Some 14 Irish cheesemakers won 69 awards at the recent International Cheese Awards event which was held in Nantwich, England.
Irish cheeses won eight trophies, 19 gold medals, 17 silver medals, 17 bronze medals and eight very highly commended form the 200 expert judges, Bord Bia says.
Organisers of the awards said that they had their biggest year to date receiving an all-time high of over 4,600 entries from 274 exhibitors based in 31 different countries.
In 2014, Bord Bia says that the export value of Irish cheese grew by around 5% to reach over $175m in 2014 and the UK accounts for close to 60% of cheese exports.
Strong increases were evident to international markets such as Japan, the US and Saudi Arabia, it says.
In terms of farmhouse cheese, Bord Bia says that some 50 cheesemakers now produce more than 150 types of cheese and the sector has continued to experience recent export growth targeting 25 markets worth approximately €5m.
Mossfield Organic Farm, based in Birr, Co. Offaly, was awarded The Waitrose Trophy for ‘Best Cheese in Specialist Cheesemakers’. Other trophies went to Kerry, Glanbia and Carrigaline Cheese.
Speaking after the awards, Eimear O’Donnell, Bord Bia’s Consumer Dairy Manager, said that Irish cheese consistently stands up when judged against our overseas counterparts and the industry’s awards haul this year vindicates that and recognizes the individual producers’ input.
“Bord Bia is confident that the Irish dairy sector’s reputation in terms of sustainability, quality and innovation will ensure it succeeds internationally as it realises its potential following the lifting of dairy quotas,” she said.
The awards were held in the Cheese Marquee at the Nantwich and South Cheshire Show.
1. The Kerrygold Trophy: Glanbia
2. The Co-Operative Food Award: Glanbia
3. The Tetra Pak Tebel Award: Glanbia
4. The DSM Cup: Kerry
5. The DSM Trophy presented by DSM Food Specialities: Glanbia
6. The AJS Label Award: Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese
7. Best Overseas Cheddar: Glanbia
8. The Waitrose Trophy: Mossfield Organic Farm
1. (Class DP24) Mild Cheddar Cheese – White or Coloured. Open to Irish Creameries: Glanbia.
2. (Class DP31) Mild Cheddar Cheese – White or Coloured. Open to non-UK Creameries only: Kerry.
3. (Class DP32) Mature Cheddar Cheese – White or Coloured. Open to non-UK Creameries only: Glanbia.
4. (Class DP33) Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese: Glanbia.
5. (Class DP34) Vintage Cheddar Cheese: Glanbia.
6. (Class DP36) Mature Cheddar Cheese: Ornua.
7. (Class DP94) Cheese – any variety that contains savoury additives: Cahills Farm Cheese.
8. (Class DP100) Cheese any variety produced by small producers who are producing 2t or less per week: Old Irish Creamery.
9. (Class DP178) Half Fat Cheese. Below 17% Fat: Carbery Group.
10. (Class DP203) Hard Pressed Cheese: Mossfield Organic Farm.
11. (Class DP210) Naturally smoked cheese: Old Irish Creamery.
12. (Class DP232) Vegetarian Cheese – cheddar: Ornua.
13. (Class DP246) Cheese any type or variety: Kerry.
14. (Class DP302) Best any other overseas cheese: Carbery Group.
15. (Class DP331) Flavoured Butter: Carbery Group.
16. (Class DP339) Carton of Whipping Cream: Green Pastures Donegal.
17. (Class Dp340) Carton of Flavoured Cream: Green Pastures Donegal.
18. (Class Dp351) Bottle/carton of flavoured milk: Green Pastures Donegal.
19. (Class Dp370) Presented on a Branded pack: Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese.
1. (Class DP31) Mild Cheddar Cheese – White or Coloured. Open to non-UK Creameries only: Glanbia.
2. (Class DP32) Mature Cheddar Cheese – White or Coloured. Open to non-UK Creameries only: Carbery Group.
3. (Class DP32) Mature Cheddar Cheese – White or Coloured. Open to non-UK Creameries only: Ornua.
4. (Class DP33) Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese: Glanbia.
5. (Class DP34) Vintage Cheddar Cheese: Kerry.
6. (Class DP36) Mature Cheddar Cheese: Carbery Group.
7. (Class DP94) Cheese – any variety that contains savoury additives: Old Irish Creamery.
8. (Class DP100) Cheese any variety produced by small producers who are producing 2t or less per week: Mossfield Organic Farm.
9. (Class DP178) Half Fat Cheese. Below 17% Fat.: Ornua.
10. (Class DP180) Lighter Cheese. Between 17 and 24% fat: Ornua.
11. (Class DP210) naturally smoked cheese: Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese.
12. (Class DP232) Vegetarian Cheese – cheddar: Carbery Group.
13. (Class DP246) Cheese any type or variety: Dairygold Food Ingredients.
14. (Class DP317) Sliced cheese: Dairygold Food Ingredients.
15. (Class DP341) Carton of Natural Yoghurt – cow’s milk: Green Pastures Donegal.
16. (Class DP344) Group of Four Yoghurts – any type: The Tipperary Cheese Co.
17. (Class Dp351) Bottle/carton of flavoured milk: Green Pastures Donegal.
1. (Class DP24) Irish Cheddar. White or Coloured. Open to Irish Creameries: Dairygold Food Ingredients.
2. (Class DP31) Mild Cheddar Cheese – White or Coloured. Open to non-UK Creameries only: Ornua.
3. (Class DP33) Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese: Ornua.
4. (Class DP36) Mature Cheddar Cheese: Glanbia.
5. (Class DP94) Cheese – any variety that contains savoury additives: Carbery Group.
6. (Class DP181) Cheese with Health Benefits: Carbery Group.
7. (Class DP204) Soft Cheese with or without rind: Green Pastures Donegal.
8. (Class DP207) Cheese made with 100% goats milk: Knockdrinna Farmhouse Foods.
9. (Class DP209) Cheese with additives: Mossfield Organic Farm.
10. (Class DP224) Best Organic Cheese – hard pressed: Mossfield Organic farm.
11. (Class DP246) Cheese any type or variety: Glanbia.
12. (Class DP302) Best any other overseas cheese: Carbery Group.
13. (Class DP317) Sliced cheese: Dairygold Food Ingredients.
14. (Class DP339) Carton of Whipping Cream: Green Pastures Donegal.
15. (Class DP375) Cheddar – Mild: Dairygold Food Ingredients.
16. (Class DP377) Territorial: Dairygold Food Ingredients.
1. (Class DP24) Irish Cheddar. White or Coloured. Open to Irish Creameries: Bandon Vale Cheese.
2. (Class DP33) Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese: Kerry.
3. (Class DP83) Blue Vein Cheese – Soft: Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese.
4. (Class DP178) Half Fat Cheese. Below 17% Fat.: Ornua.
5. (Class DP180) Lighter Cheese. Between 17 and 24% fat: Ornua.
6. (Class DP182) Cheese with health benefits non-hard cheese: Dairygold Food Ingredients.
7. (Class DP207) Cheese made with 100% goats milk: Knockdrinna Farmhouse Foods.
8. (Class DP232) Vegetarian Cheese – cheddar: Ornua.
9. (Class DP232) Vegetarian Cheese – cheddar: Glanbia.