Barambah Organics Labna has won Best Australian Cheese at the 32nd World Cheese Awards in Bergamo, Italy.
The Queensland-based organic dairy picked up two gold medals at the awards, which were hosted by Bergamo’s annual Forme cheese festival and new dairy show B2Cheese: one for Quark, a European Style cottage cheese, and one for its fennel and sea salt labna, which took out the top prize for Australia. The dairy celebrated on Facebook, saying that to name its labna Australia’s best cheese had been a “big call”.
“We had just been happy that our cheeses made all the right flight connections to get to Bergamo, north of Italy. Then to be awarded a trophy, and two gold medals, is a significant achievement for our Barambah team, who are officially one of the world’s best.
“In order to have exceptional soft cheese, you need superior quality raw milk, that has high fat and protein levels. The win for Barambah is a testament to the hard work going on out at the Barambah Farms and at the Factory in Brisbane.
“This is a real thrill for Ian and Jane Campbell, farmers from the Border Rivers Region of QLD, who are now also farming in the Bellingen region of NSW,” the company said.
A record-breaking 3804 entries from 42 countries were judged at the awards, which saw Australia earn four gold, one silver, and nine bronze. Other Australian winners included a gold winning Monet from Woodside Cheese Wrights, a gold winning Washed Rind from Coal River Farm, and a bronze winning De Brie from Coolamon Cheese Company.
The USA picked up its first ever world champion cheese, with Rogue Creamery’s Rogue River Blue winning over the international super jury after nine hours of judging.
2019’s awards featured the highest number of represented countries to date, with Japanese cheesemakers making their competition debut after Japan was permitted to export dairy products to the EU earlier this year.
