Gifford’s Dairy, Skowhegan, Me., was selected as the Grade A & Ice Cream Grand Champion of the World Dairy Expo (WDE) Championship Dairy Product Contest; Sartori Foods, Plymouth, Wis., was chosen as the Cheese and Butter Grand Champion.

This year’s contest, sponsored by the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association (WDPA) andDairy Foods, received a record number of 655 entries for cheese, butter, fluid milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, sour cream, sherbet, cultured milk, sour cream dips, whipping cream, dried whey and creative/innovative products from companies throughout the United States. Judging took place on Aug. 17 at UW-Madison’s Babcock Hall and Aug. 18-19 at the Madison Area Technical College (MATC) Culinary School.

“It is extremely gratifying to see how dairy manufacturers have embraced this contest,” says Brad Legreid, executive director of WDPA, located in Middleton, Wis. “Due to the tremendous support from dairy companies throughout North America, the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest has averaged an amazing 30% annual rate of growth over its first eight years.  This is a phenomenal level of growth for a relatively new contest.  This growth is a direct reflection of the high level of interest that dairy processors have in entering the only judging contest of its kind in North America. Because this contest is all encompassing, dairy manufacturers have the unique opportunity to compete in a prestigious, all-dairy national contest.”

The contest’s auction will be held Sept. 28 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, at which time all category first place winners will be auctioned off. A portion of the proceeds will be used to fund the Dr. Robert Bradley Scholarship Fund, a scholarship that’s awarded annually to a deserving student pursuing a career in the dairy industry. The auction will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will feature Doug Wilson from Cooperative Resources International, as the auctioneer. 

For more information, call 608/836-3336.


Download the list of winners