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According to a news release from the United States Championship Cheese Contest, Arethusa Europa was named the U.S. Champion Cheese on March 6, 2025. The aged gouda made by Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantam, Connecticut, earned a second consecutive win at the famed U.S. Championship Cheese Contest.
The aged Arethusa gouda scored 98.89 out of 100 of 2,414 entries in the 2025 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. Notably, Arethusa Europa's second consecutive win was a first in the competition's history.
Meanwhile, Arethusa Europa's winning score was just one hundredth of a point ahead of St. Malachi Reserve, its closest competitor. Hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest took place at the Resch Expo in Ashwaubenon for the second time, according to Post Crescent.
Arethusa Europa named the 2025 U.S. Champion Cheese
John Umhoefer, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), which hosts the Contest, said in the contest news release:
“The razor-thin margins that separated our Contest finalists speak to the caliber of U.S. cheesemakers’ talent. Congratulations go to the team at Arethusa Farm Dairy, and praise is in order for all our competitors' commitment to excellence in the art and science of cheesemaking.”
Meanwhile, the Arethusa Farm Dairy also celebrated its second consecutive win on Instagram. Sharing a best entry winner post on March 7, 2025, they wrote:
“For the second time in a row, Arethusa Farm Dairy’s Europa Cheese has been named the Best Entry in the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. This win is historic for the contest, as we are the first creamery, in forty years, to ever win two consecutive Best in Show awards.”
2025 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest: Other winners
Known as the nation's most significant technical dairy products evaluation, this year's competition included 31 U.S. states and entries from 117 classes.
Besides the U.S. Champion Cheese, Arethusa Europa, the first runner-up in the contest is St. Malachi Reserve with a score of 98.88. It is made by The Farm at Doe Run in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.
Cello Organic Copper Kettle Parmesan, made by Lake Country Dairy-Schuman Cheese in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin was awarded the second runner-up position. The parmesan cheese received a score of 98.81.
The competition also saw cheesemakers from Wisconsin earn the highest number of gold medals with 55 Best of Class finishes. Vermont cheesemakers came second in that ranking with 13 first-place medals and cheesemakers from Idaho earned third place with gold in 10 classes.
About the United States Championship Cheese Contest
The United States Championship Cheese Contest, hosted biennially by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) since 1981, is the nation's premier technical competition. A team of skilled judges evaluates entries in the cheese, butter, and yogurt categories.
After giving scores from 100 points by noting the areas of flavor, salt, color, body, texture, finish, packaging, and other appropriate attributes, one Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal are awarded to the highest-scoring entries in each class.
