MILWAUKEE – One of the newer products to come out of Schuman Cheese’s Lake Country Dairy facility in Turtle Lake, Wis., helped Gary Gosda and the facility’s team leave the 2024 Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Products Contest and Auction with the title of grand master cheesemaker.
The Cello brand’s Maple Mascarpone, which debuted in late 2023, stood out among 400-plus products at the state fair.
"This is one of our favorite contests," said Gosda, plant manager at Lake Country Dairy, which produced the mascarpone. "We go all over the nation and worldwide, but when you can win in Wisconsin against all these cheesemakers, that's the biggest compliment."
Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese totaled nine awards at the competition.
Meanwhile, Klondike Cheese Company led all entrants with 11 cow-milk cheese awards. Decatur Dairy Inc. earned 10 awards, Agropur Inc. brought home seven, and The Artisan Cheese Exchange, Ltd. received five.
The Wisconsin State Fair also awarded the best products in five other dairy categories:
- Grand Champion Butter - Nordic Creamery unsalted butter
- Grand Champion Yogurt - Odyssey Labneh, made by Klondike Cheese Co
- Grand Champion Sour Cream - Odyssey Reduced Fat Mediterranean Feta Dip, made by Klondike Cheese Co
- Grand Champion Milk - 2% Fluid White Milk made by Lamers Dairy
- Grand Champion Custard - Bananarama made by Dairyland Old Fashioned Hamburgers
"The Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Products Contest and Auction is a celebration of our state's rich dairy heritage and the dedication of our talented cheesemakers," said Chad Vincent, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin’s chief executive officer. "This event recognizes the outstanding products they create and provides an opportunity for the Wisconsin community to support local dairy farmers and businesses."
