When a single creamery lands on the podium at three of the cheese industry's most demanding competitions in the same year, it's more than a bragging point — it's a supply-chain signal. For specialty buyers, cheesemongers, and chefs building a board or a menu program, awards like these do a lot of the vetting work for you.
In 2026, Cypress Grove — the Arcata, California artisan goat cheese pioneer behind the iconic Humboldt Fog® — earned top honors at the American Cheese Society (ACS) Judging & Competition, the International Cheese & Dairy Awards (ICDA), and the World Championship Cheese Contest®. That's a rare sweep of the three benchmarks that professional buyers actually watch.
Humboldt Fog Lands in the ACS Top 10
At the 2026 American Cheese Society Awards, Humboldt Fog® earned Gold in the American Original – Made from Goat's Milk category and was named one of the Top 10 Cheeses in the ACS Best of Show competition. With more than 1,600 entries evaluated across 123 categories, cracking the Top 10 is a serious credential.
Truffle Tremor® added to the tally with a Silver in the Soft Ripened with Added Flavor (All Milk Types) category — a nod to the depth and range of the Cypress Grove lineup, not just its flagship.
A Deep Haul at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards
The ICDA — the world's longest-running and largest dairy awards program, recognizing craftsmanship for more than 125 years and drawing over 4,500 entries annually from more than 20 countries — handed Cypress Grove a full slate of medals:
- Gold and Double Silver — Meyer Lemon & Honey
- Gold — PsycheDillic®
- Silver — Humboldt Fog®
- Silver — Sgt. Pepper®
- Bronze — Piment d'Ville
"We are incredibly grateful to see our cheeses recognized alongside so many outstanding makers from around the world," said Pamela Dressler, President/Managing Director. "These awards are meaningful not only because of the recognition itself, but because they reflect the dedication of our entire team — from our creamery and quality teams to the farmers, partners, and goats that make what we do possible every day."
World Championship Cheese Contest Honors
Earlier in the year, Cypress Grove was recognized at the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest® in Madison, Wisconsin — one of the most respected technical competitions in the world, held biennially since 1957 and attracting more than 3,000 entries globally. Highlights:
- Midnight Moon® — named one of the Top 20 Finalists and earned a Gold Medal in Hard Goat's Milk Cheeses.
- Ms. Natural® — Silver Medal in Soft Goat's Milk Cheeses.
Why It Matters
For procurement directors, cheese shop owners, and chefs, third-party awards are a shortcut to confidence. A cheese that scores across the ACS, ICDA, and World Championship judging tables has been evaluated on consistency, technical execution, and flavor by the people who know cheese best — which de-risks a line-listing decision and gives your team a ready-made selling story at the counter or on the menu.
Just as important is the breadth here. The medals span fresh, soft-ripened, and aged tiers and reach beyond Humboldt Fog to flavored and specialty SKUs like Meyer Lemon & Honey, PsycheDillic®, and Midnight Moon®. That signals a portfolio operators can build around — a versatile domestic goat cheese partner that can anchor a board, a cheese case, or a seasonal special without leaning on a single hero product.
Distribution backs it up: Cypress Grove products are available nationwide at leading retailers including Whole Foods Market, Albertsons Companies, The Kroger Co., Target, and most specialty retailers and independent cheese shops — so award-winning cheese is realistically sourceable at scale.
Put It to Work
Founded in 1983 by goat cheese pioneer Mary Keehn in Humboldt County, California, Cypress Grove has spent more than four decades helping define the American soft-ripened cheese movement. This award year is a useful moment for operators to revisit their cheese programs — from menu callouts to retail merchandising — and lead with medal-backed selections that customers can trust.
Building a standout cheese or beverage program of your own? See our take on bold, locally rooted flavors on today's menu and how operators are reengineering craft programs for scale. Then weigh in below — which award-winning cheeses are earning a spot on your board this season?
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
