Turlock, California – The 2011 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest is hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and is the largest national cheese and butter competition ever held in the United States. Karoun Dairies, Inc. took home the Gold in two categories this year and a Silver in a third. Karoun won the Gold for its Helena Feta, a Silver for Mykonos Feta, and a Gold for its Panela cheese in the Quesos Frescos category. This March a record-setting United States Championship Cheese Contest filled the Atrium at Lambeau Field with the 1,602 contest entries. Cheesemakers and buttermakers in 30 states submitted their finest products to this year’s Contest – the largest dairy product competition in U.S. history. Over three days, 26 experts examined, sniffed and tasted more than 30,000 pounds of cheese and butter. This competition is rooted in more than 120 years of history, beginning when Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association held it first cheese contest in 1891. In recent years, the United States Championship Cheese Contest has flourished, more than doubling in size (141 percent growth) since 2001.
California’s Karoun Dairies, Inc., makers of handmade Mediterranean cheeses, all natural yogurts and kefir cheeses (labne) won 38 medals in 2010 alone for four different competitions. Three top placed medals were for the 2010 World Championship Cheese Contest which alternates with the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest.
Karoun has an international story, as the Baghdassarian Family immigrated to the United States from Lebanon in 1990 to pursue the American dream and a passion for the art and science of yogurt and cheesemaking. From humble beginnings to being recognized as one of America’s premier cheese companies is a source of great pride. “As a family business that is living the American dream, all of us at Karoun Dairies take great pride in creating and manufacturing the most delicious, best quality all natural cheeses on the market,” said Rostom Baghdassarian, company COO. “Serving the Mediterranean, Indian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic and natural markets using old country methods and family recipes, we are proud to share delicious new options for a healthy and flavorful approach to cooking and eating.
As is evident by these latest awards, Karoun continues to set a new standard for ethnic cheese and all natural yogurt products in the United States, with dairy products which are made strictly using only milk from cows that are free from growth hormones, BGH/rBST, and Real California Milk certified.
Through their proprietary brands, Karoun Dairies services various ethnic markets in the U.S. Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, European, Hispanic, Indian, Greek, Russian, Armenian and mainstream American.
About Karoun Dairies, Inc.: Founded in 1992, Karoun is a family-run business reflecting fulfillment of the American dream. The company has continued to grow from creating hand braided String Cheese for local ethnic and specialty grocery stores, to producing a wide variety of Mediterranean specialty cheeses and yogurt products with nationwide distribution. All Karoun cheeses are natural and handmade using only milk from cows that are free from growth hormones, BGH/rBST, and are Real California Milk certified. All Karoun’s yogurt products (yogurt, kefir cheese (labne) and sour cream) are all natural and OU Kosher certified. Please visit www.karouncheese.com.
Source: Karoun Dairies
