Atalanta Wins Top Cheese Award

Atalanta Corp. came home with an astonishing eight awards at the first annual Canadian Cheese Awards, held on April 7 in Toronto, Ontario. The competition hosted cheesemakers from across Canada, with nearly 300 products from 76 producers. The independent competition honored cheeses from several provinces, spanning all types including cow, sheep, goat and water buffalo milk cheeses. Atalanta’s valued partner, Quality Cheese, won three top awards for its Bella Casara Mascarpone, winning Best Ontario Cheese, Best Fresh Cheese and Best Cow’s Milk Cheese. 

Albert Borgo, director of sales and marketing, told the crowd, “We launched [the cheese] last summer but it has evolved. I think we took a more natural approach, using fresh milk, fresh cream and fresh butter. We’re always trying to do things better.”

Mariposa Dairy and its artisanal cheese line, Lenberg Farms, placed first in both the Best Sheep’s Milk and Best Goat’s Milk category, for their Tania Sheep’s Milk Cheese and Lindsay Bandaged Cheddar, respectively. Beyond the Lenberg Farms line, the popular brand of Celebrity Goat Cheeses is also produced by the award-winning Mariposa Dairy. Prince Edward Island’s own Cows Creamery grabbed top honors in the Best Old Cheddar and Best Atlantic Canada Cheese category for their Extra Old Cheddar.

The awards garnered quite a buzz in the Canadian cheese industry, looking for a way to showcase speciality cheeses from across the country. With a bit of flair and fun, the awards even invited the public for a tasting session in the evening, with producers sharing their love of cheese with all. For more information about Atalanta, please visit www.atalantacorp.com.