Henning Cheese earns multiple first-place honors at 2025 cheese contest

Heather Graves

Staff

March 24, 2025

KIEL – On the heels of Henning Cheese’s package and logo rebrand launched earlier this year, the fourth-generation artisan cheese maker took home multiple first-place honors at the 2025 United States Championship Cheese Contest held in Green Bay earlier this month.

Henning Cheese’s Onion & Chive Cheddar was named Top 20 overall and best in its class, with Aged Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar and Dragon’s Breath Cheddar all awarded medals for Top three finishes.

Rebekah Henschel, co-owner and director of Henning’s national sales, said having one of Henning Cheese products named in the Top 20 back-to-back years is a testament of the company’s hard work.

“We’re thrilled to see our cheeses recognized as best in class in what is always an incredibly competitive pool of entries,” she said. “The dedication we put into our craft is paying off in the high-quality cheese we make.” 

Henschel said as a cheese maker, participating in the U.S. cheese contest – as well as the World Championship Cheese Contest, which is held on the off years – “gives you a really good indication on the quality level of your cheese.”

“It’s important to participate because not only does it make you a better maker, but if you win, it’s great PR for your cheese,” she said. “These cheese contests are highly prestigious as they bring in a panel of highly skilled technical judges. Cheeses are scored on flavor, body and texture, salt, color, finish, packaging and more.”

Both the U.S. and world championships, Henschel said, are held in Wisconsin.

“Wisconsin is known as ‘America’s Dairyland,’ so it seems appropriate that those competitions are held here,” she said.

The award winners

Henschel said Henning Cheese’s Onion & Chive Cheddar was named Best in Class in the Hard Cheese, Flavored category at the U.S. cheese contest.

“This is an extremely hard category to compete in,” she said. “This category consists of any hard cheese (parmesan, asiago, cheddar, colby, etc.) that has a flavor in it. There are many entries. To win a Best In Class in this category is amazing because there is so much competition.”

Describing it as a “creamy, artisanal white cheddar,” Henschel said the Onion & Chive Cheddar is made from fresh local milk and infused with savory onions and mild green chives.

“Our Onion & Chive Cheddar is such a fabulous piece of cheese and it is so versatile,” she said. “I would highly recommend anyone trying this cheese today.”

Henning Cheese’s Dragon’s Breath Cheddar, Henschel said, took home first place in the Pepper Flavored Cheese, High Heat category.

“There are so many great hot cheeses that are entered into this category,” she said. “The key is to balance the hot pepper with the flavor of the cheese – in our case, it’s cheddar.”

Infused with dried habanero peppers, Henschel said the Dragon’s Breath Cheddar is a handcrafted cheddar that brings fire-breathing heat. 

“It’s a fantasy come true for anyone who likes blazing hot flavors,” she said. “Dragon’s Breath Cheddar took home a Best In Class at the World Championship Cheese Contest in 2024.”

Henschel said the company’s Aged Cheddar (aged more than nine months) was awarded first place in the Traditional Waxed Cheddar, Sharp to Aged category.

“Whether it’s mild, medium, aged or sharp – we are known for our cheddars,” she said. “(Kerry Henning) has a great industry-wide reputation for producing some of the best cheddars on the market.”

Henning Cheese’s Aged Cheddar, Henschel said, is a handcrafted traditional artisanal cheddar crafted from local milk and “aged to perfection, giving it a full, nutty flavor.” 

“Our Aged Cheddar consistently wins,” she said. “In 2024, it took home a Best In Class at World Cheese Competition and placed as a Top 20 finalist – out of 3,300 entries. It also placed second at the 2024 American Cheese Society Contest.”

Henschel said Henning’s Cheese’s Sharp Cheddar (aged more than 18 months) came in second in the contest’s Traditional Waxed Cheddar, Sharp to Aged category.

“Our 18-month-old cheddar also won Best In Class at the 2024 American Cheese Society Contest,” she said. “We are seeing a boost in our cheddar sales from four to 18 months. This seems to be the sweet age range right now in the industry.”

Henschel said the Cheese’s Sharp Cheddar delivers everything sharp cheddar lovers crave –  “a rich, nutty but clean-tasting finish that is smooth and doesn’t bite back.”

Henschel said this year’s U.S. Championship Cheese Contest saw more than 2,400 entries from 31 states.

“That’s a lot,” she said. “When you win these competitions, it reaffirms that you are making some great cheese.”

A slice of history

According to its website (henningscheese.com), Henning Cheese was founded in 1914 by Otto and Norma Henning.

“After completing a six-week dairy short course in Madison, Otto and Norma Henning made a decision to purchase a rural hometown cheese factory,” Henschel said. “Their factory was located in the heart of America’s Dairyland, near Kiel, and they devoted their lives to producing quality cheese.”

After nearly 50 years of cheesemaking, Henschel said Otto passed away and his son Everett, along with his wife Jellane, took the factory over in 1963.

“Within four short years, they built a new modern cheese plant at Henning Cheese’s current location,” she said. “In 1986, an expansion was necessary to handle the growing business.”

