A World United by Cheese: How Global Innovation is Reshaping an Ancient Craft

A Global Renaissance

This year's ICDA features over 5,500 entries from 47 countries - from traditional powerhouses like France and Italy to emerging cheese nations including South Korea, Brazil, and South Africa.

"What we're seeing is unprecedented," explains Dai Williams, ICDA head judge. "It's not just that more countries are making cheese - it's that they're making cheese reflecting their unique terroir and climate.

Innovation Without Borders

Perhaps nowhere is this creativity more evident than in sustainable cheesemaking. In Uruguay, Estancia Verde cooperative has developed a closed-loop system where whey byproducts power their entire operation. Their aged Montevideo has become a favourite among European importers, proving sustainability and exceptional taste aren't mutually exclusive.

In the Netherlands, traditional Gouda producers like Reypenaer are experimenting with underwater caves and former nuclear bunkers for aging, creating impossible-to-replicate flavour profiles.

The plant-based revolution is equally global. While California grabbed early headlines, some of the most sophisticated alternatives emerge from unexpected locations. A Thai collective creates cashew-based blues rivalling European varieties. German innovators perfect oat-based cultures that age into complex, nutty profiles previously thought impossible without animal milk.

The Terroir Revolution

One fascinating development is the global embrace of terroir - the idea that local environment should be reflected in the final product. In Japan, "wa-cheese" combines traditional techniques with sake lees, miso cultures, and yuzu. Master cheesemaker Hiroshi Yamada's sake-washed brie has become legendary among Tokyo's restaurants.

Australian producers incorporate native pepperberry and lemon myrtle into aging processes, creating cheeses that taste unmistakably of the Australian landscape. These aren't novelty products - they're serious attempts to create distinctive regional identities in a globalised market.

Business Impact

This creative explosion is economically transformative. International cheese trade has grown 34% over five years, with specialty cheeses leading growth. ICDA recognition transforms small operations into international brands.

Consider Long Clawson, which won Supreme Champion at ICDA 2024. Their victory is helping transform the Leicestershire dairy from regional favourite to internationally recognised brand with global distribution opportunities. The pattern repeats globally - Quebec family operations securing Asian export deals, Irish cooperatives expanding through award credibility, Cape Town startups attracting investment funding.

"Awards aren't just recognition," explains Steve Moncrieff, EXPO Strategy Director. "They're credibility. When consumers see ICDA Award winner on a label, they know they're looking at something exceptional."

Collaborative Future

As we approach the ICDA Awards, what's most striking isn't just entry quality, but the collaboration they represent. European masters mentor emerging market startups. Sustainable innovators share techniques across continents. Traditional producers learn from innovative newcomers about marketing and environmental practices.



"The future isn't about any one country dominating," reflects Steve Moncrieff. "It's about a global dairy community pushing each other to be better, sharing knowledge, and creating products that couldn't exist without international exchange."

A Call to Adventure

As we celebrate National Cheese Day, we can participate in this renaissance. Every cheese shop tells the story of international collaboration. Behind every imported wheel is a producer taking risks, innovating, and betting their livelihood on exceptional cheese finding its audience.

The invitation is simple: be curious. Try that Japanese blue you've never heard of. Support the British artisan startup making waves. Ask about the story behind unusual collaborations. Every purchase drives further innovation, tradition, and the belief that great cheese - wherever it comes from - deserves recognition.

With ICDA Awards days away, we're about to witness this global creativity celebrated on the world's most prestigious stage. The question isn't which country makes the best cheese - it's how lucky we are to have an industry where the answer changes daily, when tradition and innovation cross continents, and when the pursuit of the perfect cheese unites makers from our increasingly connected world.

The 2025 International Cheese & Dairy Awards take place on 25 June at the Staffordshire County Showground, featuring over 5,500 entries from across the globe.