The Raclette World Championships will gather the creme-de-la-creme of local and foreign producers of this emblematic Valais speciality.
The best cheeses in the 5 categories below will win the coveted World Champion titles. The jury in charge of scoring the cheeses will be made up of cheese or gastronomy professionals as well as amateur cheese-lovers registered in advance.
The best cheeses in each of the five categories will then be judged by a Super Jury, made up of internationally recognised cheese experts.
- Alpine Raw cow’s milk Raclette
Cheeses made exclusively with raw milk in alpine pastures - Raw cow’s milk Raclette
Cheeses made with raw milk - Cow’s milk pasteurized Raclette
Semi-hard cheeses - Goat’s milk Raclette
- Sheep’s milk Raclette
Entries are open to producers from all over the world if their cheeses meet the conditions described in the rules below.
Jury
Elimination phase Jury
Composed of general consumers or industry professionals, the Jury for the elimination phase will be responsible for selecting the 5 best cheeses in each category.
If you would like to apply for a place on the Raclette World Championships jury, please submit your application by July 31th, 2025. The selection will take place in early September. If you are selected, we will contact you to confirm your participation and provide you with information to prepare for the competition.
Final phase Super Jury
Laetitia Gaborit

Laeticia Gaborit has been passionate about cheese for as long as she can remember. She turned her passion into a profession with a degree in cheesemaking, then set her sights on the coveted title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France Fromager (Best French Cheesemaker). Thanks to her know-how and determination, in 2007 she became the youngest woman ever to have obtained this rare distinction.
Bernard Mure-Ravaud

Bernard Mure-Ravaud, the man with the iconic mustache, is one of France’s greatest cheesemakers. After discovering the profession by chance when he was 15, he went on to win, in 2007, two major titles – Meilleur Ouvrier de France and Cheesemaking World Champion.
Eddy Baillifard

Eddy Baillifard discovered his calling for cheese, and livestock, as a child. He became a professional cheesemaker, opened a restaurant in the Val de Bagnes and, in 2015, became the Raclette du Valais PDO ambassador. Interestingly, he is the man behind the ‘Roboclette’, a robot which imitates Mr. Baillifard’s expert cheesemaking process, down to the last hand-gesture. For this project, Eddy Baillifard collaborated with entrepreneur Nicolas Fontaine and researchers at the Idiap institute in Martigny.
Philippe Moreau

Philippe Moreau comes from a long line of food industry professionals, which may account for his discerning palate and extraordinary ability to sniff out exceptional ingredients, cuisine, and restaurants—particularly when it comes to cheese. In 2003, he made a life-changing decision to leave his position as a civil engineering site manager and pursue his dream of running a small local cheese shop. He’s never regretted taking the leap—the cheese industry has given him the opportunity to embrace his passion for food through exciting journeys, meaningful encounters, and delightful discoveries. He holds a special place in his heart for Italian and French cheeses and has honed his expertise by participating in various training programs offered by esteemed French cheesemakers. Recognizing his exceptional skills, Philippe was honored with the title of Vice Premier Cheesemaker for Belgium in 2010. Additionally, for over a decade, he has lent his expertise as an expert judge in numerous cheese competitions.
François Raemy

François Raemy is a master specialist for Fribourg Vacherin PDO cheese.
Roger Dubosson

Roger Dubosson was born and raised in Troistorrents, in the Illiez Valley. He moved to Fribourg to learn the cheesemaking trade, then went on to manage the Verbier dairy for 36 years. He is a master cheesemaker, deeply devoted to preserving and passing on traditional craftsmanship and expertise.
Andréas Leibundgut

A certified master cheesemaker, Andréas has crafted several Swiss cheese specialities for different dairies over the years. He has also worked independently, running a small village dairy in the Broye region of Fribourg.
When health issues put an end to his work in the dairies, he was fortunate enough to find a new professional calling with FROMARTE, the parent association representing Swiss cheesemakers and artisans. This has allowed him to participate in various international culinary events showcasing Swiss cheeses, but also to deepen his knowledge of cheeses produced outside of Switzerland
Currently, one of his main activities is organising the Swiss Cheese Awards, the national competition for Swiss cheeses held every two years. The most recent edition took place in Bagnes in 2022, as part of the Valais Raclette AOP Festival.
John Haldemann

John Haldemann – A Journey at the Heart of Cheese
Born in 1981, John Haldemann grew up in the authentic atmosphere of a small cheese dairy nestled at the foot of the Vaud Jura. Very early on, he developed a deep passion for the world of cheese, which he pursued through an apprenticeship as a cheesemaker. His curiosity then led him to hone his skills in several emblematic regions of Switzerland: from the Grisons to the Emmental, including a Bernese alpine pasture, before broadening his horizons internationally with formative experiences in Ecuador and Peru, working in three artisanal cheese dairies.
Armed with this rich practical experience, he earned a degree in food engineering, specializing in dairy economics. He joined Agroscope, where he works as a cheese dairy consultant. There, he leads applied research projects in collaboration with the interprofessional organizations of Swiss PDO cheeses. At the same time, he provides continuing education and supports cheese dairies in product development or when facing technical challenges.
True to his passion, John Haldemann is a staunch advocate of cheesemaking technology. He is also deeply interested in regional cultures, traditions, dialects, and specialties from all Swiss regions, which he enthusiastically promotes.
A member of the Agroscope sensory panel in Liebefeld, specializing in the evaluation of dairy products, he brings his expertise to professional juries. He has served as a judge at the Swiss Cheese Awards six times between 2012 and 2024, as well as at the World Raclette Championships in 2023.
A tasty anecdote: in 2019, together with his colleague Nicolas Hauser (La Praz cheese dairy), he won the very first edition of the Mondial de la Fondue in Tartegnin—a nod to his attachment to local products and the spirit of conviviality they embody.
Contests procedure
For more information on the contests, please contact Chantal Délez (cd-savi@outlook.com) or Laurent Ecoeur (lm.ecoeur@bluewin.ch).
Awards
2023
“Alpine pasture” category
- Alpage de Tanay, Vouvry, Valais
- Alpage Er de Lens, Icogne, Valais
- La Ferme à Gaby, Champoussin, Valais
- Alpage Le Pont, Dents-du-Midi 30, Champéry, Valais
- Alpage de Moiry, Grimentz, Valais
- Alpage de la Jeur-Loz, Vouvry, Valais
- Alpage de la Caux, Champéry, Valais
- Alpage de la Chaux, Verbier, Valais
- Alpage de Chaupalin, Les Crosets, Valais
“Raw milk” category
- Fromagerie Le Pont, Champéry, Valais
- EARL les Noisetiers, Leschaux, France
- Fromagerie de Liddes, Liddes, Valais
- Fromagerie d’Anniviers, Vissoie, Valais
- Fromagerie de Verbier, Verbier, Valais
- Fromagerie des Haudères, Les Haudères, Valais
- Walker Bergkäserei AG, Bitsch, Valais
“Other semi-hard cheeses” category
- Raclette suisse Seiler, sélection exclusive by Wyssmüller® Maître fromager, Giswil, Obwald
- Milco SA, Vuisternens-en-Ogoz, Fribourg
- Walker Bergkäserei AG, Bitsch, Valais