The 2025 World Cheese Awards concluded in Bern, Switzerland, where 265 expert judges gathered to evaluate cheeses from all over the world. Each judge sampled at least 40 cheeses within just a few hours, assessing aroma, texture, structure, and taste among more than 5,244 entries from 46 countries.
This year’s top honor went to Bergkäserei Vorderfultigen, a cow’s milk cheese produced in the Alpine lowlands of western Switzerland. Cheesemaker Pius Hitz described the award as “an incredible honor” and noted that, despite the usual surge in demand for champion cheeses, he does not plan to increase production in order to maintain the delicate balance of the protected Gruyère market.
Even though the winning cheese traveled only a short distance to the competition venue, the journey to the top was far from simple. Many rival cheeses faced long flights, complex import restrictions, and even delays caused by the U.S. government shutdown before the contest began.
Held at Bern’s Festhalle, the competition brought together thousands of cheeses whose rich aromas filled the hall, blending with the sound of Swiss horns playing nearby and creating an atmosphere as intense as the contest itself.
