The Real Cheese Project has announced the return of People’s Cheese, revealing that this year’s competition is set to celebrate cheesemaking innovation in the UK. People’s Cheese 2025: Britain’s Best New Cheese, sponsored by Chiswick Cheese Market, is now calling for makers of new cheeses across the UK to submit their entries, free of charge, for the first round of public voting.
Championing the newest cheeses from across Britain and Northern Ireland, from fresh takes on the classics, to styles never before seen on our shores, People Cheese 2025 judging will begin at Chiswick Cheese Market on Sunday 15 June.
The cheese loving public will be invited to turn up, sign up for free, and taste all entries in each heat, before casting their votes to select this year’s finalists.
As in previous editions of the competition, the People’s Cheese 2025 final will be broadcast live online in September, with cheese lovers able to join the public judging panel by purchasing a tasting box of the four finalists, and tuning in on the night. Presented by comedian and British cheese champion, Marcus Brigstocke, and The Real Cheese Project co-founder, James Grant, the final will feature expert guidance from a panel of esteemed curd nerds, but the final say will be 100% down to the public vote.
The competition’s mission is simple; to get the country’s best artisan cheese in front of more people, enjoyed by more people, and supported by more people. Following People’s Cheese 2024: Heritage Edition, which saw Britain’s territorial cheeses go head-to-head, before Extra Mature Cheddar by Keen’s Cheddar in Somerset won the top prize, People’s Cheese 2025 will celebrate the very newest cheeses on the block, as cheesemaking innovation continues to boom in the UK.
James Grant, co-founder of The Real Cheese Project, commented: “The cheese awards of the people is back for 2025, with a fresh new theme! Following heaps of cheese tasting fun during our ‘Heritage Edition’ last year, we’re super excited to now be championing Britain and Northern Ireland’s newest cheeses – with the support of Chiswick Cheese Market. As tireless advocates of artisan cheese in the UK, we couldn’t think of better partners for ‘People’s Cheese 2025: Britain’s Best New Cheese’ than our friends from Cheesewick. It’s been a joy sharing so many incredible artisan cheeses with our public over the past two years, and we know they’re going to be blown away by the thriving innovation on the UK cheese scene. So if you’ve got a new cheese, make sure to get it entered!
”People’s Cheese 2025: Britain’s Best New Cheese is now open for entry until Friday 25 April. Cheesemakers can enter by completing this form, with any cheeses launched from 1 January 2024 eligible to enter. Entry into the competition is free of charge, but total entries will be capped, so early submission of entries is advised.