American Cheese Society 2024 Annual Conference Recap
August 26 2024
This year’s American Cheese Society’s Annual Conference took attendees to the East coast and the lovely sights of Buffalo, NY (hello, Niagara Falls!) The conference, which took place July 10-13, marked the 41st anniversary of the gathering and competition. Each year, cheese connoisseurs from across the Americas congregate for a four-day immersive experience that celebrates American-made cheeses.
This year, Caves of Faribault’s parent company Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. sponsored the event as a Mission Sponsor. As in years past, the event allowed cheese lovers to “choose your own adventure” so to speak and attend a wide variety of sessions and events targeted to their unique roles within the industry. Conference sessions spanned topics ranging from marketing strategies and trends, food-science focused presentations, and even a deep dive into the industry’s social impact. Just like the cheese tastings, there was something for everyone to enjoy.
Cheesemaker Francisco Zepeda proudly manned the Caves of Faribault booth during the Meet The Cheesemaker segment of the conference, where he showcased Caves’ newly redesigned packaging and recently revived Affinage line to the crowds.
Perhaps the most exciting part was the awards ceremony, where Caves of Faribault proudly took home a 2nd Place medal for its flagship AmaBlu Blue cheese in the Rindless Blue-veined category. (Its counterpart, AmaGorg, had won top honors in this category the year prior.)
In addition to the knowledge gained via the formal agenda, the real magic of each year’s conference often lies in the impromptu networking opportunities among fellow producers and lovers of cheese. This opportunity to collaborate and share a unified version for the future of American cheese is what keeps attendees coming back year after year. DeMetria Isabel, Marketing Specialist for the Prairie Farms Cheese Division notes, “It is always such an unforgettable experience attending ACS Conference. The organization itself is rooted in uplifting the cheese community through education as well as celebration. Each time I attend conference, I am reminded of how proud I am to be part of this industry and how inspired I am to do our part in continuing to help it grow and thrive.”
