In a display of excellence, a number of Woolworths' exceptional cheese suppliers racked up an array of impressive accolades at the prestigious World Cheese Awards. These included three gold, three silver and eight bronze awards. The ceremony was held on 27 October in Trondheim, Norway.

The world-renowned event, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, featured 4 502 cheeses from 43 countries and six continents, all evaluated by a panel of 264 judges.

Among the 13 accolades received, 12 were awarded to proudly South African products, including cheeses from Dalewood, Klein River and Fairview. Some highlights included:

• A gold award for the Brie de Roche;
• A gold award for the Klein River Overberg full fat hard cheese;
• A silver award for the Dalewood Lanquedoc washed rind and surface ripened cheese;
• A silver award for the Dalewood Huguenot semi hard cheese;

The awards bring together the finest cheeses globally, from small-scale artisans to industry giants. And the event not only celebrates the diversity of cheeses on offer but also serves as a benchmark for excellence in the industry.

Suzy O'Regan and Rene Groenewald, Woolworths product developers and cheese experts, represented the brand at the championship, with O'Regan serving on the esteemed judging panel for the 10th consecutive year. In a relationship that continues to build year on year, O'Regan has also featured on the competition's super jury panel six times, forming part of a small group of high-profile cheese specialists.  

"We were incredibly honoured to be a part of this distinguished event once again and couldn't be happier with our performance. As a brand, we pride ourselves on being the go-to for customers when it comes to an unmatched selection of cheeses that not only win on quality but on innovation too," says Groenewald.

Beyond international recognition, Woolworths proudly champions local small artisanal cheese makers, fostering their growth and further contributing to the evolution of South African cheese on the world stage.

*Please see below a full list of the winning cheeses. For more information, click here.