The 2025 Comté Scholarship Winner Revealed

The 2025 Comté Scholarship Winner Revealed

Big news from the world of wheels and wedges: the Comté Cheese Association has revealed the winner of its 13th annual Comté Scholarship for American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professionals™ (ACS CCPs™). And this year’s pick hits all the right notes—deep knowledge, creative flair, and a genuine love for the craft.

Meet the winner: Michael Oliver, Head of Cheese Sales at Heber Valley Cheese in Midway, Utah. His prize? An all-expenses-paid immersion into the Comté region itself—hello, Jura Mountains—plus a $750 stipend to sweeten the deal. Not bad for an essay.

Oliver’s reaction says it all. After placing as runner-up last year, he decided to try again—and it paid off. He shared that he was thrilled (and a little stunned) to finally take the top spot and experience Comté at the source. Persistence, but make it cheesy.

Runner-up honors went to Victoria Alessandra of Whole Foods Market in Santa Rosa, California, who will receive a special gift in recognition of her standout submission.

Behind the scenes, the essays were evaluated by a powerhouse panel of cheese-world heavyweights:

• Cathy Strange, Ambassador of Food Culture at Whole Foods Market
• Nora Weiser, Executive Director of the Good Food Foundation and Director Emeritus of the American Cheese Society
• Matt Thomas, Publisher of Culture Magazine

This year’s essay prompt tapped into a trend many in the industry are watching closely: Are consumers under 40 showing more interest in specialty cheese—and Comté in particular? Oliver’s winning take clearly struck a chord. If you’re curious, you can read his essay here:
https://media.comte-usa.com/essays/25-M-Oliver-Essay.pdf

For context, the Certified Cheese Professional™ (CCP) Exam, launched by the American Cheese Society in 2012, was created to raise the bar for cheese education and service across the industry. It tests the real-world knowledge needed by professionals working everywhere from retail counters to production floors.

And, of course, a quick reminder of why Comté inspires this level of devotion. Produced exclusively in France’s Jura Mountains, Comté holds a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status. Every wheel reflects its specific terroir, season, and centuries-old traditions of cheesemaking and affinage—proof that place and patience still matter.

From Utah to the Jura, this year’s scholarship is a win not just for one cheesemonger, but for the future of specialty cheese. Keep an eye on those under-40 shoppers—they might just be reaching for Comté!