstone, Stephen Kimber and Mick Whitworth
Sam Frank from Jumi (US)
Regula Ysewijn, Felicity Cloake and Mathew Carver
Kris Lloyd from Australia
Elyne Salagnon, Charles Bradford and Linda Farrand
Rolf Heskestad from TINE in Norway
Rachael Sills, Davide Fiori, Patrick Moore and Olivia Gratwick
Jen Grimstone-Jones (UK), Mark Jones (Wales) and Carlos Yescas (Mexico)
Morgan McGlynn from Cheeses of Muswell Hill (UK)
Martha Collison
Philip Stansfield from The Cornish Cheese Co. (UK)
Izumi Kajita from Japan
Kobus Mulder from South Africa
Roland Barthelemy from the International Cheese Guild in France
Jan-Arne Moen from Meny in Norway
Pascale Baudonnel, cheese consultant from Norway
Akmaral Imanbayeva, the World Cheese Awards's first judge from Kazakhstan
Patrick McGuigan, food and cheese journalist from the UK
Siri Helen Hansen-Barry from Meny, Norway
Victoria Urresti from Basque, host of World Cheese Awards 2016
Cathy Strange from Whole Foods Market (US)
Super Jury tasting the final 16 cheeses
Carlos Yescas giving his comments on one of the final 16
Siri Helen Hansen-Barry and Roland Barthelemy judge one of the final 16 cheeses
Super Jury deliberate on one of the final 16
Victoria Urresti contemplates the merits of one of the final 16
Super Jury showing their scores
John Farrand, MD of Guild of Fine Food, hard at work processing the results
Charlie Turnbull, Sarah Barnes from Lynher Dairies and Nigel Barden celebrate the World Champion Cheese: Cornish Kern
The World Champion Cheese: Cornish Kern
The final 16 jury with the World Champion Winner
Bob and Linda Farrand of Guild of Fine Food
Bob Farrand and Louis Aird, recipient of this years Exceptional Contribution to World Cheese
World Cheese Awards celebrates its 30th anniversary
Bernt Johannessen, John Farrand, Jon Georg Dale, Norway's Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Gunnar Waagen, President of the Norwegian Cheesemaker Association and owner of Tingvollost
Gunnar Waagen, President of the Norwegian Cheesemaker Association and owner of Tingvollost celebrates WCA 2018 going to Bergen, Norway
Jon Georg Dale (Minister of Food and Agriculture) and Julie Andersland (Commissioner of climate, cultural affairs and business development in the City Council of Bergen) cut a Kraftkar

Results 2017

Download a pdf of all results | Trophy winners pdf | Super Golds pdf | Top 16 pdf | Contribution to cheese

Search for winners online

Download press releases from our Press Room.

And you can read more about this year’s World Champion Cheese here

WCA 2016 - San Sebastián

In November 2016 we helped San Sebastián celebrate their status as European Capital of Culture by taking the awards to the Basque Country. It formed part of a wider International Cheese Festival.

