Brazil has been gaining more space in the international cheese scene, with producers winning hundreds of prizes in the world's primary contests. With 149 medals, Cruzília, born in 1948 as a tiny stall in São Paulo’s Municipal Market, is now established as the most awarded cheesery in the country.

This year alone, 31 medals were won in national and international contests. Last week, UltraCheese products, which include Cruzília, were judged at the World Cheese Awards, which gathered over 5,000 brands from 46 countries.

The awards ceremony took place in Switzerland, and the cheese factory brought home eight medals. There were two silver medals—for the Buffalo Burrata Cheese from Búfalo Dourado and for Cruzília Maturado—and six bronze medals won by labels such as A Lenda, Azul de Minas, Quark, Santo Casamenteiro, and Queijo Maturado com Mofo Azul e Limão, in addition to the smoked buffalo burrata.

Three of these cheeses were developed for the edition as part of a project aimed at presenting creations that met the competition's technical and sensory criteria.

The dairy was inaugurated in 1980 in Cruzília (MG), with facilities in the old factory created in 1920 by Danish immigrants. Located at the foot of the Mantiqueira Mountains, a region considered one of the best terroirs in the country for fine cheeses, the brand combined European techniques, Minas Gerais tradition, and its own creations, which are now part of its portfolio.

With a presence in 57% of the country's largest supermarkets, according to the ABRAS ranking, Cruzília is part of the UltraCheese platform, which reached R$ 1.02 billion in revenue in 2024 and brings together brands such as Lac Lélo, Búfalo Dourado, and Itacolomy.

Under the leadership of CEO Wagner Brilhante, the group seeks to expand medium-sized companies in the agribusiness value chain in Brazil and South America. “Our mission is to preserve tradition and, at the same time, innovate, offering products that express the terroir of Minas Gerais,” says Brilhante.

The portfolio includes products such as the Exclusive Cheese Collection with Versos de Minas, Santo Casamenteiro, Serra da Mantiqueira, A Lenda, and Azul de Minas cheeses, also available in fondue versions. The special line includes brie, camembert, gorgonzola, emmental, gruyère, gouda, estepe, parmesan, and provolone, as well as fondues. Everyday cheeses—minas, meia cura, mozzarella, prato, and coalho—are offered in different formats, complemented by cream cheeses such as requeijão, quark, creme de minas, and butter.

“This year's medals show that we have managed to improve technically without losing the personality of our cheeses,” says Juliana Jansen, R&D manager.