Canada Wins Big at American Cheese Society (2024)

ACS Conference Photo credit Valerie Tobias

Sometimes it pays to stop and remember that “American” isn’t a modifier limited to that which comes from the United States, a fact that rang especially true during this year’s American Cheese Society Conference, which took place July 10 to 13 in Buffalo, New York. “The best cheese in America right now is Canadian,” is tempting as a pithy headline, (and more to come on that score) but doesn’t give appropriate credit to the fact that ACS isn’t just a U.S.-supporting organization, and represents the broader definition of American, with not only Canadian, but also Central and South American cheeses and makers.

That being said, it’s probably worth mentioning that you can actually see Canada from Buffalo, not even a mile away, just across the Niagara River. And just like the thundering of Niagara Falls nearby, there was an undeniable surge of energy surrounding Canadian cheese at this year’s conference.

Canadian Cheese Tasting

Tasting sessions are among the most popular educational opportunities at ACS, with people lining up well in advance to make sure to score a seat for whatever lineup is at hand. The tastings at this year’s ACS included New York State, Hidden Gems of the Northeast, Ephemeral American Cheeses, Cheese R&D, and yes, Canadian Cheese Coast to Coast. Perhaps it was foreshadowing, but on the first day of the conference it was impossible not to notice the line that formed as much as 30 minutes before the Canadian cheese tasting, snaking around the Buffalo Convention Center in a manner that suggested that maybe all 1200 or so conference attendees were trying to get a taste of what Canadian cheese had to offer. (The tasting sessions seat about 220, with limited capacity for overflow.)

And overflow it did — Niagara imagery intended — with extra chairs set up along both sides of the room to accommodate additional participants willing to settle for scraps. And, in my opinion, they were right to do so. Presented by Kelsie Parsons, National Sourcing Manager for Sobey’s Inc. and co-leader of the Canadian Cheese Collective, and Erin Harris, Business Development Manager for Aux Terroirs, it was among the most informative sessions of the conference, with time devoted to the History of Canadian cheese, the Canadian Cheese Collective, Dairy Economics, the State of the Industry in Canada, and its Future of Cheese.

Of interest, Canada’s dairy farm and cheese production model allows for a culture of success. Milk, production, and import quotas, along with the consistent pricing for milk and cheese, allows for a reliable income for farmers, and provides an atmosphere that engenders a certain safety net for ambitious cheese makers, established and emerging both.

This was reflected in the five dynamite cheeses that were presented to illustrate the various subheadings of the presentation:

Le 1608 de Charlevoix made by Laiterie Charlevoix Launched in 2008 in honor of the 400th anniversary of Quebec City.
COWS Creamery Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar: a stunning, savory example of the style from Prince Edward Island, with an unmistakable note of potatoes, which the island is also famous for.
Stonetown Artisan Cheese Wildwood: an Appenzeller-style cheese washed from lees collected from nearby Ontario winemakers.
Creekside Cheese and Creamery Garlic Belper: a truly one-of-a-kind cheese mixed with roasted garlic, encrusted in peppercorns, and dried to achieve a dense consistency. Designed to be grated, the cheese is cacio pepe in cheese puck form.
Fromagerie Nouvelle France Samuel le Bleu: a raw, sheep’s milk blue in the style of Roquefort, both fruity and spicy in equal measure.

Canadian Cheese Takes First and Second Place in American Cheese Society Awards

Given that a large number of conference participants had just experienced this flight of Canadian Cheese, which was exceptional, it was perhaps less of a surprise than it might have been when Canadian cheeses took both first and second place during the announcement of the Best in Show winners the first evening of the conference. (Shoutout to Beecher’s Flagship Reserve, the worthiest of U.S. cheeses, which took 3rd place.) Get to know Canada’s big cheeses:

Best in Show: Fromagerie la Station Raclette de Compton au Poivre

Aesthetics/sellability is a large part of the judging process, and there’s no question this cheese must have earned full marks on that score: a stunning Morbier-style cheese made of raw cow’s milk with a racing stripe of pink peppercorns. Hailing from Quebec, it was the first time Fromagerie la Station has entered cheeses in the ACS competition. Cheesemaker Simon-Pierre Bolduc suggests that the cheese’s aroma of apples and butter, spiced by mild peppercorns, are even more enhanced when heated.

Of note here, it is rare for cheeses that are categorized as “flavor added” such as Raclette de Compton au Poivre to advance to the final judging round which determines the top 10 cheeses. In addition to the flavor-added raclette, this year’s top 10 also included a smoked cheese, as well as a flavored butter.

2nd Place: Fromagerie Médard Le Cousin

Placing first in its soft-ripened washed rind category, this Quebecois cow’s milk cheese was inspired by trips to France and Germany by its quartet of cheesemakers, resulting in a pungent, savory wheel with complex flavors: cooked cabbage, celery, fresh milk, and melted butter.

Cheese are judged on both technical and aesthetic aspects by ACS. Learn what it’s like to be a judge at ACS. For the Best in Show round, however, each of the individual category winners are simply ranked by judges based on how much they’d like to eat more of it. So the winners here aren’t simply the two cheeses with the highest score from the overall judging, but those that experts are most excited about. (And now, the rest of us also are.)

