Vermont Cheesemakers Shine at the 2026 American Cheese Society Awards

At the 2026 competition American Cheese Society (ACS) Judging & Competition in Louisville, Kentucky, 15 Vermont cheesemakers earned an impressive 54 ribbons across dozens of categories. Virtually every Vermont producer who entered bringing home an award.

For chefs, retailers, and cheese enthusiasts across New England, the results offer a delicious reminder of the quality, craftsmanship, and innovation happening right here in our backyard.

A Best in Show Victory for Vermont

Leading the way was Jasper Hill Farm of Greensboro, whose beloved Winnimere earned the competition’s highest honor: 1st Place Best in Show. Widely celebrated for its rich texture and complex flavor, Winnimere continues to exemplify the world-class quality that has made Vermont a premier cheese destination. The award comes just as Winnimere returns for the fall season, with wholesale pre-orders now available through Black River Produce. Be sure to secure one of New England’s most anticipated seasonal cheeses.

In total, Jasper Hill also collected top honors for:

• Winnimere, (best in show)
• Moses Sleeper,
• Willoughby,
• and the collaborative Cabot Clothbound Black Label, produced with Cabot Creamery Cooperative.

Award-Winning Vermont Producers Worth Knowing

The ACS competition exists to celebrate and elevate American-made cheeses through rigorous technical and aesthetic evaluation. Each award reflects outstanding craftsmanship, milk quality, and attention to detail.

Some of the Vermont cheesemakers receiving recognition this year are:

Jasper Hill Farm | Greensboro, VT

Known for its award-winning cave-aged cheeses and commitment to quality, Jasper Hill Farm continues to be a leader in American artisan cheese. This year, the Greensboro creamery earned multiple ACS honors, including the competition’s highest recognition: Best in Show.

• Alpha Tolman – 3rd Place; Alpine-Style Cheese
• Winnimere – 1st Place & Best in Show; Cheeses Wrapped in Bark, Leaves or Grass
• Moses Sleeper – 1st Place; Soft-Ripened Cheese
• Willoughby – 1st Place; Washed-Rind Cheese
• Cabot Clothbound Black Label (with Cabot Creamery) – 1st Place; Cheddar with Natural Rind, Aged 13+ Months
• Alpha Tolman – 3rd Place; Alpine-Style Cheese

Black River Produce is proud to be the largest distributor of Jasper’s beloved Bailey Hazen Blue. The cheesemaking experts at Jasper Hill have provided many-a -trainings for Black River Produce sales associates, sometimes even in the setting of their beautiful farm and cellars.

Grafton Village Cheese Company | Grafton, VT

For more than a century, Grafton Village Cheese has paired traditional cheesemaking techniques with distinctly Vermont character. Their 2026 ACS awards showcase excellence across washed-rind, Alpine-style, and sheep’s milk cheeses.

• Shepsog – 3rd Place; Cheddar Aged Through 12 Months, Non-Cow Milk
• Bear Hill – 1st Place; Washed-Rind Cheese
• Storyteller – 2nd Place; Alpine-Style Cheese

Black River Produce has been a long-standing partner and fan of Grafton Village cheese and their recent consolidation with Vermont Farmstead. If you are a brewery or restaurant looking for a custom private label cheese for your menu, did you know that Black River Produce can work with Vermont Farmstead to make that happen for you? Think an alehouse cheese, with your proprietary brew! Drop us a line to learn more. 

Vermont Creamery | Websterville, VT

Some of the first packages of Vermont Creamery Chevre ever created were delivered on Black River Produce trucks back in 1984 when Allison Hooper debuted her exceptional Vermont chevre. And the awards have been pouring in for Vermont Creamery  ever since.  A pioneer in cultured dairy products and goat cheese, Vermont Creamery once again demonstrated the breadth of its award-winning portfolio. The creamery earned recognition across butter, soft-ripened cheese, and flavored goat cheese categories.

• Maple Chipotle Goat Cheese – 3rd Place; Flavored Fresh Goat Cheese
• Sea Salt Crystals Cultured Butter – 1st Place; Salted Butter with Cultures, Cow’s Milk
• St. Albans – 2nd Place; Soft-Ripened Cheese
• Unsalted Cultured Butter – 2nd Place; Unsalted Butter with Cultures, Cow’s Milk
• Bijou – 3rd Place; Aged Goat Cheese

von Trapp Farmstead | Waitsfield, VT

Inspired by Alpine traditions and Vermont terroir, von Trapp Farmstead continues to produce some of New England’s most respected mountain-style cheeses. Their ACS success spanned blue, washed-rind, and Alpine-inspired categories.

• Mad River Blue – 1st Place; Blue-Veined Cheese with Rind or External Coating, Cow’s Milk
• Oma – 2nd Place; Washed-Rind Cheese
• Opa! – 2nd Place; Swiss/Alpine-Style Cheese
• Savage – 2nd Place; Washed-Rind Cheese
• Mt. Alice – 3rd Place; Alpine-Style Cheese

If you haven’t yet tried von Trapp artisan cheeses, now is the time. Oma is a Black River Produce team favorite, again and again. And who doesn’t love Mad River Blue?  

