WORLE, United Kingdom — Kingdom Organic Cheddar, one of the newest entries into the U.S. cheese market, captured three top honors last week at the prestigious International Cheese Awards competition held in Nantwich, England.
Kingdom Organic Cheddar, the first European organic cheese in the U.S. marketplace, won three Gold Medals at the International Cheese Awards in Nantwich, UK in late July. Kingdom is a distinct, British heritage cheese handcrafted with milk from a small group of organic family farms in Southwest England.
In competition featuring 4,443 cheeses from 26 countries, Kingdom Organic Cheddar won Gold Awards for Farmhouse/Traditional Mature Cheddar, Export Award, and Cheddar/Cheddar Style.
"The judges at the International Cheese Awards validated what we have known all along: Kingdom isn't just the only organic European cheese in the U.S. Market, it is the top cheddar in the world," said Nicola Turner, Export Director at the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo,) the organic dairy farmers' co-op that manages the production of Kingdom Cheese.
Kingdom is a traditionally handcrafted cheddar, made exclusively with milk from a small number of organic family farms located in Devon, in the Southwest of England. The temperate climate and ample moisture in this region creates pastures of lush grasses which impart a unique flavor to the milk.
"Our cows are kept on a simple grass based system with little or no stress, giving us beautiful, natural milk," said Geoff Thorne, one of the farmers who produces milk for Kingdom Cheddar. "Our cows are on pasture more than 10 months each year with green grass comprising more than 80 percent of their diets."
The International Cheese Awards is considered one of the most rigorous competitions for cheese makers around the world. More than 200 judges spend two days selecting the world's top cheeses.
Kingdom Organic Cheddar is available in many Whole Foods Markets, HyVee Markets, select Costco stores, and other natural and specialty retailers. A listing of retailers carrying Kingdom Organic Cheddar is available at: http://www.kingdomcheddar.com/contact-us/stockists/.
Source: Kingdom Organic Cheddar
