GUGGISBERG BABY SWISS SWEEPS CLASS AT 2023 UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP CHEESE CONTEST

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN, February 22, 2023 – Guggisberg Cheese was awarded the top three spots in the Baby Swiss class at the 2023 United States Championship Cheese Contest.  Claiming the first-place award is Guggisberg Baby Swiss, with a score of 99.275.  Ziller, the newest addition to the Guggisberg product line, was awarded second place with a score of 99.15.  Third place was awarded to another Baby Swiss wheel, with a score of 98.25.  As a result, Guggisberg Baby Swiss was announced as one of the nation’s top 20 cheeses in the Championship Round of judging.  This is the seventh consecutive contest where Guggisberg Cheese has received first place in their class.

The U.S. contest takes place every-other year, alternating with the World Championship Cheese Contest; however, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the contest was forced to forego 2021’s competition.  It is the largest technical evaluation of cheese, butter, and yogurt in the country, and considered to be the most prestigious of national dairy competitions.  This year’s contest was held February 21 and 22 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and saw 2,449 entries from 35 states.  The submissions were split into one of 113 classes, and then scored on a 100-point scale by a panel of 42 professional judges from within the industry.  The cheese is judged on flavor, texture, body, appearance, and color.  Swiss cheese in particular is judged also on eye formation as well as the other characteristics, which makes it an especially difficult cheese to perfect.  The three highest-scoring cheeses in each category are awarded trophies and recognition as the nation’s best.