A Norwegian cheese produced at a small dairy farm in Trøndelag has claimed the top prize at the World Cheese Awards, outperforming over 4,500 other entries. This marks the third time in

seven years that a Norwegian cheese has been hailed as the "World Champion."

The 2023 World Cheese Awards, held at the Trondheim Spektrum arena, drew more than 4,500 cheese submissions. Norway's cheese industry, which was once dominated by a state-regulated dairy cooperative, has diversified and flourished thanks to private initiatives in recent years. It has garnered international recognition, with Kraftkar winning the world championship in Spain in 2016 and Fanaosten from Vestlandet triumphing at the 2018 World Cheese Awards in Bergen.

This year, a handcrafted semi-solid blue cheese named Nidelven Blå claimed the title. The cheese was chosen by a panel of 264 cheese experts from 38 countries at the event in Trondheim. Maren Gangstadt, the general manager of cheesemaker Gangstadt Gårdsysteri in Trøndelag, expressed her joy, stating, "This means so much to us. We're a small dairy farm located just two hours from here, so this happening on our home turf means a lot, and having all of the crew from the dairy here adds an extra spark to it."

The winning cheese, which is the dairy's best-seller, was made approximately 11 months ago. In 2019, it also received a "Super Gold" award at the World Cheese Awards for being the best Norwegian cheese. The accolade from Irish judge Finbar Deery highlighted its "interplay between the mild and blue flavors" and described it as having "a creamy dense fudginess." From 4,502 cheeses entered from 43 countries, 100 "Super Gold" awards were given, and 16 finalists were selected for re-judging by an international jury to determine the World Champion Cheese for 2023.

The championship's expert panel included representatives from various countries, such as the US-based Whole Foods Market, Swedish retailer Möllans Ost, The Cheese Collective in India, Mons Cheesemongers in the UK, and the Cheese Professional Association in Japan.

The top "Super Gold" cheeses came from various countries including the UK, the Netherlands, France, Italy, India, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Belgium. Nidelven Blå was the sole "Super Gold" recipient from Norway. John Farrand, the managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, praised Norway's consistent victories, highlighting the dedication and effort invested by the Norwegian artisan cheese industry. Photo by Sondreaasan, Wikimedia commons.