Family-Owned Cheese Maker Nabs Top Honors At World Championship Cheese Contest

Entries from Arthur Schuman, Inc. (Fairfield, New Jersey) earned four Best of Class Awards at the World Championship Cheese Contest.  Four generations of commitment to quality and leadership was again best of class recognition in four categories, with four additional cheeses receiving honors, as well. 

“Seventy years ago, my grandfather founded our business with a passion for bringing the best cheese to the American market,” said Neal Schuman, president and CEO of ASI. “This recognition and acknowledgement by our peers in the industry is a testament to the dedication, hard work and great talent of our cheese-making teams.”

ASI took best-in-class medals for three of its core Italian cheeses, including Parmesan, Gorgonzola and Asiago. ASI’s Cello Artisan Parmesan features a deep, nutty, caramel flavor in every wheel. The Gorgonzola, hand crafted in an artisanal plant outside of Madison, Wisconsin, has a robust, creamy and piquant flavor and crumbly texture. ASI’s Asiago is a delightful everyday snacking cheese with a sharp, bold flavor with sweet notes.

In addition to these wins, two ASI cheeses new to the market in the past year also received awards: Cello Whisps and Habanero & Lime Hand-Rubbed Fontina.

In the Natural Snack Cheese category, Cello Cheddar Whisps earned best of class recognition while sister product Cello Parmesan Whisps took a bronze medal. Cello Whisps are made from just one ingredient, Cello’s brand new Cheddar Cheese or Cello’s award-winning Parmesan Cheese, and baked into flavorful, airy, crispy bites ideal for a guilt-free snack.

Yellow Door Creamery’s Habanero & Lime Hand-Rubbed Fontina received a bronze medal in the Flavored Semi-Soft Cheeses category. Smooth and creamy Fontina wheels are hand-rubbed with vibrant spice blends from around the globe and naturally aged for over 60 days. The aromatic blend of habanero and lime creates a spicy, citrusy finish with every bite of rich, nutty cheese.

“Our team takes great pride in making high-quality cheeses and creating innovative new concepts and flavors,” said Christophe Megevand, head cheesemaker at ASI. “We are honored to have received so many awards at the World Championship Cheese Contest, both for our core cheeses and our newest innovations. I am delighted that the judges appreciated our products as much as we do.”

A full list of ASI’s winning cheeses is below:

• • Aged Asiago Best of Class: Lake Country Dairy Organic Asiago 
• • Aged Asiago Silver: Cello Hand Crafted Asiago 
• • Flavored Semi-Soft Cheeses Bronze: Habanero & Lime Hand-Rubbed Fontina
• • Gorgonzola Best of Class: Montforte Gorgonzola
• • Natural Snack Cheese Best of Class: Cheddar Whisps
• • Natural Snack Cheese Bronze: Parmesan Whisps  
• • Parmesan Best of Class: Cello Artisan Parmesan
• • Soft Cheeses Fourth: Cello Rich and Creamy Mascarpone

The World Championship Cheese Contest is held every two years, and draws from more than 2,500 entries from cheese and butter makers from more than two dozen countries.