Don Froylan Creamery wins back-to-back awards at American Cheese Society competition

Don Froylan Creamery was one of several Oregon cheesemakers to win multiple awards at the 2024 American Cheese Society (ACS) competition.

The American Cheese Society is an association promoting and supporting American cheeses, presenting shows, networking and more for cheesemakers, cheesemongers and companies. This year's award ceremony took place in Buffalo, New York, on July 11.

Owner Francisco Ochoa said he went to the conference and accepted the awards in person. He opened the Don Froylan Creamery in Salem in October 2018. The first creamery was opened in 2001 in Eugene, then expanded and moved to Albany in 2009. Over the years, Ochoa's cheeses have won multiple awards from the ACS.

"We're pretty proud to win these awards among all the other US cheesemakers," Ochoa said. "We hope more people come to our shop, watch us stretch the cheese, and enjoy our quesadilla bar here in Salem."

The Salem-based cheesemaker had three entries place in three categories, including one back-to-back first place entry. The cheeses that placed in this year's competition include Liliana's String Cheese, Queso Panela and Queso Oaxaca.

Liliana's String Cheese won first in the mozzarella types of the Italian-type cheese category. This is the second year in a row the string cheese placed first in the category.

The cheese is named after Ochoa's daughter, who only wanted string cheese when she was younger. The string cheese itself is a variation of the Queso Oaxaca but with less sodium, Ochoa said. The cheese is packaged almost flat in a resealable bag, in the equivalent of five to six cheese sticks per package. It tears away smoothly, creating little curls as it's pulled and eaten. The taste is tangy compared to other mozzarellas.

Don Froylan's Queso Panela placed first in the fresh and unripened category of the Hispanic and Portuguese-style cheeses. In the same style category, the Queso Oaxaca placed second in "Hispanic Cooking" cheese, defined by the cheese needing "to be consumed heated or melted." This is the second year in a row the Queso Oaxaca has placed second in this category.

These cheeses are purchasable at Don Froylan Creamery's location in north Salem, off of Portland Road Northeast.

Other notable Oregon winners include Tillamook, Face Rock Creamery, Briar Rose Creamery and Walla Walla Cheese Company.

For more details on the winning cheeses check out the winner list on the ACS website, cheesesociety.org/competition.

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Address: 3350 Portland Road NE

Em Chan covers food and dining at the Statesman Journal. You can reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @catchuptoemily.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Don Froylan Creamery wins American Cheese Society awards