The heartbreak for American cheese enthusiasts, however, is that it might be tricky to taste these cheeses outside of Canada. Several retailers I spoke to at the conference indicated that some Canadian cheeses are available stateside, but mostly in settings close to the border, and in limited quantities, or by those who do direct sourcing such as Formaggio Kitchen or Zingerman’s. Here’s hoping this may change in the future so we can all have this taste of success.

All the Canadian Winners at ACS

Many other Canadian cheeses also won in their various categories:

COWS Creamery Blue Moo, Prince Edward Island (1st place, rindless cow’s milk blue cheese)
Fromagerie Nouvelle France Yogurt de Brebis Nature, Quebec (1st place, plain yogurt made from sheep’s milk)
Upper Canada Cheese Company Nosey Goat, Ontario (1st place, Goat’s Milk Cheese Aged 31 to 60 Days)
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese Dark Side of the Moo, Ontario (1st place, Cheeses with Flavor Added – all milks and mixed milks)
Fromagerie Nouvelle France Fruitiere Des Bergers, Quebec (1st place, Washed Rind Cheeses – made from sheep’s milk)
Fromagerie la Station Chemin Hatley Grand Cru, Quebec (1st place, Farmstead Category – Aged 60 days or more – 39% or higher Moisture – made from cow’s milk)
Fromagerie la Station Alfred le Fermier, Quebec (1st place Farmstead Category – Aged 60 days or more – Less than 39% Moisture – made from cow’s milk)
Fromagerie la Station Alfred le Fermier Grand Cru, Quebec (2nd place Farmstead Category – Aged 60 days or more – Less than 39% Moisture – made from cow’s milk)
Froma g erie la Station Chemin Hatley, Quebec (2nd place, Farmstead Category – Aged 60 days or more – 39% or higher Moisture – made from cow’s milk)
Fromagerie la Station Raclette de Compton, Quebec (2nd place, Raclette-style – Aged over 45 days)
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese 5 Brothers, Ontario (2nd place, Washed Rind Cheeses – made from cow’s milk)
Unique Brazilian Dairy Minas Frescal, Manitoba (2nd place, fresh, unripened, all milks)
Mariposa Dairy Honey Lavender Sheep Cheese, Ontario (2nd place, Sheep Cheese with Flavor Added)
Quality Cheese Inc. Bella Casara Ricotta, Ontario (3rd place, cow’s milk ricotta)
Quality Cheese Inc. Bella Casara Burrata, Ontario (3rd place, burrata)
Fromagerie Médard La Voisine, Quebec (3rd place, soft-ripened goat’s milk cheese)
Fro magerie Bergeron, Le Seigneur de Tilly 18 mois, Ontario (3rd place, Light/lite and reduced fat cheeses)
Mariposa Dairy Original Sheep Cheese, Ontario (3rd place, Fresh Rindless Sheep’s Milk Cheese Aged 0 to 30 Days)
Mariposa Dairy Orange Yuzu Sheep Cheese, Ontario (3rd place, Sheep Cheese with Flavor Added)
Fromagerie Bergeron Le Bergeron Classique Cumin (3rd place, Cheeses with Flavor Added – all milks and mixed milks)

Getting Canadian Cheese Across the Border (and across the finish line)

The last time Canadian cheese had this strong of a showing at the American Cheese Society Awards was in 2011, when the ACS conference was held in Montréal, and Canadian cheese placed second and third. At that time, getting cheeses across the border from Canada to the United States in peak condition ripe for judging wasn’t easy. During the ACS conference in Montréal, more Canadian cheeses were therefore able to enter, and were poised to fare better in a competition that was hosted at home.

This all changed in 2022, however, when protocols for judging at ACS were adjusted for the better, based on changes that were necessary during COVID. While the judging and competition for the American Cheese Society Awards used to happen concurrently to the conference, wherever it was held, since 2022 it is executed in advance of the conference in a consistent location from year to year: Minneapolis. With this change, Mary Ann Ferrer, the Dairy Programs Manager at the University of Guelph Food Science Department has been instrumental in helping more Canadian cheeses participate, partnering with Robinson Dairy Trading in order to truck a full lot of Canadian entries to the judging. This enables more producers to enter, saving them the individual cost of overnight shipping, as well as ensuring that the cheeses arrive in the best condition possible. Conference organizers report that nearly 100 Canadian cheeses were represented in the almost 1600 entries for this year’s judging.

Consistency in the judging and competition location is good for all cheesemakers keen to submit, regardless of where they’re shipping their cheeses from, including those outside of the US. ACS leadership hopes that other interested parties, collectives, or guilds can follow the Canada model in order to get more products to the competition. David Lockwood, Chair of Judging and Competition Committee said in a media briefing, “If you think of it like curling, you throw the big stone, and we’re the sweepers…” Cheese logistics explained via a curling reference? Like I said, Canada’s influence knew no bounds at this year’s conference.