International quality awards for Dale Farm’s market leading Dromona cheddar cheeses
Dale Farm, Northern Ireland’s leading producer of cheddar cheese varieties, gained
a series of prestigious awards at the 2025 International Cheese and Dairy Awards
(ICDA), which attracted a record number of entries championing world class cheese
and dairy products. Belfast headquartered Dale Farm is a FoodNI member company.
Dale Farm produces cheddar varieties at Dunmanbridge, near Cookstown, one of
Europe’s most modern cheese processing plants.
The Northern Ireland producer, which draws milk from hundreds of local farms,
gained gold for its mild cheddar, silvers for mature and extra mature cheddars and
bronzes for mature and vintage cheddars.
In addition, Dale Farm won gold for the Best Irish cheese at the show and bronze for
Irish cheddar.
Two golds followed for the Best Retail – mild cheddar and for Best Retail mature
cheddar.
Dale Farm has 1,300 dairy farmer members, mostly in Northern Ireland, in the co-
operative business. The cooperative is centred around helping sustain family dairy
farms for generations
Upwards of 5,500 cheeses were entered from across the world for judging at the
ICDAs in Staffordshire Showground, Stafford in conjunction with the International
Cheese and Dairy Expo.
Winning a prestigious award means being part of an elite group, and 125 year old
tradition of the very best in class. Success brings high profile recognition by UK
retailers and on the international stage as well as increased consumer sales.
