Say cheese! Kilkenny cheese wins gold at International Cheese & Dairy Awards

Top-quality cheddar produced at Tirlán’s Wexford and Ballyragget plants has won eight medals at this year’s International Cheese  & Dairy Awards in the UK, beating off competition from among over 5,000 international entries.

Among the top prizes won by Tirlán at the prestigious 2023 Awards in the UK were gold in the Longest Vegan Stretch Cheese competition and the Volac trophy for the Best Medium Creamery Block Cheddar.

Garry Sheehan, Product Manager,  Plant-based Cheese, said they are thrilled to win gold in the Longest Vegan Stretch category. “This is the first time we’ve entered our vegan cheese in any awards and to win a gold medal on our first outing is phenomenal.

“We launched our plant-based cheese concept for pizzas in December 2021. Oat-Standing™ Plant-Based Grated Pizza Mix has been developed specifically for use on pizza. It is an excellent plant-based alternative to give consumers a cheese like experience.

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“We knew ourselves that we had a good product. But to win this award is a huge boost to the entire plant-based team and an incredible seal of approval from the international judging panel.”

Gerry Warren is a Tirlán Cheese Grader. He said the judges commented that the texture and flavour of Tirlán cheddar really stood out. This, he says, is down to the top quality milk supplied by Tirlán’s dedicated farm families. It helps them produce the highest quality, sustainable, grass-fed cheeses which win awards year after year.

Gerry Warren said: “We are delighted to have achieved such a strong performance at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards yet again this year. We were once again up against stiff competition from other leading cheddar producers to win three gold, four silver and one bronze medal.

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“We take great pride in what we do and it shows in the awards we’ve won again this year. We continue to strive for excellence. Our talented teams in both at Rocklands in Wexford and in Ballyragget, Co Kilkenny played a huge role in these wins. They must be commended for their attention to detail every day. This ensures that we deliver top-quality cheddar for our valued customers.”

A €35 million investment in Tirlán’s production facility at Rocklands, just outside Wexford town, was supported by Enterprise Ireland. It has doubled peak capacity at the plant. Similar to Ballyragget, it produces mild, medium, mature and vintage mature cheeses which are enjoyed all over the world.