MIDDLETON, WIS. – Schuman Cheese’s Cello Mascarpone earned the title of cheese and butter grand champion at the 2022 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest.

Hiland Dairy’s French Onion Dip achieved the status of grade A grand champion, and chocolate ice cream produced by Southeastern Grocers was named ice cream grand champion.

The Cello Mascarpone received a perfect score of 100 during the judging, while Hiland Dairy’s French Onion Dip registered a 99.5 and Southeastern Grocers’ winning ice cream attained a 99.8.

The top-scoring product among the 1,560 entries, Shuman’s Cello Mascarpone was produced at the company’s Lake Country Dairy, in Turtle Lake, Wis. Hiland Dairy’s French Onion Dip was made in Chandler, Okla., and Southeastern Grocers’ chocolate ice cream was made in Jacksonville, Fla.

Judging for this year’s contest took place from Aug. 23-25 at MATC Culinary Arts School in Madison, Wis. Organizers for the event said there was a record number of total entries (1,560), including cheese, butter, fluid milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, sour cream, sherbet, cultured milk, sour cream dips, whipping cream, whey and creative/innovative products from North American dairy processors.

“This year's contest was a record-breaker, reflecting how much dairy processors have come to embrace this unique and special event," said Brad Legreid, executive director for the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, which sponsors the contest. “Winning companies parlay their success into unprecedented marketing and retail sales opportunities, while other companies receive valuable insights from the fifty highly-trained sensory experts whom judge their products. Everyone benefits from this contest, including the first place winners, all participating companies, food banks and college students pursuing dairy careers. This contest is a complete win-win for everyone in the dairy industry.”  

An auction featuring products that finished in first place in their respective categories is scheduled for Oct. 4, at the World Dairy Expo, in Madison, Wis. A portion of the proceeds go toward scholarships for students who plan to work in the dairy industry.

This first, second and third place winners in each category can be found online at the WDPA website.