Key Dates 2022

World Cheese Awards 2022

In 2022, we are taking the next edition of the World Cheese Awards to Wales, supported by the Welsh Government.

To our World Cheese Awards community, we look forward to working with you all to deliver this celebration of cheese from around the world. More information will follow, with judges to be invited this summer.

We look forward to you joining us with your entries this year at the International Conference Centre Wales.

The judging panel

The quality and balance of our judging panel is really important to us. This gives the World Cheese Awards the credibility and trust that has been built up over 30 years.  We work hard on the panel every year to make sure judges from across the world are included.  Last year, even with covid restrictions, judges came from 38 countries – often supported with travel arrangements by us and the host country to make sure any barriers to attending were limited – and represented technologists, graders, retailers, journalists, buyers, chefs, producers and key industry professionals and influencers.

This year we look forward to welcoming a similarly diverse panel to Wales.  Every year, the judging panel is reconsidered, and every person assessed for what they bring to the overall group.  There are many wonderful cheese professionals around the world who could bring their expertise to the panel and places are rotated for each edition.  Every year, we receive new suggestions for the panel and each year new judges are added having submitted a satisfactory application and biography. This ensures we achieve a balance of age, gender, and discipline within the dairy industry.

We’re always open to suggestions, so if you know of anyone you think would make a valuable addition to the judging panel, please email judges@gff.co.uk and they will be considered for the next edition.

2021 Entry information (2022 information coming soon)

World Cheese Awards 2021 information (for reference only):

Terms & Conditions  |   Category List  |    Example entry form

French  |   Règlements du concours
Greek  |  Οροι και Προϋποθέσεις
Italian  |  Termini e condizioni
Portuguese  |  Termos e Condições
Spanish  |  Términos y condiciones

How does it work?

The first step to entering is to register and pay for your entries online via the MyGuild portal once entry is open from 25 July 2022.  You can register your company details in advance, but please try to avoid setting up a duplicate company account.  If someone in your business has already got a company account, then they can add you as a user.

Delivery instructions

Consolidation points are organised across the world to receive World Cheese Awards entries from cheesemakers and from there the cheeses are transported to the judging venue.

Consolidation Point Map

Delivery instructions will be issued to confirmed entrants in October 2022 via your MyGuild account.  Normally you will be asked to make delivery to the consolidation point nearest to your business and will be provided with delivery labels, guidance on the quantity to send and the latest date by which the cheeses can be received.

Please do not send any cheeses until you have received your delivery instructions.

Important information for entries from outside of the European Union (EU)

If you are planning to enter cheeses from a country outside of the EU you will be required to receive approval from the Spanish authorities to ensure that your cheeses will be accepted for delivery.

Please apply to your health authority for an official Export to EU Health Certificate.  This must be signed by the health authorities in the country of origin and a copy sent to worldcheese@gff.co.uk as soon as possible.

If you are unable to apply for an official Export to EU Health Certificate, below we have provided a template declaration certificate for completion.  Please download and complete the relevant template, have this signed by an official veterinarian or competent health authority, AND also the company representative responsible for quality assurance. If you are sending BOTH cheeses made with raw milk AND cheeses made with pasteurised milk, please complete a separate copy of the certificate for each type of milk.  The exporter of the cheeses must complete Part I of the health certificate.

Copies of the completed certificate(s) should be emailed to worldcheese@gff.co.uk BEFORE you send your cheeses and the original version(s) sent with your cheeses.  The certificates will be forwarded to Spain ahead of the shipment of the cheeses.  Any non-EU cheeses that are sent without pre-submitting a signed health certificate will not be accepted for delivery.

Template for entrants based outside of the EU (except UK): WCA21 certificate template
Template for UK-based entrants only:  WCA21 certificate template UK entrants

Note: Updated forms for 2022 will be published later this year.

If you have any questions about the documents please contact worldcheese@gff.co.uk.

How the competition works

Cheeses are sent from all round the world to be judged in a single day by carefully assembled teams of technical experts, buyers, retailers and food writers.

Judges work in teams of three, to identify 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 nominate 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 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 cheeses 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 are country and cheese specific trophies.

World Cheese entry alerts

Sign up below to receive World Cheese entry information updates (trade only). Please note: This form is only to register your interest in entering World Cheese and is not the entry form itself.

What happens if you win a World Cheese award?

We want you to be able to share your good news with everybody, whether online, on the shelves or in the local press.

Click here to see some of the different ways we can help.

2021 Results information (2022 information coming soon)

Results are now available for our entrants – click here to see your results in your MyGuild account

Click here to see how you can promote your award and order labels and logo artwork

Public results listings are now available at www.worldcheeseawards.com/wca-results

WCA 21-22 Trophies – download pdf

WCA 21-22 Super Gold Top 16 – download pdf

A full list of the 88 Super Golds can be viewed here

Cost of entry