298 categories of products from across the globe
4 December 2026
The Concours International de Lyon has nearly 300 categories for tasting cheese and dairy products. Cheese made from cows’, goats’ and ewes’ milk are tasted, along with butters, yogurts, milks, creams, etc.
The competition follows strict rules concerning its organisation, with optimal storage conditions, classification of dairy products based on numerous criteria (milk, ripening, etc.), blind tasting, verification of the tasters selected, a 100-point marking scale.
This diversity means consumers are offered a very wide range of products that have been tasted and awarded medals by the Concours International de Lyon, to guide them in their selection of cheese and dairy products.
Famous honorary Presidents
Each year the selection of an honorary president draws the attention of the press and puts the competition in the limelight.
2027 : Jérémie Crauser
Runner-up in the World Pâté-Croute Championship and head charcutier at Crauser/Bello.
Jérémie Crauser is the son and grandson of charcutiers and grew up alongside his father, learning the ropes of the trade at a very young age—a craft he has been practicing for 15 years. After earning a CAP in butchery and a CAP in charcuterie, he worked as a head charcutier in Lille before becoming a charcuterie consultant, a journey that took him all the way to Russia. In 2020, along with his business partner Frédéric Bello, he founded Maison Crauser-Bello in Lyon.
His specialty, pâté-croûte, is the result of many months of research, subtly combining the art of preparing gravies and jellies with traditional charcuterie expertise. This commitment to excellence earned him the title of world runner-up in pâté-croûte in 2022 and 2023. Dedicated to upholding traditions, Jérémie Crauser embodies a level of dedication and passion that does credit to his craft.
A demanding commissioner general
Didier Lassagne
The Commissioner General makes sure that samples are in conformity and that tasting is carried out properly.
A self-taught man, Didier Lassagne left the nuclear industry in 1998 to devote himself to the love of his life: cheese. This Norman began promoting cheesemaking traditions in his cheese factory in Lyon. (He would open a second factory in 2012.) “From atom to tomme”, it was a big step! Clearly, it was a successful career change, as Didier Lassagne was elected Meilleur Ouvrier de France Cheesemonger in 2007, on his first try!
Since 2017, Didier Lassagne has participated in the professional training of new or prospective dairymen-cheesemakers, supporting them in various areas such as setting up sales points, cutting and folding techniques, and creating product lines. A passionate, dedicated teacher, he is also President of MAF (Meilleurs Apprentis de France) and of the Training Commission at the French Federation of Cheesemakers.
What’s his favourite cheese? Camembert from Normandy, made with raw milk and ladle-moulded, of course! With a jug of raw farmhouse cider. It’s a perfect match that brings out the best of both Norman products!
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
This award is an honour that showcase the quality of our Isigny Sainte-Mère mimolette. It is an excellent asset that significantly boosts the product’s image and reputation to both professionals and ordinary cheese lovers, as well as within the company itself, as it clearly demonstrates how valuable the teams’ work is. We have used all of our communications tools to highlight the impact of this trophy, such as for internal communications, social networks, the press, trade shows, point-of-sale displays, packaging and sales supports
Isigny Sainte-Mère
Everyone was so excited to receive the trophy. The news was widely picked up by local and national media which generated considerable media coverage. Consumers were also enthusiastic about the news, particularly on social networks, where there was a real sense of regional pride. Winning the trophy also had a significant impact on traffic to our website and social networks. The title has strengthened the credibility of our cheese dairy and is a real selling point, which can be promoted to distributors or in the specialist press. The trophy is also an important communication lever, which we have been able to promote on various media, such as the banners we use at trade fairs. This recognition has naturally helped enhance the image of Maroilles and give a more qualitative and balanced perspective on this iconic product from the Hauts-de-France region.
Fromagerie Lesire