Austria wins anniversary Alpine Cheese Olympics

The winner of the 30th International Alpine Cheese Olympics in Galtür has been announced. In 2024, 149 dairymen from 4 countries competed for the coveted gold, silver and bronze Sennerharfen with 392 wheels of cheese.

At the 30th anniversary of the International Alpine Cheese Olympics on 28 September 2024, 149 dairy farmers from Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Italy and Switzerland came together to present their raw milk cheeses and determine the best Alpine cheese of 2024. Karl-Heinz Strohmaier from Petersberg-Alm won the hard cheese category and thus the golden dairyman's harp, while Lucia Seiler from Alp-Sennerei Maran in Arosa won gold in the semi-hard cheese category. The Dreikäsehoch prize, awarded by a children's jury, went to the Faulbrunnalm team for their Galtürer Almkäse. "The popularity of our event over such a long period of time shows us that high-quality, regional products such as alpine cheese are always in vogue. We are thrilled every year by the quantity of high-quality products and the large number of participants and spectators!" said Martin Wagner, chairman of the Galtür rural youth organisation, delighted with the successful event.

Award-winning Almkäse 2024

In the anniversary year, the cheeses submitted for the coveted title of "Best Alpine Cheese in the Alpine Region 2024" once again had to pass the strict eyes and taste buds of an international jury. The cheese experts from industry, trade and education Industry, trade and education from Austria, Italy, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland assessed criteria such as appearance, interior, flavour and consistency and awarded the best products with gold, silver or bronze Senner harps. Martin Lutz from Alpe Siez in Switzerland won the most prizes for his cheeses with a total of 6 Sennerharfen (3 x bronze, 1 x silver and 2 x gold). The jury was also impressed by the cheeses presented in the anniversary year: "We were once again impressed by the high quality of the alpine cheeses submitted. You can literally taste the passion and the great commitment of the dairy farmers to their products," said jury chairwoman Frieda Eliskases- Lechner from the HBLFA Tirol.

Best children's cheese in the Alpine region

The title of "Best Children's Cheese 2024" and thus the coveted Dreikäsehoch prize was won by the Almkäse Team Huber from the Faulbrunn Alm in Galtür in the anniversary year. Their alpine cheese was the favourite of the strict, blind-tasting jury of seven children.

Upward trend for regional quality products

Since 1995, the Galtürer Almkäseolympiade has given dairy farmers the opportunity to present their handmade products to consumers once a year, to exchange ideas with each other and to create new sales markets for their regional quality products. The fact that the concept of the Almkäseolympiade founders is still promising even after 30 years is proven by the constantly increasing demand for locally produced and high-quality products as well as the high number of participants and spectators every year.

Save the date: The 31st International Alpine Cheese Olympics will take place in Galtür on 27 September 2025.