Spain Food Award Best Cheeses 2026: all winners by category

Key data

Five categories, six awards and producers from seven different autonomous communities: the Order APA/831/2026, published on August 6, 2026, closes the Spain Food Award Best Cheeses competition with the official winners of the year. For the winning cheese companies, this recognition is a commercial differentiation tool with institutional backing from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

What does this regulation establish?

Order APA/831/2026 formally grants the awards of the Spain Food Award in its Best Cheeses modality, 2026 competition. The competition is governed by the regulatory bases approved in 2023 and is organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The awards are distributed in five modalities according to the type of milk used in cheese production, plus a special award that recognizes the best cheese from the entire competition. Below is the complete list of winners:

Applications that have not been awarded are dismissed by the same order. Winning producers who wish to challenge the resolution have one month to file an appeal for reconsideration with the same body that issued the order.

Economic and operational impact

The Spain Food Award does not carry direct financial allocation, but its commercial and marketing value is significant for the winning producers:

• Differentiation at point of sale: winners can use the official award seal on their labeling, packaging and commercial communications, which increases the perception of quality among distributors and consumers.
• Access to international markets: institutional backing from the Ministry facilitates presence at international fairs and commercial missions organized by ICEX and other entities promoting Spanish agri-food exports.
• Strengthening of PDO/PGI: for cheeses with protected designation of origin (Alcaidús with PDO Mahón-Menorca and Tío Resti with PDO Murcia Cheese with Wine), the award strengthens the positioning of the entire designation, not just the individual producer.
• Impact on negotiation with major distributors: a ministerial award of this category is a tangible sales argument in negotiations with supermarket chains and specialized distribution platforms.

For non-awarded producers, the order generates no obligation or economic consequence, beyond the formal dismissal of their candidacy.

Who does it affect?

• Winning producers: Alcaidús (Illes Balears), Cremositos del Zújar (Badajoz), Tío Resti (Murcia), Pajarete with lard and rosemary (Cádiz), Savel (Lugo) and Arteserena SL (Campanario, Badajoz).
• Regulatory Councils of the affected PDOs: PDO Mahón-Menorca and PDO Murcia Cheese with Wine, which can leverage the award in their collective communication.
• Non-awarded producers: their applications are dismissed. There are no additional obligations, but they have one month to appeal if they deem it appropriate.
• Distributors and sector buyers: the award is a quality signal that can influence purchasing decisions and product listing.
• Agri-food export companies: winning cheeses have greater ease in integrating into external promotion programs.

Practical example

Arteserena SL, based in Campanario (Badajoz), obtains the Special Award for Best Cheese 2026, the highest-ranking award of the entire competition. This means that, in addition to being able to use the award seal on its labeling, the company can communicate in its sales materials that its cheese has been recognized as the best in Spain in 2026 by the Ministry of Agriculture. In a negotiation with a European importer or a premium distribution chain, this argument has a direct impact on the perceived value of the product and can justify a higher selling price or better positioning on the shelf.

Similarly, the producer of "Alcaidús" (PDO Mahón-Menorca) can coordinate with the Regulatory Council of the designation a joint campaign that amplifies the award, multiplying the return of visibility beyond individual effort.

What should companies do now?

1. If you are a winning producer: verify that your company is correctly listed in the order published in the BOE and prepare the official communication of the award to distributors, clients and specialized media.
2. Update labeling and packaging: incorporate the Spain Food Award 2026 seal in your sales materials, respecting the conditions of use established by the Ministry.
3. Coordinate with your PDO or PGI: if your cheese has a protected designation of origin, communicate the award to the Regulatory Council for a possible joint promotion campaign.
4. Explore export channels: contact ICEX or your regional chamber of commerce to integrate the award into commercial missions or international fairs in the agri-food sector.
5. If you have not been awarded and wish to appeal: you have one month from publication (August 6, 2026) to file an appeal for reconsideration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-17168