The first edition of the World Cheese Awards will take place in Portugal and it has already been guaranteed that it will have the highest number of entries ever, breaking all records.
The event, which is considered the “Oscars of Cheese”, will take place in Viseu on November 15, 16 and 17.
Let’s find out about the program and the numbers for this edition!
We broke all records
If you’re also a cheese lover, we’re sure you’ll be following this event very closely, or even going there.
After all, anyone who is a real cheese fan can easily travel the almost 300 kilometers from Lisbon to Viseu. And once there, you can witness the awarding of the best cheese in the world for 2024 live… as well as taste many of the slices in competition.
The World Cheese Awards 2024 will see the largest turnout ever, with 4,784 cheeses entered from 47 countries, making this the most competitive edition ever in the event’s almost 40-year history.
Our country will also be well represented, having tripled the number of entries compared to 2021, when it was the record holder with 56 entries.
Viseu will therefore welcome 182 national cheese producers. What a feat!
We couldn’t be happier with the results achieved so far. When we set out on this journey to bring the World Cheese Awards to Portugal, we set two major objectives for this edition: to break the record for the number of cheeses in the competition and to achieve the highest ever representation of national products and professionals. We achieved both, we broke all the records,” says Bruno Filipe Costa, food expert and driving force behind bringing the event to Portugal.
More exhibitors, producers, professionals and press
The 2024 edition of the World Cheese Awards has not only broken records in terms of new entries , but also in terms of the number of people interested in exhibiting their products in this kind of world cheese showcase, as well as more professionals in the sector and, of course, the entire world press (more than 100), particularly the most specialized in this industry.
Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil and Japan are some of the main markets that have already confirmed their presence in Viseu from November 15 to 17.
As for the jury, it is the most demanding ever, with 250 experts from around 40 nationalities, and the Portuguese contingent has increased to 35 professionals, including cheesemongers, food critics and foodies or chefs, among others.
The World Cheese Awards will also feature a Cheese Summit and a Gastronomic Festival, completely open to the public and with free admission.
Address: Pavilhão Multiusos de Viseu
Hours: November 15 and 16, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; November 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets: free