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CABOT SHARP IN "WORLD'S BEST CHEDDAR" REPEAT

CABOT SHARP IN "WORLD'S BEST CHEDDAR" REPEAT Vermont Cooperative's Butter & Cheddar Dominate World Championships

Cabot, VT (March 27, 2006) – Inspired by the gold medal snowboarding performance of Green Mountain State native Hannah Teeter in Torino, Cabot Creamery in turn represented Vermont on the winner’s podium at the “Olympics of Cheesemaking” – the 2006 World Championship Cheese Contest. Cabot’s naturally-aged Sharp Cheddar reinforced its status as “World’s Best Cheddar” while overall Cabot captured two gold medals and a total of five (5) trophies at last week’s competition, held this year in Madison, Wisconsin.

“Winning these awards highlights the dedication of both our farmer owners and our employees in a collaboration that transforms great milk into the finest quality cheeses,” remarked Cabot President and CEO Rich Stammer. “It is indeed an honor to have the world’s best dairy judges select our cheese as the “World’s Best Cheddar” for a second time in less than a decade.”

Cabot’s specialty, traditional, flavored and reduced fat cheeses boast an impressive history of victories at major national and international competitions. Cabot products have taken top honors at the American Cheese Society, the World Cheese Awards, the National Milk Producers Federation, the International Fancy Food Show, the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest and now, again, at the prestigious World Championships.

Cabot’s results in the Mild, Medium, Sharp and Extra Sharp Cheddar categories included two 1st place, one 2nd place and one 3rd place awards. Cabot captured five of the twelve total cheddar trophies, with only one other competitor earning as many as two ribbons. Cabot’s “World’s Best Cheddar” scored 99.20 out of a possible 100.0 points.

Additionally, Cabot Salted Butter grabbed 2nd place and Cabot Unsalted Butter finished tied for 4th place. This was the best World Championships result yet for Cabot Salted Butter, whose previous top showing was the “Best in the U.S.” honors it earned in 2003. Cabot Unsalted Butter has been the picture of dependable quality, with this year’s finish making it three consecutive World Championships with a Top Five finish, including two previous 3rd place awards. For additional information on Cabot results, please see attached list.

The 26th Biennial World Championship Cheese Contest relied on an international team of 19 judges representing 8 different countries to select the finest cheeses and butters in 50 classes. This year featured a record-setting 1,795 entries judged on traits such as flavor, body, texture, finish, and packaging with all hoping to earn a perfect 100.0 score.

The entries came from 25 U.S. states as well as 18 foreign countries. Since its 1957 inception, this three-day contest, hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, has grown to be the largest worldwide cheese and butter competition.

Cabot cheers two fellow Vermont Cheese Council (www.vtcheese.com) members who also earned honors. Enosburg-based Franklin Foods took 2nd place in the “Reduced Fat Cheese” category with its Hahn’s brand Blueberry Dream yogurt and cream cheese spread. Meanwhile Vermont Butter & Cheese of Websterville took a 3rd place ribbon for its goat’s milk Feta.

Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919 and is best known as makers of “The World’s Best Cheddar,” as honored twice now at World Championship Cheese Contests. Cabot is owned by the dairy farm families of Agri-Mark, the Northeast’s premier dairy cooperative. For additional information on Cabot Creamery, you are invited to visit www.cabotcheese.coop.



26th Biennial World Championship Cheese Contest – Selected Results
March 21-23, 2006 in Madison, Wisconsin

Results for Cabot Creamery Cooperative

Product Entry	Place	Score	Product Class
Cabot Vermont Cheddar (6 months old) Cabot Vermont Cheddar (6 months old) Cabot Vermont Cheddar (3 months old) Cabot Vermont Cheddar (39 months old) Cabot Vermont Cheddar (60 days old) Cabot Horseradish Cheddar Cabot Salted Butter Cabot Unsalted Butter	1st 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 4th 2nd 4th	99.20 98.70 98.20 98.85 99.25 98.35 99.20 98.65	Sharp Cheddar Medium Cheddar Medium Cheddar Extra Sharp Cheddar Mild Cheddar Flavored Past. Proc. Cheese Salted Butter Unsalted Butter

Results for other Vermont Cheese Council members (www.vtcheese.com)

Product Entry	Place	Score	Product Class
Hahn’s Blueberry Dream Spread Vermont Butter & Cheese Goats Milk Feta	2nd 3rd	99.60 99.45	Reduced Fat Cheeses Semi-Soft Goat’s Milk Cheeses

For additional results and information about the World Championship Cheese Contest, visit:
www.wischeesemakersassn.org