Thomasville, Georgia – Sweet Grass Dairy has been named the 2023 sofi™ Gold Product Award Winner in the Cheese- Cow’s Milk category. The Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) sofi™ Awards—which have been bestowed annually since 1972—are a top honor in the $175 billion specialty food industry.
The 2023 sofi™ Awards recognized a Gold Winner and a New Product Winner in each of 53 specialty food and beverage product categories. Nearly 2,000 products from domestic and international makers entered the 2023 competition.
“We are humbled and grateful to receive the prestigious sofi™ award for Asher Blue as a Gold winner for Best Cow’s Milk Cheese,” says Jessica Little, Co-Owner and CEO of Sweet Grass Dairy. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, who takes pride in crafting exceptional cheeses using our family’s grass-based milk. We are honored to be recognized among so many talented artisans in the industry, and we look forward to continuing to produce delicious and innovative cheeses for our valued customers as well as continuing to tell the story of the value and benefits of regenerative agriculture through our handcrafted products.”
Sweet Grass Dairy Asher Blue is named after the owner’s second son. It has a natural rind and a creamy yet crumbly texture. This mild, raw milk blue has an earthy flavor with mild notes of cocoa on the finish. It can be purchased on their website (https://www.sweetgrassdairy.com) or from many specialty retailers across the country. It will now compete against other category winners for the 2023 sofi™ Gold Product of the Year Award, which will be selected and announced at the Summer Fancy Food Show, June 25-27 in New York City.
“Winning a Gold sofi™ Award for Asher Blue is an incredible win for the Sweet Grass Dairy Team,” said Jeremy Little, Co-Owner and Cheesemaker of Sweet Grass Dairy. “We have made a substantial investment in our new creamery to facilitate as much control over all the variables necessary to make a world-class blue cheese. This award is a testament to 15 years of diligently tweaking a recipe modeled after my favorite cheese. I couldn’t be happier as a cheesemaker.”
SFA partners with Rutgers Food Innovation Center in Bridgeton, NJ for sofi™ Awards judging and logistics management. Entries were judged strictly on a blind basis—without packaging, pricing, or any brand identification. Products were judged on taste—including flavor, appearance, texture, and aroma—ingredient quality, and innovation.
About Sweet Grass Dairy
Sweet Grass Dairy, located in Thomasville, Georgia was founded in 2000 by Al and Desiree Wehner. Sweet Grass Dairy is now a second-generation family business owned and operated by Jessica and Jeremy Little. The creamery produces handcrafted cow’s milk cheeses, which have won over 40 international and national awards.
