A California “gold” rush for our Wisconsin-made cheeses
A chance encounter at a trade show has culminated in a stack of awards for Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery: At the recent Los Angeles International Dairy Competition (LAIDC), a team of expert judges gave high marks to a variety of our Wisconsin-made cheeses.
A chance encounter at a trade show has culminated in a stack of awards for Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery: At the recent Los Angeles International Dairy Competition (LAIDC), a team of expert judges gave high marks to a variety of our Wisconsin-made cheeses. The competition at this world-class event is fierce; this year, 348 products from around the globe vied for recognition throughout the various dairy classes. And while Hoard’s cheeses have won accolades in other tough venues, Creamery director Ricardo Gutierrez and supervisor Brian Knox II hadn’t even anticipated entering LAIDC until a serendipitous run-in at San Diego’s Fancy Food show.
“We’re very thankful to the man that stopped by our booth in San Diego and convinced us to enter some of our cheeses in the competition,” Knox said. The conversation led to a half-dozen medals for Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery’s offerings, including:
Best of Class, Gold Medal: Mexican-Style Manchego (95 points*)
Best of Class Gold Medal: Sark Butterkase (94 points*)
Gold Medal: Belaire Port-Salut Style (92 points*)
Silver Medal: Island Havarti
Silver Medal: Havarti Fuego
Bronze Medal: Gouda, 6 Months
LAIDC’s 104-year legacy is impressive, but Hoard’s Dairyman Farm cheeses have a notable pedigree of their own. They’re made with the Guernsey milk from our founder W.D. Hoard’s original farm, which was established in 1899; the property is still home to many of that original Guernsey herd’s descendants. Check out these and other Hoard’s Dairyman award-winning cheeses here.
*Serious cheese competitions use a 100-point scoring system, which evaluates entries based on multiple criteria around flavor, texture, finish, and appearance. Each cheese has its own flavor profile and ideal qualities and earns technical and aesthetic scores based on its merits. That way, every product is given a fair shake, rather than product being pitted against product.