Bécancour, June 16, 2026 – Fromagerie L’Ancêtre is proud to announce that four of its organic cheeses have been selected as finalists in the 2026 Sélection Caseus competition, Quebec’s most prestigious cheese contest. With a total of five nominations, the Bécancour-based company continues its remarkable momentum after earning five finalist spots and winning three awards at the 2025 edition.
Finalist Cheeses at Sélection Caseus 2026
2-Year-Old Cheddar
Categories: Cheddar Cheese and Organic Cheese
Named Best Cheddar for the third consecutive year in 2025, this cheese is recognized for its slightly crumbly texture and its smooth, melt-in-your-mouth crystals developed through a long and natural aging process. Its distinctive flavour features nutty notes with a fruity finish that delights cheese enthusiasts.
Light High-Protein Cheddar
Category: Reduced-Fat Cheese (Less Than 20% Fat)
Named Best Reduced-Fat Cheese for the second consecutive year in 2025 and a medal winner at the American Cheese Society Awards the same year, this cheddar offers the perfect balance of flavour and functionality. It combines richness in taste with nutritional value, containing only 18% milk fat and 9 g of protein per 30 g serving.
Fresh Cheese Curds
Category: Fresh Cheese Curds
Also a finalist in 2023, this cheese stands out for its delicate buttery flavour, distinctive shape, and unique squeaky texture that can be heard with every bite.
Swiss
Category: Interior-Ripened Cheese with Eyes
This cheese features slightly tangy notes at first taste, followed by delicate sweet and fruity aromas. Its supple yet firm texture is characterized by its signature hazelnut-sized eyes.
A Meaningful Recognition of L’Ancêtre’s Expertise
For the L’Ancêtre team, this recognition carries significance far beyond the five finalist cheeses. Among the 205 cheeses evaluated this year, only 63 earned a place in the finals, representing 28 cheesemakers from across Quebec. Having five of our cheeses selected among this prestigious group is a tremendous honour and a source of great pride that reflects the expertise developed over more than 30 years by our entire team, including all of our organic dairy producers. This distinction also helps further showcase our dairy, the quality of our entire cheese portfolio, and the excellence of Quebec’s organic dairy products to consumers across Quebec and Canada.
About L’Ancêtre
Founded in Bécancour by nine dairy farming families from the Centre-du-Québec region, Fromagerie L’Ancêtre has been producing premium organic cheeses and butters since 1992. Having received more than one hundred national and international awards for the exceptional flavour of its products, the company’s expertise is built on over 30 years of authentic farming practices. Its cows graze on pasture and are grass-fed on Quebec farms that do not use synthetic pesticide, herbicide, or fertilizer. These rigorous practices, which support the production of high-quality milk, animal welfare, and soil health, are at the heart of the company’s mission to create a better world in every bite.