Building on unequalled success at major cheese awards earlier in the year, First Milk has now gone even further by taking top honours at the 2022 Global Cheese Awards.

The dairy co-operative’s Welsh Vintage Cheddar from its creamery in Haverfordwest was crowned Supreme Champion.

The Global Cheese Awards is one of the oldest and most highly respected industry events dating back over 160 years.

At the event, First Milk’s customer quality manager Jack Eade received the Supreme Champion trophy from the Frome and District Agricultural Society’s president, the Rt Hon David Heath CBE.

Jack said: “It doesn’t get much better than this and clearly demonstrates the high quality of cheese we are delivering to our customers. There are so many artisan producers these days, for a creamery block Cheddar to take the top award at a major cheese show is extremely rare. It is an outstanding product.”

First Milk also won three Best of Category trophies and 28 class awards across its full spectrum of cheeses produced by its creameries in Haverfordwest and the Lake District.

Judging is carried out in the traditional style with just one gold, silver and bronze awarded in each class. Within its class award successes, First Milk secured 14 golds, six silvers and eight bronzes, taking more than one award in a single class on several occasions.

Alongside the achievements of First Milk’s full range of Cheddar varieties, its award-winning Double Gloucester and Red Leicester from the Haverfordwest Creamery also took gold awards.

First Milk produces a range of great-tasting Cheddar, Red Leicester and Double Gloucester cheese. In addition, it produces bulk cream and whey proteins with a focus on providing high quality, traceable fresh milk to a range of dairy manufacturers and processors across the UK.