Good cheese is a community project.

The International Cheese Federation is 3,058 makers, agers, mongers and buyers who share standards, a competition and a Monday brief. Join for the credentials; stay for the people.

See membership Browse the credential ladder
Members
3,058
Organizations
641
Countries
41

Member spotlight Aisha Bell is building a swab map of every surface at Quincewick Creamery. Her cave now has a data set.

Three ways in

Join

Individual, Creamery, Retailer or Affiliate. Dues from $170 a year, billed on your join date, with a credential discount from day one.

Compare tiers →

Learn

Cheese Foundations → Certified Cheese Professional → Food Safety & HACCP → Advanced Affinage. 63 courses this year, cohorts named for cheeses.

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Compete

Six categories, judged blind, results published with the score sheets. Entries for the 2026 competition open in January.

See the categories →

New · open to everyone

The Cheese Library

Eight families and twenty-five reference styles — milk, aging, texture, producing region, and the one line a monger actually needs: what to look for, and what it means when you do not see it. Filter it by family, milk or texture. No login, no membership.

Browse the library Or start with the FAQ
  • Fresh
  • Bloomy-rind
  • Washed-rind
  • Blue
  • Semi-hard
  • Hard / alpine
  • Pasta filata
  • Natural-rind

This week on the blog

Uncategorized

5 Common Cheese Mistakes Most People Make

Cheese is one of the world’s most beloved foods, crossing borders and culinary traditions. Yet even devoted enthusiasts often handle or serve it in ways that…

Read the whole blog →