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.
2026 : Christian Janier
Meilleur Ouvrier de France Cheesemonger 2000
Christian Janier is a cheesemonger with a passion for his profession, and he represents the 4th generation in this family business in Lyon. In the Janier family, this passion has been handed down from father to son: Christian’s great-grandfather sold Comté cheese in the streets of Lyon, his grandfather and father continued to develop the family business...and that is how, when Christian Janier was still just a boy, he came to the ‘Carreau’ in the Halles de Lyon marketplace to sell wheels of cheese with his father.
Then it was Christian’s turn to develop the family business, and since he wanted to make his passion his profession, he became a ripener-wholesaler with an eye to preserving the precious know-how involved. The Janier line includes nearly 250 cheeses from France and other European countries. All have one thing in common: excellence obtained through strict requirements regarding origin. These exceptional products are sold in France and abroad, from Belgium to Germany and as far away as Japan.
In 2000, Christian Janier set himself a new challenge, which he obtained with brio when he was named Meilleur Ouvrier de France Cheesemonger. He now wears with pride the famous blue, white and red striped collar, a sign of his excellence.
http://www.janier.fr
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
I would like to thank the Concours International de Lyon for its rigorous, professional approach. In the eyes of producers from around the world, the Competition is intimately linked to France and other European countries–Italy, Switzerland, Spain–that have been masters of the art of cheesemaking for more than a thousand years. Placement on a structured marking scale used for all cheeses guarantees seriousness and impartial marking. The participation of eminent representatives of the cheesemaking profession also reinforces the Competition’s credibility. As a result of this international award, our sales team has been contacted by many people from the farming sector and distribution, and has communicated widely on the victory. Let’s hope this promising Competition retains its high level of seriousness, rigour, and expertise!
M. Arnaud, Fromageries Arnaud Frères SAS
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