I am really excited that we have got not one but two World Champion Cheeses in our counter this week.

Bergkäserei Vorderfultigen is a small mountain dairy in the Gantrisch region near Bern, Switzerland. Last year, they achieved something amazing. They won the World Cheese Awards, having already won just 3 years previously. The dairy uses only local milk and always sticks to traditional Alpine methods. They really demonstrate that skill and dedication pay off.

Their first world title came in 2022, thanks to cheesemaker Urs Leuenberger. After three decades refining his craft, his Le Gruyère AOP took top honours at the World Cheese Awards in Newport, Wales, and was praised for its balance and texture. Leuenberger retired soon after, leaving an impressive legacy and a hard act to follow!

You might expect quality to dip slightly after such a huge win, but it didn’t. Under Pius Hitz, the new head cheesemaker, the dairy continued to produce small batches of carefully aged cheese made from raw local milk. In 2025, they won again! Their 18-month Gruyère, ‘Vorderfultigen Spezial’, claimed the top prize at the Awards, this time held in Bern, Switzerland. The judges praised its beefy, nutty, savoury flavours and texture.

It’s rare for two cheesemakers at a small dairy to win world titles. It shows it’s not about one person, it’s the place, the milk, the Alpine air, and everyone’s united commitment. Local grasses, altitude, and changing seasons all play a role, while classic methods help maintain the cheese’s character.

Tradition and local dedication power Bergkäserei Vorderfultigen’s success. Leuenberger’s and Hitz’s wins show how experience and high standards lead to global recognition for local excellence.