Hancock cheese plant Pennland Pure was represented in the Top 10 of American cheeses judged in the 2025 United States Championship Cheese Contest, hosted biennially by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.
Lanco-Penland Cooperative competed among over 2,400 entries of cheese, butter and yogurt products from across the nation, evaluated by expert technical judges on a 100-point scale.
Fourteen different Pennland Pure products were entered into the competition, the company said. Several achieved top ten rankings, “demonstrating the superior quality and craftsmanship of our dairy products.”
Among the highest-scoring entries:
Aged Provolone – 3rd Place
Mozzarella – 5th Place
Mild Provolone – 8th Place
Latin Style Cheese – 8th Place
Monterey Jack – 10th Place
Mozzarella (second entry) – 10th Place
“Pennland Pure is excited to collaborate this accomplishment with our local community and dairy farmer owners, and we extend our deepest gratitude for their unwavering support,” company officials said last week.
Kurt Williams, Lanco-Pennland’s general manager, said “this achievement is a testament to our incredibly dedicated staff. The passion to produce excellence can be found in all our products and every employee contributes to these achievements.”
The United States Championship Cheese Contest is an important technical competition for dairy products, evaluating flavor texture, salt balance, color finish and packaging.
Pennland Pure remains committed to excellence and innovation in the dairy industry. These achievements further solidify our reputation as a trusted producer of award-winning cheese, the company said in a press release about their awards.
Customers can purchase award-winning cheese through the company’ website or at Mr. Hardware in Hancock, Horst Meats in Hagerstown and at Battleview Market located in Sharpsburg.
The company’s wholesale customers include Chipotle Mexican Grill, Dietz & Watson, and Weiss Markets Deli.