315 categories of products from across the globe
4 December 2026
There are close to 315 categories of charcuteries at the Concours International de Lyon, highlighting the diversity and richness of this culinary know-how. From hams and sausages to rillettes and pâtés, including many international specialties, all will be judged by a jury of passionate experts.
The competition is held according to a rigorous protocol to guarantee optimal storage conditions for the charcuteries. The ranking, established from multiple criteria (meat, drying time, type of cooking), is carried out by expert judges during a blind tasting. The precise evaluation grid out of 100 points will help distinguish the best products.
This diversity of categories makes it possible to offer consumers a very wide range of products tasted and awarded medals at the Concours International de Lyon, to guide them in their choice of charcuteries.
Famous honorary Presidents
Each year the selection of an honorary president draws the attention of the press and puts the competition in the limelight.
2026 : David Bourne
2020 French Catering Champion and 2021 World Team Catering Vice-Champion
David Bourne was born into a family of charcuterie butchers and has carried on the legacy his parents started in 1980 in Vals-les-Bains which they went on to develop in Romans-sur-Isère in 1995. Guided by his love of the trade, his taste for authenticity and his respect for local produce, David joined the family business in 2000.
He has breathed new life into the business by developing a high-end catering service that combines strict standards, creativity and traditional expertise. Constantly striving for excellence, he has taken part in many competitions and was awarded the Qualichef certificate for his commitment to craft food in 2013. In the charcuterie industry, David has mastered the great classics while developing a new, more contemporary range of cured meats.
At the same time, David modernised the production facilities by creating a manufacturing and culinary creation workshop in 2015. His specialities regularly win awards in national competitions, including the Trophée Nationale de la Charcuterie and the Championnat de France du Fromage de Tête. Awarded the title of French Catering Champion in 2020, he became captain of the French team at the World Catering Championship in 2021, where he won the title of World Vice-Champion.
© JBL/GINKO
The Competition’s commitments
Jurors’ expertise
Communication on all fronts
Influential, committed partners
Famous honorary Presidents
Official validation and verifications
Communication tools
Professionals in the field guarantee conformity of the sample,
while enlightened amateurs represent consumer tastes.
Concours International de Lyon 2026 - Cheese, dairy products and charcuteries
The last edition of the Concours International de Lyon of Cheese, Dairy Products and Charcuterie took place on November 28th, 2025! The competition, held at the Cité internationale, Lyon, gathered more than 630 tasters and was supervised by an independent inspector. Christian Janier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Cheesemonger and David Bourne, World Team Catering Vice-Champion, supervised the competition and passed their know-how as an Honorary President. A total of 2 980 samples including 2 200 cheeses and dairy products and 780 charcuteries were judged by professional and enlightened amateur tasters and 919 products were awarded Gold and Silver medals.
Testimonials
The trophy was real acknowledgement of our rigorous craft work. The competition gave us an objective outside perspective of the organoleptic quality of our foie gras, and this rating rewards the work we do throughout the year to make our products as perfect as possible. Our local customers loved this award, particularly at markets as it makes them believe in our products more. This trophy has enabled us to raise awareness of our approach and reinforces our daily commitment to excellence.
Sabrina et Julen, Gaec Beti Aintzina