Cheese from the Canary Islands has World Cheese Awards in Córdoba 76 awards were received. The regional government announced this on 14 November. According to the report, 149 products from the islands were entered in the competition on 12 November.
The Canary Islands’ tally comprises five Super Gold awards, as well as 13 gold, 25 silver and 33 bronze medals. According to the organiser, Guild of Fine Food, a total of 5,330 cheeses from 45 countries took part in the 38th edition of the international competition. Judging took place as part of a cheese festival in the Andalusian city of Córdoba.
According to the regional government, three of the five Canary Islands Super Gold awards went to products from Gran Canaria: an aged goat’s cheese from Quesos San Mateo, an aged cow’s milk cheese from Quesería Artesanal del Rosario, and an aged mixed-milk cheese from Juan Suárez e Hijos.
They were joined by an aged goat’s and sheep’s cheese with Gofio from Quesería Montesdeoca on Tenerife and the semi-mature Guatisea with Gofio from Quesería Montaña Blanca on Lanzarote. Gofio is a flour made from roasted grain that is widely used in the Canary Islands.
The jury first awarded bronze, silver and gold medals. According to the organiser, 108 cheeses were selected from the gold medal winners for Super Gold. A further jury then selected 14 finalists from these. The overall winner was a 24-month-aged French Comté.
Canary Islands businesses received public support to take part. According to the regional government, the Canary Islands Institute for Agricultural and Food Quality covered the registration and logistics costs for 144 of the 149 products entered and provided technical assistance to the cheese producers. The island councils of Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria also supported the trip to Córdoba by livestock farmers and cheese producers.
The institute and the Canary Islands foreign trade company Proexca also set up an exhibition area. Products were to be showcased there, and contacts with traders and other professionals facilitated. Proexca also organised a business trip for producers from Fuerteventura with partners, including visits to agricultural and food-processing businesses in the province of Córdoba.
The medal tally refers to award-winning products, not the number of cheese producers. The competition results do not show whether the contacts will lead to additional sales or exports.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).