CHICAGO, March 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CHICAGO, March 22, 2022 – Lactalis, the world’s leading dairy company, was recognized for its cheesemaking expertise at what is considered the prestigious international World Championship Cheese Contest®, winning 20 medals including nine gold across its broad portfolio of products. The contest is considered the world’s premier technical competition for cheese, butter and yogurt. Lactalis’ premier global brands, Galbani® and Président®, received eight awards.
Président brand of cheeses have been enjoyed by consumers and customers in the United States for more than 40 years. Medals were won by both Président artisanal U.S. import and domestic products. Président Cremeux Triple Crème Brie received a gold medal, along with a blue cheese made from sheep milk that’s marketed outside the United States. Président Wee Brie and Président Salted Normandy Butter were honored with silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The Galbani brand is celebrating its 140th anniversary in 2022 and received gold, silver and bronze medals with its ricotta cheeses. Galbani Classic Ricotta won the gold medal in the Ricotta Cheese division, while Galbani Low Fat Ricotta earned silver and bronze medals. Galbani Marinated Fresh Mozzarella was honored with a bronze medal.
Additionally, Bella Gento® Mascarpone, which is sold in the culinary industry to restaurants, earned a gold medal in the soft cheese category. Lactalis also received five gold medals for its whey protein powder products that are used by Lactalis’ sports-related businesses, including the UP2U Recover protein drink that was recently launched in the United States.
“We are honored to be recognized for our delicious and nutritious portfolio of iconic and beloved cheese products,” said Gilles Meziere, chief executive officer, Lactalis North America. “This recognition by the cheese making industry reflects the teamwork and dedication of the Lactalis family of employees who work every day to inspire and delight our customers and consumers with our fresh products.”
The World Championship Cheese Contest is a premier international contest held biannually by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association. The contest recognizes the foremost cheesemakers in the world by judging product submissions for their flavor, color and texture, salt, color, finish, packaging and other attributes. This year’s contest was held the first week of March and comprised submissions from cheese producers spanning 29 countries and 33 U.S. states.
Below is the full list of awards received by Lactalis at the World Championship Cheese Contest.
Gold
| CATEGORY | PRODUCT | LOCATION |
| Ricotta | Galbani® Classic Ricotta | Buffalo, N.Y. |
| Open Class, Soft Cheese | Bella Gento® Mascarpone | Nampa, Idaho |
| Whey Powder Concentrate 80 | Whey Protein Concentrate 80% | Nampa, Idaho |
| Whey Powder Concentrate 80, Instantized | Whey Protein Concentrate 80% Instant | Nampa, Idaho |
| Whey Permeate | Whey Permeate Powder | Buffalo, NY |
| Whey Protein Isolate 90 | Whey Protein Isolate 90 | Nampa, Idaho |
| Whey Protein Isolate 90, Instantized | WPI 90 Low Lactose | Nampa, Idaho |
| Brie | Président® Cremeux Triple Crème Brie | Raival, France |
| Sheep’s Milk Cheeses with Blue Mold | Blue cheese made with sheep milk | Roquefort, France |
Silver
| CATEGORY | PRODUCT | LOCATION |
| Lowfat Cheeses | Galbani Low Fat Ricotta | Buffalo, NY |
| Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread | Président Wee Brie | Merrill, Wisc. |
| Semi-Soft Sheep’s Milk Cheese | Tomme Saint Georges | Riom, France |
| Whey Protein Isolate | Whey Protein Isolate Low Lactose | Nampa, Idaho |
Bronze
| CATEGORY | PRODUCT | LOCATION |
| Cheddar, Mild (0-3 Months) | BaldersonTM Mild Cheddar | Winchester, Ont. |
| Cottage Cheese, Flavored | Knudsen® Low Fat Cottage Cheese & Pineapple 2% Milk Fat | Tulare, Calif. |
| Soft Cheeses, Flavored | Galbani Marinated Fresh Mozzarella | Nampa, Idaho |
| Low Fat Cheeses | Galbani Low Fat Ricotta | Buffalo, N.Y. |
| Hard Mixed Milk Cheeses (Less Than 6 Months) | Chistou | Larceveau, France |
| Butter, Salted | Président Salted Normandy Butter | Isigny le Buat, France |
| Soft & Semi-Soft Mixed Milk Cheeses | Greco PDO Feta | Hellas Pilion, Greece |
About Lactalis in the United States
Lactalis in the United States is committed to enriching lives by producing nutritious and great tasting dairy products. The company offers a strong, well-regarded portfolio of dairy products in the United States including Galbani® Italian cheeses, Président® specialty cheeses and gourmet butters, Kraft® brands in natural, grated and international cheeses, Breakstones® cottage cheese, ricotta and sour cream, Cracker Barrel® cheese, Black Diamond® cheddar cheese, Parmalat® milk, siggi’s® and Stonyfield Organic® yogurt brands. In the United States the company has approximately 3,700 employees, is present in eight states with 11 manufacturing facilities and corporate offices located in New York City and Buffalo, NY, Chicago, IL, Londonderry, NH and San Fernando, CA. Lactalis in the United States is part of Lactalis Group, the world’s leading dairy company, a French family business founded in 1933 in Laval, France. For more information, visit www.lactalisamericangroup.com, www.lactalisheritagedairy.com, www.stonyfield.com, www.siggis.com and www.karouncheese.com.
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