WEST ALLIS — Wisconsin’s dairy industry took center stage Aug. 13 as dairy manufacturers, supporters and enthusiasts gathered at the Saz’s Hospitality Pavilion at Wisconsin State Fair Park for the annual Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Auction and the announcement of the 2026 Wisconsin State Fair Grand Master Cheesemaker.
This year’s top honor went to Joshua Henning of Henning Cheese in Kiel, whose 18-month traditional waxed cheddar claimed the Grand Master Cheesemaker title after earning a score of 99.175 in the aged cheddar class.
For Henning, the recognition was both rewarding and unexpected.
“It’s surreal. It feels like something I never would have ever thought that we would have gotten to that point,” Henning said in an interview following the auction. “I know the quality we put out and I know what we can do. I just never thought it would kind of land on us this year.”
Henning shared with Alice in Dairyland Anastasia Poull that he credits success in cheesemaking to persistence and a willingness to learn through challenges.
“A lot of time, patience and more patience, and never being afraid to fail,” he said. “If you learn from your failures, they’re not failures, they’re stepping stones.”
The award-winning cheddar is a traditional artisan product handcrafted from the Henning family’s recipe using locally sourced Wisconsin milk.
The Grand Master title capped a successful contest for the Kiel cheesemaker. Henning Cheese also earned first-place awards for its traditional cheddar curds, a second-place finish for Mango Fire Cheddar, and third-place finishes for Tomato Basil Cheddar and mild cheddar cured for more than 30 days.
The Henning family also credited its success to the people behind the product.
“Taking home the top prize is an incredible honor, especially competing alongside some of the finest cheesemakers in Wisconsin,” Henning’s Wisconsin Cheese posted on its Facebook page. “… These awards are a reflection of the passion, dedication and hard work of our amazing team members, farmers, and industry partners. We are truly blessed to work alongside so many incredible people.”
Dairy champions recognized
In addition to the Grand Master Cheesemaker award, several dairy products earned grand champion honors during the evening’s festivities.
Grand Champion Butter went to Foremost Farms of Middleton for its salted butter.
Klondike Cheese Co. of Monroe, a fourth-generation family business with roots dating back to the late 1800s, earned two top honors. Its Odyssey Reduced Fat Greek Mediterranean Dip was named Grand Champion Sour Cream, while its Odyssey Whole Vanilla Yogurt captured the Grand Champion Yogurt award.
Lamers Dairy of Appleton was recognized as Grand Champion Milk for its whole fluid white milk. The family-owned business also placed second in the 2% fluid white milk and third in the whole fluid chocolate milk categories.
The Grand Champion Custard title went to The Creamy Pig of Grafton for its Browned Butter Peach Streusel flavor. The company also posted an impressive showing in the contest with first-place awards for Dubai Knafeh Pistachio, Chocolate Custard and unflavored custard, a second-place finish for Blue Moon, and a third-place finish for Honey Lavender.
“We worked with Hollander Chocolate Company (on the company’s award-winning chocolate custard), using their velvet chocolate and Dutch chocolate sauce,” The Creamy Pig’s Facebook page reported. “It’s available now and it’s called Velvet Lava Saffron.”
Auction raises more than $55,000
Following the awards presentation, the winning products were sold during the annual Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Auction, which generated $55,515 to support student scholarships and dairy promotion efforts at the Wisconsin State Fair.
Leading off the auction was 12 pounds of Henning Cheese’s Grand Master-winning 18-month traditional waxed cheddar, which sold for $6,600 to DR Tech.
Other entries garnering top bids for the evening include:
The auction is organized by the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board, a volunteer organization dedicated to showcasing Wisconsin’s $52.8 billion dairy industry. Proceeds support educational exhibits and scholarships for students pursuing careers in dairy and food science-related fields.
Throughout the fair, the board promotes dairy through attractions including the Cow to Cream Puff display, Dairy Lane, cow and goat milking demonstrations, the Real Wisconsin Cheese Grill, the Dairyland Shake Shop, and the annual Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Auction.
For Henning and the many award winners recognized during the evening, the event celebrated not only exceptional products, but also the craftsmanship, innovation and dedication that continue to make Wisconsin America’s Dairyland.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin State Farmer: Henning Cheese of Kiel claims Grand Master cheesemaker crown at fair
Reporting by Colleen Kottke, Wisconsin State Farmer / Wisconsin State Farmer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Colleen Kottke, Wisconsin State Farmer | USA TODAY Network
