Indian Artisanal Cheese Wins 4 Medals In Brazil; PM Modi Says 'Cheese From India Makes Its Mark Globally'

Indian artisanal cheese has gained international recognition after winning four medals at the Mundial do Queijo do Brasil 2026, one of the world’s most prestigious cheese competitions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded the special debut of Indian cheesemakers at the Mundial do Queijo do Brasil 2026, where the country won four medals, including a prestigious Super Gold. The achievement highlights India’s growing presence in the global dairy and gourmet food industry, especially in the niche segment of handcrafted and premium cheeses.

Indian artisanal cheese wins four medals in Brazil

Indian artisanal cheese has found recognition on a global platform, even as the segment remains unfamiliar to most consumers in India. The country secured four awards at the Mundial do Queijo do Brasil 2026. It is an international competition for cheese and dairy products which was held in São Paulo. Four Indian products won medals, including one Super Gold, two Golds and one Silver medal in its debut appearance.

Super Gold was won by Mumbai-based Eleftheria Cheese

The Super Gold, the highest among India’s wins, was awarded to Eleftheria Gulmarg, a Brie-style cheese made by Mumbai-based Eleftheria Cheese. The cheese is made using cow’s milk and aged for around two to three weeks. Inspired by French Neufchâtel, the Brie-style cheese is a soft-ripened, velvety, and white-rinded cheese.

Two Gold medals were awarded to Yak Chhurpi-Soft and Eleftheria Brunost

Two Gold medals were awarded to Yak Chhurpi-Soft by Nordic Farm in Leh, Ladakh, and Eleftheria Brunost. Yak Chhurpi-Soft is a traditional, soft, and moist cheese made from fermented yak milk. It represents a softer version of the traditional Himalayan chhurpi, which is mostly popular in Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal. It is highly nutritious, rich in protein, and acts as a staple food. Talking about Eleftheria Brunost, it is a brown cheese, a whey-based cheese inspired by the Norwegian brown cheese, produced by Mumbai-based Eleftheria Cheese. It is made by cooking whey and has a fudge-like textured toffee-like flavour.

PM Modi lauded Indian cheesemakers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Indian cheesemakers who made an impressive debut at the Mundial do Queijo do Brasil 2026. The PM took to X to congratulate the cheesemakers, including Mausam Narang and Thenlay Nurboo, noting their role in bringing attention to Indian dairy craftsmanship.

He wrote, "Cheese from India makes its mark globally…India made an impressive debut at the Mundial do Queijo do Brasil 2026, which is a vibrant international competition for cheese and dairy products. Four Indian products won medals, including 1 Super Gold, 2 Golds and 1 Silver."

Appreciating the efforts of cheesemakers, especially Mausam Narang and Thenlay Nurboo, he wrote, "The Super Gold was won by Eleftheria Gulmarg (Brie Style), the Golds were won by Yak Churpi-Soft, Nordic Farm, Leh, Ladakh and Eleftheria Brunost (Whey Cheese) while the Silver was won by Eleftheria Kaali Miri (Belper Knolle Style). Congratulations to Mausam Narang and Thenlay Nurboo. Such successes strengthen India’s artisanal dairy sector on the world stage."