On October 27, the international cheese competition World Cheese Awards 2023 started in Trondheim, Norway. Over the past few months, participants from all over Ukraine have been applying for participation in the competition, and the Procheese team from Ardis Group has been communicating with craft cheesemakers and representatives of large manufacturers and advising on the choice of cheese that will best represent the manufacturer and our country on the world stage.
Ardis Group and the ProCheese community of cheese connoisseurs are the official representatives of Ukraine at WCA. The participation of Ukrainian cheeses in the competition will be supported by Switzerland within the framework of the Swiss-Ukrainian Quality FOOD Trade Program, Western NIS Enterprise Fund, and Ardis Group.
As a result, 23 cheeses from 11 participants will represent Ukraine at WCA 2023. Despite the numerous obstacles and challenging times for the country, the Ardis Group team is proud that this year, Ukraine will once again surprise international experts with its taste.
- Dooobra Ferma, Kyiv region — aged hard cheese “Lehenda”, goat cheese “Shevr” and fresh soft cheese “Chechyl”;
- Mukko, Prykarpattia — aged cheese “Stariy Striy with coffee”, semi-hard cheese “Mukko with truffle”;
- Stanislavska Syrovarnya, Ivano-Frankivsk region — semi-hard goat cheese “Motrya”;
- Zinka, Kyiv region — aged “Ukraiinskiy”, “Tverdiy with fenugreek”, Semi-hard cheese of medium maturity, “Gouda with paprika”, and Camembert-type cheese with white mold made from goat’s milk;
- Garbuzoviy Rai, Lviv region — fresh cheese “Hoverla” and cheese with white mold “Lisova Pisnya”;
- Lactalis Ukraine, Sumy region — semi-hard cheeses “Rytsar” and “Shostka”;
- Lemberg Cheese, Lviv region — fresh “Rubinoviy” cheese;
- Syroman, Kyiv region — cheeses with white mold made from goat’s milk “Rouan”, “Sophia” with beets, “Bilyi Triufel” with truffle;
- Lel’, Kirovohrad region — smoked mozzarella and its mini-variation mozzarella ball;
- Jersey, Lviv region — “Massimo” cheese with a washed rind;
- Staryi Porytsk, Volyn — “Cheddar” cheese.
“The participants have prepared for the event with perseverance and dedication to cheese art. I am confident that they will represent our country with dignity at the international level, win well-deserved awards, and, of course, tell the world unique stories of love for their craft through cheese,” says Oksana Chernova, judge from Ukraine at the World Cheese Awards, founder of ProCheese Academy.
The event will also feature a Ukrainian stand with the slogan “freedom tastes great”, where the Ardis Group and ProCheese team will cheer for the victory of Ukrainian cheeses, as well as hold charity raffles and negotiations with potential partners and buyers.
It is worth reminding that Ukrainian representatives returned from WCA 2022, where 4434 cheeses from all over the world were presented, with 13 awards, one of which was Super Gold for “Syrna Torbynka” by Stanislavska Syrovarnya, one of the highest honors from the jury.
To feel the atmosphere of WCA 2023, follow the pages of the cheese art festival and national cheese competition, the ProCheese Awards on Instagram and Facebook, where the ProCheese team will share the latest news about the participation of Ukrainian cheeses in the international competition.
