Caputo Cheese won the “Best in Class” title while competing against some of the industry’s top cheese companies.

The World Championship Cheese Contest, based in Madison, Wisconsin, is like the Super Bowl for cheese companies. Around since 1957, this year’s event took place March 5–7 and saw some of the leading cheese brands compete in different categories.

Caputo Cheese’s Nodini Fresh Mozzarella took home the “Best in Class” award at this year’s event. It was a big win for the family-owned cheese producer, which has been in business since 1978.

The company “has been proudly crafting the finest Italian cheeses, bringing authentic old-world taste and tradition in every bite,” read a press release from the company.

“Nodini, which means ‘little knots’ in Italian,” the press released continued, “consists of elaborately tying fresh mozzarella into a knot shape by hand. The Nodini are delicate in texture and rich and creamy in flavor, with a pleasantly chewy bite thanks to the unique knot shape. These delicious mozzarella knots lend themselves to many recipes like salads, pizza or panini.”

The 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest was hosted by The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association. The biggest names in the industry compete there every year, including industry behemoths like Belgioioso, Crave Brothers, Lactalis and Granarolo.

“It was a huge step for Caputo Cheese to win against these industry giants and showcase their true Italian cheese making skills that have been passed down through generations,” the press release said.

“Such a proud moment for the Caputo Team,” said Natale Caputo, president and leader of Team Caputo. “The hard work and passion of our cheesemakers really shined in the contest. Not only did we take Best of Class in a category jam-packed with the greatest cheesemakers in the world, we were also able to showcase our traditional cheesemaking in our Nodini. A special thank you to all of the judges, volunteers and team at the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.”

Caputo Cheese is based in Melrose Park, Illinois. Caputo is a full-scale cheese producer, offering premium products in a variety of formats to satisfy all restaurant needs, from hard Romano and Parmigiano to soft Mozzarella and Burrata, to grated and pre-sliced cheese.