The winner and two runners-up of the World Championship Cheese Contest, held in Madison from March 3 through 5, have been announced.
A total of 25 countries and 34 U.S. states and territories were represented in the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest, with entries submitted across 148 classes.
Although no Wisconsin companies placed in the world champion category, the state led the competition with the most first-place awards.
Wisconsinites took home 45 first-place awards followed by New York with eight and Vermont with seven.
CONO Kaasmakers of Westbeemster, Netherlands, won best in class for the world champion category with a score of 98.68 for its Beemster Royaal Grand Cru cheese.
The champion was followed by first runner-up Lucas Meier, 5088 – Käserei Kirchberg of Appenzell, Switzerland, for its Appenzeller Purple Label cheese and second runner-up Hardegger Käse AG of Jonschwil, Switzerland, for its Alter Fritz cheese.
Of the remaining categories, these Wisconsin companies placed Best of Class in the following:
For more information and a full list of winners, visit worldchampioncheese.org.
Reach Jelissa Burns at 920-453-5107 or jburns1@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @burns_jelissa or on Instagram at burns_jelissa.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Wisconsin wins 45 categories in 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest
Reporting by Jelissa Burns, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