Over 3000 cheeses were tasted by 66 panels in this year's World Cheese Awards in San Sebastián.
The great and the good of the international cheese world wait to be briefed in English and Spanish
GFF MD, John Farrand, welcomes judges from around the world
Entries ready for judging at the 2016 World Cheese Awards
Bruno Cabral (Brazil), Eleonora Borgonovi (Italy), Lucía Amor Fernández (Spain), Iñaki Etaio (Spain)
Guy Tullberg and Graham Padfield
Food writer and restaurant critic, Charles Campion, shares a joke with Nick Tsioros, from Olympic Cheese in Canada, and a student from the Basque Culinary Center
With over 3000 cheeses to be judged, our judges were arranged in 66 panels
Paul Heasman (UK), Tyson Danilson (USA) and Mikel Zeberio (Basque) inspect a cheese
An Idiazabal cheese from the Basque Country
Charles Martell (UK), Eva Vila (Spain) and Irache Garnica (Spain)
Veronica Baetje discusses one of the entries with her team
A judging team hard at work
One of the 3000+ cheeses tasted by our judges in San Sebastián
Gijs Dankers (The Netherlands), Chris Mercer (UK), Emily Murphy (USA)
Team Brazil/Mexico: Bruno Cabral, Georgina Yescas, Regina Olvera Apeitia, Pablo Loza, Carlos Yescas
Bob Farrand, founder of World Cheese Awards, with Cathy Strange, Global Cheese Buyer at Whole Foods Market
Kris Lloyd (Australia), Javier García Albarran (Spain), Mark Sansom (UK), Peter Mårtensson (Sweden)
Dhruv Baker (UK), Nobuteri Maeda (Japan) and Andrea Power (Barbados)
Emily Acosta (USA), Marwen Amor (Tunisia) and Simone Ficarelli (Italy)
Roland Barthélemy, president of the Guilde des Fromagers, tries one of the final 66 cheeses
Victoria Urresti, one of the key instigators for holding the World Cheese Awards in San Sebastián this year
BBC Radio 2's Nigel Barden interviews Rupert Titchmarsh
Adrian Boswell, cheese buyer at Selfridges
Andrea Power, one of Barbados's only cheese makers
Bruno Cabral, cheese maker and expert from Brazil
Carlos Yescas from Oldways Cheese Coalition
Catherine Fogel from Denmark
Cathy Strange, Global Cheese buyer at Whole Foods Market
Eleonora Borgonovi, cheese expert from Italy
Kobus Mulder from the South African Cheese Festival
Mary Quicke of world-renowned cheese makers Quicke's Traditional Ltd.
Nick Tsioris from Olympic Cheese in Canada
Peter Mårtensson from Sweden
Rumiko Honma, cheese importer at Fermier in Japan
Ruth Lozano from the Canary Islands
Suzy O'Regan, cheese expert from Woolworths Foods in South Africa
A very excited Kris Lloyd, from Woodside Cheese Wrights in Australia
The super jury celebrate the local cheese culture, holding their Idiazabal cheeses aloft on the coast of San Sebastián
Scorecards are up as the super jury decide which cheese deserves the highest prize of all
Roland Barthélemy addresses the audience in the super jury final
Bruno Cabral tells the rest of the judges about the final 16 cheese he is championing
The super jury vote
Victoria Urresti tells the audience about the final 16 cheese she has just tasted
The World Champion cheese with the super jury
An emotional Gunnar Waagen, cheese maker at Tingvollost, after being crowned World Champion Cheese 2016
Dinner guests enjoying traditional Basque culinary specialities
The WCA Judges' dinner at the spectacular Museo San Telmo in San Sebastián's old town
John Farrand, MD of Guild of Find Food, welcomes guests to the Judges' dinner at Museo San Telmo
The recipients of the Exceptional Contribution to Cheese award: Artzai Gazta, the organisers of the International Cheese Festival and the cheese makers of the Basque Country
The Champion of Champions panel vote on a cheese
The Champion of Champions panel make their way through the past World Champion Cheeses
Jose Carlos Capel and Victoria Urresti give a cheese their top score in the Champion of Champions tasting
Peio Etchelecu from Agour, twice previous winner of the World Champion Cheese, talks about his excitement about coming in second place in Champion of Champions tasting
The Champion of Champions: Kraftkar from Tingvollost, Norway
A double victory for Norwegian cheese, Kraftkar, made by Tingvollost, as they win Champion of Champions the after being crowned World Champion cheese 2016
The press interview the Champion of Champions winner from Norway

Results 2016

Download a pdf of all winners | Trophy winners pdf | Super Golds pdf | Top 16 pdf

Search for winners online

Download press releases from our Press Room.

Find out more

Would you like to be added to the World Cheese Awards mailing list?

If you are interested in entering World Cheese Awards and do not already receive notifications by email, and would like to, please complete the form below. This form is to register your interest in in entering World Cheese Awards and to be added to our mailing list. The link to enter World Cheese Awards 2019 will not be available until we open for entry.

Sponsoring World Cheese Awards

If you are interested in sponsoring read more here.

Key Dates 2018

5th September 2018	Open for entry
28th September 2018	Closed for entry
October 2018	Deliveries due to the consolidation points Delivery dates, addresses & instructions will be issued to entrants with delivery labels nearer the delivery date
2nd November 2018	World Cheese Awards 2018 Judging Bergen, Norway
3rd November 2018	World Cheese Awards 2018 Results Full results announced

Promoting excellence in fine food & drink

Current Status:

Results available now.
A list of awards is available to download from the link below

World Cheese Awards 2018, Bergen, Norway

Results 2018

WCA 2018 - Bergen

How the competition works

Ordering Logos and Labels

How to enter 2018

WCA 2017 - London

Results 2017

WCA 2016 - San Sebastián

Results 2016

Find out more

Key Dates 2018

Open for entry

Closed for entry

Deliveries due to the consolidation points

World Cheese Awards 2018 Judging

World Cheese Awards 2018 Results

Sponsors of this year's event

Contact us

Connect with us

Meet the Team

Where are we?

Join our mailing list

Ask us a question?

Promoting excellence in fine food & drink

Current Status:

Results available now. A list of awards is available to download from the link below

World Cheese Awards 2018, Bergen, Norway

Results 2018

WCA 2018 - Bergen

How the competition works

Ordering Logos and Labels

How to enter 2018

WCA 2017 - London

Results 2017

WCA 2016 - San Sebastián

Results 2016

Find out more

Key Dates 2018

Open for entry

Closed for entry

Deliveries due to the consolidation points

World Cheese Awards 2018 Judging

World Cheese Awards 2018 Results

Sponsors of this year's event

Contact us

Connect with us

Meet the Team

Where are we?

Join our mailing list

Ask us a question?

Results available now.
A list of awards is available to download from the link below