The People’s Cheese 2026

A enthusiatic young connoisseur of cheese!

Nearly 500 People Came Together to Judge Britain’s Best New Cheese

The People’s Cheese 2026 Heats at Chiswick Cheese Market

Something very special happened on May 17th at Chiswick Cheese Market.

Nearly 500 members of the public joined us for the heats of People’s Cheese, our search for Britain and Ireland’s Best New Cheese, and what unfolded was one of the most exciting, emotional and fiercely close competitions we’ve ever hosted.

Supported brilliantly by Chiswick Cheese Market, the day saw hundreds of people tasting, debating, discussing and championing real cheese made by real people. This wasn’t a panel of industry judges hidden behind closed doors. This was the public deciding. Farmers, food lovers, chefs, families, cheesemongers and curious first timers all taking part together.

And the response was overwhelming.

In fact, demand was so high that we ran out of voting slips twice.

Throughout the day we hosted three separate heats, each showcasing very different styles of cheese. We began with softer, more delicate cheeses before moving into harder and washed rind styles. The final heat celebrated blues and flavoured cheeses and every single tasting sparked passionate discussion amongst the crowd.

What became immediately clear was just how close the competition was.

Across all categories, many cheeses were separated by only one or two percent. The standard was extraordinary and choosing the finalists became incredibly tense right until the final count.

After hundreds upon hundreds of votes were cast, four cheeses emerged as this year’s finalists.

The Final Four

Carreg Las by Carwyn Adams, Caws Cenarth

A stunning Welsh sheep’s milk blue from legendary cheesemaker Carwyn Adams. Deeply savoury yet beautifully balanced, Carreg Las carried all the elegance and character you hope for in a great blue cheese while still remaining wonderfully approachable.

Lindley by Jake Goldstein, Welbeck Estate

Made by Jake Goldstein on the Welbeck Estate, Lindley captivated judges with its soft, unctuous texture and delicate yoghurty, citrus led character. Comforting yet refined, it was one of the stand out talking points of the day.

Wild Garlic Filly by Pencw Dairy, Fishguard

One of the smallest producers in the competition, making just over three tonnes of cheese per year, Pencw Dairy from the Pembrokeshire coast proved that scale means absolutely nothing when passion and craftsmanship are involved.

Their Wild Garlic Filly was utterly delicious. Crumbly yet creamy, threaded through with real wild garlic leaves, it delivered freshness, depth and a proper sense of place. In a world flooded with commercial garlic cheeses, this one stood proudly apart.

Tuppence by White Lake Cheese, Somerset

White Lake Cheese secured the final spot with Tuppence, a beautifully ripened miniature crottin style goat’s cheese featuring a gorgeous vermiculated rind and rich moussy paste. Gentle citrus notes and elegant seasoning made it one of the most memorable cheeses of the competition.

More Than Double Last Year’s Turnout

What made this year feel particularly emotional was the sheer scale of public engagement.

We welcomed more than double the number of judges compared to 2025. That matters enormously because People’s Cheese has always been about reconnecting people with authentic food and helping consumers understand the stories, farming and ethics behind what they eat.

This competition exists to shine a light on producers who care deeply about sustainability, animal welfare, pasture based systems and proper craftsmanship.

These are not anonymous industrial products.

These are cheeses made by custodians of land, animals, tradition and flavour.

A Very Special Moment for Stone Tree Dairy

One of the highlights of the day came when Martin Boyd collected the People’s Cheese 2025 award for Red Lap on behalf of Stone Tree Dairy.

Martin Boyd - Stone Tree Dairy

Martin and Helen Boyd founded their Devon based goat farm with a clear commitment to sustainability, ethical agriculture and pasture fed goats. Watching Martin speak publicly about their journey was genuinely moving.

He thanked The Real Cheese Project for supporting small producers and spoke about how the platform had helped introduce their cheeses to influential retailers including La Fromagerie, Neal’s Yard Dairy and, of course, No2 Pound Street.

Moments like that are exactly why we do this.

The Finals on October 17th

The People’s Cheese - Supported by Chiswick Cheese Market

The journey now moves towards the grand final on October 17th, hosted by comedian, cheese lover and long time supporter Marcus Brigstocke.

The four finalist cheeses will be featured in tasting boxes sent out around the UK. Members of the public will taste live alongside us during an online broadcast where cheesemakers will be interviewed, stories will be shared and the audience themselves will decide the ultimate winner.

This is not just about crowning a cheese champion.

It is about celebrating real food culture.

It is about protecting artisan producers.

It is about ensuring small scale cheesemakers can continue farming ethically and sustainably while earning a living doing something extraordinary.

To reserve The Final Four Tasting Box all you need to do is reserve your box here! Invite over some friends and join us for an evening of cheesy fun!

Why Your Support Matters

When people subscribe to The Real Cheese Project, buy tasting boxes or join our live events, they are directly supporting independent cheesemakers and helping preserve an entire ecosystem of artisan food production.

For £17.50 a month, subscribers receive:

• Artisan cheese
• Carefully selected condiments
• Cheese Crowd magazine
• Online tastings and webinars
• Discounts in the members’ area
• Access to a growing community passionate about real food

Most importantly, your support helps ensure these producers survive and thrive in a world increasingly dominated by industrial food systems.

This movement is growing.

And after seeing nearly 500 people come together in Chiswick to celebrate real cheese, it genuinely feels like something bigger is happening.

To everybody who voted, tasted, talked, supported and believed in what we’re building, thank you.

We cannot wait for October.

“The revolution in real cheese continues. May the cheese be with you”, James & Nicola.

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