Sartori multi-awarded at World Cheese Awards

BIRMINGHAM, UK - Artisan and premium cheese manufacturer, Sartori Cheese, received 13 medals at the recent 2012 World Cheese Awards in the UK.

The Limited Edition Cognac BellaVitano cheese won for Sartori a Super Gold Medal – one of the select few cheeses advancing to the final round of judging. In 2011, Cognac BellaVitano took 3^rd place overall – the highest ranking ever for a cheese from the United States. In this year's competition, Sartori SarVecchio Parmesan took home another first place gold medal, the 10^th internationally recognised accolade for this cheese in just the past two years and its 22^nd award in the past five years. In addition to the Gold Medal finishes, Sartori, which is based in Wisconsin, was awarded six silver medals and five bronze medals.

"It is a tremendous honour to earn even one medal at an international competition like this and earning thirteen across a broad spectrum of our cheese is really something special," says third generation owner, Jim Sartori. 

"People often ask me what the secret is," says Mr Sartori. "The first thing I tell them is that it all starts on the farm; we are blessed to have wonderful family-owned patron dairy farms that provide us the highest quality supply of fresh rBST-free milk."  Many of Sartori's patron dairy farmers are also multi-generation operations and have been selling milk to Sartori since the beginning in 1939.  The farms are all within a close radius of the plant, enabling the company to convert the milk to cheese very quickly.

n addition to the strong local relationships and fresh milk, Sartori also maintains a rigorous milk quality program with its patrons. Sartori purchases 100% of their farmer's milk and has field liaisons on the farms every day to help the farmers and ensure quality. All Sartori patrons are incentivised to ensure consistent top quality milk. "It's all these things together," says Mr Sartori, "the fresh local milk, the family approach, the quality program, and the strong communication, that ensure our cheese makers start with the best milk in the world." 

"Our patrons will be just as excited as we are about the results of this year's competition.  I think that is a true testament of the pride they have in tSOCIETY