WELLINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's finest 187 cheeses have been selected among more than 250 locally produced cheeses and awarded medals in the New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards just ahead of the International Cheese Day which fell on Wednesday.

New Zealand's dairy giant Fonterra took home a total of 52 awards, including 21 for its Kapiti range, the most awarded cheese in New Zealand over the past five years.

"These wins cement Fonterra's position as the leading player in cheesemaking in New Zealand," said Marketing and Innovation Director for Fonterra Brands New Zealand Renee Milkop Kerr.

Cathy Lang who has been nominated for the 2024 Champion Cheesemaker award and previously won this award in 2022, said their team put in a lot of work to create the Kapiti cheese range, which was acknowledged by the judges.

A 30-person judging panel, which was a mix of industry professionals including cheesemakers, cheese retailers, food technologists, and food writers, led by Master Judge Jason Tarrant, evaluated 253 New Zealand-made cheeses.

The awards, celebrating New Zealand's finest cheeses for 21 years, continue to recognize the ingenuity, passion, and dedication of Kiwi cheesemakers, Tarrant said.

The awards, owned and managed by the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association (NZSCA), also guide consumers on purchase decisions.

NZSCA Chair Simon Lamb said the awards announcement came in the week after the government endorsed legislation to allow free trade with the European Union, which made New Zealand cheesemakers concerned this will enable low-cost subsidized cheese to undercut locally made products.

Over the past 18 months, several boutique cheese companies in New Zealand shut down their businesses as cheesemakers were finding business conditions tough, Lamb said, adding that the cheese award medals celebrate cheesemakers' endeavor. Enditem

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