Appenzeller® Dominates Its Categories at the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest

Appenzeller® Dominates Its Categories at the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest

If there were ever a reminder that the global cheese scene is as competitive as it is delicious, the World Championship Cheese Contest 2026 delivered exactly that. Held in Madison from March 3–5, the dairy world’s heavy hitters gathered as judges evaluated more than 3,300 cheeses, butters, yogurts, and other dairy products from 25 countries across roughly 150 categories.

Over three intense days, 56 international experts tasted, scored, and debated their way through the entries. Among the standout performers? Switzerland’s famously bold and aromatic Appenzeller cheese, which impressed judges with its creamy body and signature tangy bite.

Young Appenzeller® Takes the Podium

In the young Appenzeller® category, the top three spots were swept by producers crafting the cheese’s Silver Label style:

• Gold — 99.3 points: Christian Tschumper of Käserei Tschumper
• Silver — 98.7 points: Peter Gantenbein and Raffael Gantenbein of Käserei Riethof
• Bronze — 98.55 points: Tim Länzlinger of Käserei Säntisblick

Aged Appenzeller® Also Delivers

The aged Appenzeller® category proved just as competitive, highlighting the depth and complexity that comes with longer maturation:

• Gold — 99.1 points: Lucas Meier of Käserei Kirchberg for Appenzeller® Purple Label
• Silver — 98.95 points: Urs Buchegger of Appenzeller Schaukäserei for Appenzeller® Black Label
• Bronze — 98.85 points: Johannes Eberle of Käserei Muolen for Appenzeller® Black Label

A Near Miss for the World Title

From the winners of each category, a super jury selected the top 20 cheeses overall to compete for the global title. Two Appenzeller® entries made that elite list:

• Appenzeller® Purple Label by Lucas Meier
• Appenzeller® Silver Label by Christian Tschumper

Meier’s Purple Label nearly took the crown. Scoring 98.45 points, it landed second place overall, missing the top spot by just 0.23 points—a razor-thin margin in a field packed with world-class dairy. The result effectively crowns Meier and his cheese as vice world champions, a huge moment for the Swiss style.

Another Strong Year for Appenzeller®

These results add to an already impressive streak for the region’s producers. At the World Cheese Awards in Bern last year, an Appenzeller® Purple Label cheese also captured second place overall.

Taken together, the back-to-back podium finishes highlight what the Appenzeller consortium says is no accident: meticulous milk sourcing, strict quality standards, and the kind of old-world cheesemaking craft that still turns heads on the international stage.

For the full list of results, see the contest rankings here:
https://worldchampioncheese.org/results/

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