Glanbia Nutritonal’s medium cheddar earned Grand Champion honors in the 2024 Idaho Milk Processors Association (IMPA) Dairy Product Contest last week at the organization’s 98th annual meeting in Sun Valley.
The winning cheese was produced in Glanbia’s Twin Falls, Idaho plant. Glanbia Nutritionals is a nutrition solutions company, operating four dairy plants in the Magic Valley and Snake River Valley, as well as a Cheese Innovation Center in Twin Falls, and is the #1 producer of American Style Cheddar Cheese in the world by volume.
IMPA named Gossner Foods Magic Valley Muenster cheese the First Reserve Champion, the equivalent of second place. Gossner is headquartered in Logan, Utah and has a production facility in Heyburn, Idaho.
Gossner Foods, Logan, won the title of Second Reserve Champion for their Swiss Cheese.
Individual dairy product contest category winners include:
- White Cheddar, 0-3 months old — Glanbia Nutritionals, Blackfoot, Idaho
- Medium Cheddar Cheese, 3-6 months old — Glanbia Nutritionals, Twin Falls, Idaho
- White Cheddar Cheese, 6-12 months old — Glanbia Nutritionals, Blackfoot, Idaho
- Aged Cheddar Cheese, 12-24 months old — Glanbia Nutritionals, Twin Falls, Idaho
- Aged Cheddar Cheese, older than 24 months — Agropur, Jerome, Idaho
- Washed-curd Cheese — Gossner Foods, Heyburn, Idaho, for its Muenster
- Hard Italian Cheese — Utah State University Dairy Products Lab, Logan, Utah, for its Aggiano
- Soft and Semi-soft Italian Cheese — Lactalis Sorento, Nampa, Idaho, for its Whole Milk String Cheese
- Spiced Cheese — Glanbia Nutritionals, Twin Falls, Idaho, for its Pepper Jack
- Flavored Cheese — Glanbia Nutritionals, Twin Falls, Idaho, for its Mediterranean
- Reduced-fat Cheese — Lactalis Sorento, Nampa, Idaho, for its reduced-fat string cheese
- Open Class — Lactalis Sorento, Nampa, Idaho, for its 50/50 shred cheddar and mozzarella mix
- Swiss Cheese — Gossner Foods, Logan, Utah
- Farmstead Cheese — Brush Creek Creamery, Dreary, Idaho, for its blue cheese
- Artisan — Heber Valley Artisan Cheese, Midway, Utah, for its Mustard Herb Cheddar
- Cultured Dairy Products and Cottage Cheese — Darigold, Boise, Idaho, for its whole cottage cheese
- Butter — High Desert Milk, Burley, Idaho, for its salted butter
- Granular Cheese for Manufacturing — Glanbia Nutritionals, Gooding, Idaho
The organization’s annual cheese auction, which helps fund student scholarships, netted $111,000 — topping the previous record of $89,750 set at the 2023 conference.
Shawn Burton, President of the Idaho Milk Processors’ Association, is proud of the cheese competition for several reasons. “Our annual cheese contest showcases the variety and quality we are known for in our region. The event also is a chance to bring together dairy farmers, dairy food manufacturers and vendors from across the country to celebrate our industry,” Burton said. “Having the chance to feature cheese (and butter) made in Idaho and Utah and celebrating the best in their classes is an exciting way to reward the hard work that goes into feeding the world.”