By the mid-1980s, Henschel said Everett and Jellane’s three children – Kay, Kerry and Kert – came into the business to help expand upon Everett’s dream.

“Seeing it through several changes, and a few more additions, the small family cheese company continued to grow,” she said. “Today, Everett’s grandchildren – me, Mindy, Joshua and Zachary – are involved, learning and growing the tradition.”

As one of the fourth-generation owners of Henning Cheese, Henschel said carrying on the legacy built before her means a lot.

“My role is mainly sales and marketing, but when you help run a small family business, you take on many roles,” she said.

A lot, Henschel said, has changed in the company’s 110 years in business.

“We went from producing small amounts of cheese for one or two customers to now producing cheese for many customers across the country – and we recently started exporting to Mexico,” she said. “Our focus is still on making high-quality, great-tasting cheese, but modern equipment does help with this. We are always looking at ways to improve our cheese and our operation.”

Henschel said Henning Cheese’s rebrand launched earlier this year – which includes a new logo and packaging – is focused on better reflecting the Henning Cheese brand.

“Our new logo launched Jan. 1, and our new labels will be out before summer,” she said. “Our last logo was from the 1980s, so it was time for a refresh. We wanted our packaging to better reflect our high-quality cheese.”

Henschel said the brand refresh also complements the company’s focus on innovation.

“Henning’s third-generation master cheesemaker, Kerry Henning, is always coming up with new flavors – such as Mango Fire Cheddar, Chipotle Cheddar and Hatch Chile Cheddar,” she said. “As we celebrate our 111th anniversary, it’s the perfect time to ensure that our product packaging and brand look reflect the same outstanding quality and pride that we put into every one of our products.”

Henschel said the packaging’s new color palette matches flavors and makes Henning cheeses more easily identifiable.

The cheese stands alone

Henschel said the goal today is the same as the goal her great-grandfather, Otto, had when he started Henning Cheese 111 years ago – “produce a high-quality piece of cheese. “

“Our master cheesemaker takes pride in crafting a great-tasting piece of cheese and is currently training the next generation of cheesemakers to do the same,” she said.

Henschel said Joshua Henning – a fourth-generation owner and cheesemaker – was just accepted into the Master Cheesemaking Program this year.

“We want our customers to enjoy every piece of cheese they purchase from us,” she said. “We are never ones to rest on our laurels. We are always looking for ways to improve our quality.”

Henschel said Henning Cheese’s most recent and past award winnings are a testament of that.

“We’ve been competing in these cheese competitions for more than 20 years and before last year, we had never placed as a Top 20 finalist,” she said. “At the 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest, our Aged Cheddar was a Top 20 finalist. This year, at the United States Championship Cheese Contest, our Onion & Chive Cheddar was a Top 20 finalist. We are doing something special here.”

That focus on high quality, Henschel said, also pertains to Henning Cheese’s milk providers.

“We source milk from small family dairy farms within a 30-mile radius of the cheese factory, with the belief that quality milk creates quality cheese,” she said. “Our goal is to pay them higher wages so they can sustain for another generation.”

Henschel said the Henning Cheese team also puts a heavy focus on being innovative on different flavor trends.

“What is something new and different that consumers are asking for?” she said. “We also enjoy partnering with retailers on new flavor ideas. We may get an idea from a retailer, and we will put our own twist on it to create something unique and delicious.”

Henschel said Kerry Henning is a “flavor artist.”

“He is extremely particular when we add flavors to cheese,” she said. “The ingredients that you infuse into your cheese should enhance your cheese, not overpower it. Kerry has mastered these ratios.”

Henschel said Henning Cheese is also the last producer in the country making a mammoth wheel of cheese.

“These range from 75 pounds to 4,000 pounds,” she said. “Retailers use these for promotions. They are a ‘wow’ factor. Some use them for anniversary sales, others for the holidays and some for grand store openings. It’s all about bringing the customer into your store.”

Henschel said Henning Cheese currently has about 40 employees working in production, packaging, delivery and sales, retail store and in the office.

“Our employee base has grown over the years as we have,” she said. “For example, we used to package cheese only for our Wisconsin retail stores like Festival Foods, Piggly Wiggly, Sendiks, Woodmans, Meijer, etc. Now we package cheese for retailers nationwide.”

A gouda future ahead

Though the facility, the equipment and the staff have changed over the past 111 years, Henschel said Henning Cheese’s focus on crafting high-quality cheese has never wavered.

“We still handcraft cheese the way my great-grandfather did – with modern equipment, of course,” she said. “There are a lot of big companies mass-producing cheese – we do not. We care more about quality and flavor than quantity.”

Founded and operated in Wisconsin since its beginnings, Henschel said Henning Cheese’s Wisconsin roots are strong.

“Having a rich history, great products and (reputation for) supporting local farmers are just a few reasons we continue to grow,” she said. “There is still such a great market for our products. In Wisconsin, people love their cheese. They also care about shopping local, supporting their communities, producers and farmers. Nationwide, and beyond the borders, there is a movement to understand the stories behind the food you are consuming.”

Henning Cheese – located at 20201 Point Creek Road in Kiel – is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.