Maplebrook Farm + Ploughgate Creamery | North Bennington, VT

If you don’t know the folks at Maplebrook Farm, be sure to stop by and see them at this year’s Fresh Expo.  What a story!  When Johann Englert stopped into an Italian specialty shop in Manchester Vermont back in 2003, she found the homemade fresh mozzarella to be so amazing that she bought 20 balls to take back home to Boston. When the local Boston delis loved it as much as she did, she went back to Vermont and before she knew it she was partnering with the shop owner’s son, (and artist behind the cheese) Mike Scheps. Little did they know what Maplebrook Farm would be today.  Black River Produce has been proud to help introduce delicious Maplebrook cheeses and now Ploughgate butters (with an equally compelling story!) to restaurants and retail co-ops throughout the region.

Known for fresh cheeses and cultured dairy products, Maplebrook Farm and Ploughgate Creamery delivered one of Vermont’s strongest showings, earning first-place finishes across all three entries.

• Feta – 1st Place; Feta Cheese
• Mozzarella – 1st Place; Mozzarella
• Cultured Maple Butter – 1st Place; Flavored Butter

Green Mountain Blue Cheese | Highgate Center, VT

Specializing in handcrafted blue cheeses, Green Mountain Blue Cheese continues to build a national reputation for excellence. Both of its award-winning cheeses were recognized in competitive blue cheese categories.

• Madison Blue – 1st Place; Blue-Veined Cheese with Rind or External Coating, Cow’s Milk
• Boucher Blue – 3rd Place; Blue-Veined Cheese with Rind or External Coating, Cow’s Milk

Green Mountain Blue Cheese is a delightful family cheesemaker that produces some of the most delicious blue cheeses in the Black River Produce cheese distribution catalogue.  Don’t overlook this gem. Ask your sales representative about Green Mountain Blue Cheese.

Woodlawn Creamery | Pawlet, VT

Black River Produce was excited to bring on this exceptional cheese maker in the fall of 2025.  Founded in 2024, Woodlawn Creamery produces artisan cheeses exclusively from the milk of the Leach family’s seventh-generation dairy farm. In just a few short years, the small but mighty creamery has already earned national recognition for its Vermont-made cheeses.

• Emerson – 3rd Place; Fromage Blanc, Fromage Frais & Quark, Cow’s Milk
• Rupert – 3rd Place; American-Made International Style Cheese

Cabot Creamery Cooperative | Waitsfield, VT

Owned by farm families throughout the Northeast, Cabot Creamery Cooperative earned ribbons across an impressive range of dairy categories, from cheese and butter to yogurt and cultured products. The cooperative’s results reflect both the quality and versatility of Vermont dairy.

• Cabot Colby Jack – 1st Place; Colby & Monterey Jack-Style Cheeses
• Cabot Unsalted 83BF Euro Style Butter – 1st Place; Unsalted Butter with or without Cultures, Cow’s Milk
• Cabot Crème Fraîche – 2nd Place; Crème Fraîche & Sour Cream Products, Cow’s Milk
• Cabot Salted Butter – 2nd Place; Salted Butter with or without Cultures, Cow’s Milk
• Cabot Fiery Jack Shreds – 2nd Place; Flavored Monterey Jack-Style Cheese
• Cabot Garlic Herb Cheddar – 2nd Place; Flavored Cheddar
• Cabot Smoky Bacon Cheddar – 2nd Place; Flavored Cheddar
• Cabot 10% Plain Greek Yogurt – 3rd Place; Plain Greek-Style Yogurt & Strained Cultured Products
• Cabot Gouda – 3rd Place; Dutch-Style Cheese (Gouda, Edam, etc.)
• Cabot Habanero Cheddar – 3rd Place; Flavored Cheddar
• Cabot Mild Cheddar – 3rd Place; Cheddar Aged Through 12 Months
• Cabot Muenster Cheese – 3rd Place; Muenster-Style Cheese
• Cabot Pepper Jack Cracker Cuts – 3rd Place; Flavored Monterey Jack-Style Cheese
• Cabot Sharp Cheddar Shreds – 3rd Place; Cheddar Aged Through 12 Months

Other Vermont Winners

Additional award-winning Vermont producers available through Black River Produce foodservice and retail distribution included these:

• Plymouth Cheese
• Shelburne Farms
• Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company

Together, these producers showcase the remarkable diversity of Vermont cheeses—from fresh chèvre and cultured butter to cave-aged wheels and Alpine-inspired classics.  Ask your Black River Produce associate to learn more about any of them.

Celebrating Vermont’s Cheese Community

With more cheese companies per capita than any other state, Vermont continues to be a leader in artisan cheesemaking. The 2026 ACS results highlight not only individual excellence but the strength of a collaborative dairy community built on quality, innovation, and deep agricultural roots.

At Black River Produce, we’re proud to connect chefs, retailers, and foodservice operators with many of the award-winning makers helping define Vermont’s reputation on the national stage. Whether you’re building a cheese board, refreshing your retail case, or creating seasonal menu features, these honored cheeses offer plenty of inspiration.

Congratulations to all of Vermont’s 2026 American Cheese Society winners—and here’s to another year of exceptional cheese.

Learn more at cheesesociety.org

July, 2026