|
Listen to this article now
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
La Gloria cheese, made in Gran Canaria with raw goat's milk and spread with gofio, wins the main prize of Agrocanarias 2026
The cheese La Gloria semi-cured raw goat's milk spread with gofio, prepared by José Miguel Ortega Suárez, in Gran Canaria, has been chosen Best Cheese from the Canary Islands 2026 in the Official Agrocanarias Competition.
The decision of the contest was announced this Tuesday by the Minister of Agriculture, Cattle raising, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty of the Government of the Canary Islands, Narvay Quintero, and by the director of the Canarian Institute of Agri-Food Quality, Luis Arraez Guadalupe. The contest was held on 24 y 25 June in La Palma, with the collaboration of the Island Council.
In this edition they participated 264 cheeses 85 you would like of all the islands. The figure confirms the growth of the contest, With a 13,33% more cheese factories than last year and a 58,08% more samples than in 2023.
A contest with 66 recognitions
Agrocanarias 2026 has distributed a total of 66 awards: 38 big gold medals, 22 gold medals and six special distinctions. By islands, Gran Canaria was the one that obtained the most recognitions, con 22 awards, followed by La Palma, con 16; Fuerteventura, con 14; Lanzarote, con 8; Tenerife, con 5; La Gomera, con 2; and El Hierro, con 1.
Narvay Quintero highlighted that the results show the good moment of the Canarian cheese sector and the level reached by the productions presented. He also highlighted the increase in participation in recent editions and the role of the contest as a promotional tool for the cheese factories of the Archipelago..
Luis Arraez recalled, besides, that the cheese factories admitted to this edition will have support from the ICCA to participate in the World Cheese Awards 2026 and in the Gourmet Cheese Championship 2027.
The Glory, a family cheese factory
The winning cheese factory is managed by José Miguel Ortega Suárez y Francisca Olga Pérez Navarro, who took over the generation after a long family tradition. La Gloria works with a cabin of about 2.000 majorera goats and makes its cheeses with raw milk from its own cattle.
The average production of the cheese factory is around 65.000 kilos of cheese per year. It is not the first time that Agrocanarias has achieved the highest recognition: in 2021 has already achieved the title of Best Cheese in the Canary Islands with its cheese spread with extra virgin olive oil.
The special distinctions
In addition to the main prize for La Gloria, the contest awarded other special distinctions. The recognition of Best Limited Production Cheese 2026 it was for The Miner, raw goat milk covered with ash and Penicillium candidum, prepared by Melquiades Ancor Expósito Hernández, in Tenerife.
The award for Best Organic Cheese from the Canary Islands 2026 fell on Aboriginal, of Jenifer Santos Cabrera, also in Tenerife, in the form of raw old goat's milk.
He Best Popular Cheese of the Canary Islands 2026, chosen by a panel of consumers made up of teachers and students from the Hospitality and Tourism department of the CIFP Virgen de Las Nieves, it was for La Candilera smoked, of Moisés Carmona Fernández, under the PDO Queso Palmero.
The title of Best Cheese Chosen by the Children's Jury it was for Julián Díaz goat cheese spread with olive oil, of Archery, within the PDO Queso Majorero. For your part, The Ampuyenta, of Héctor Luis Cabrera González, obtained the distinction Best Image and Presentation 2026.
Lanzarote adds eight awards
Lanzarote once again had a prominent presence in the list of winners, con eight awards. Among the major gold medals are Edge The Knife, from Quesería Filo El Cuchillo, in raw semi-cured goat milk; Volcano, from Finca de Uga, pasteurized cured; y Goat guatisea with Provençal herbs, from Quesería Montaña Blanca, semi-cured pasteurized.
They also won big gold medals Smoked goat farito, from Quesería El Faro, in pasteurized tender; sheep cellar, from Finca de Uga, aged pasteurized; y Snow Flower, from Finca de Uga, in the form of vegetable rennet cheese.
In gold medals, Lanzarote added recognition for Goat rojillo spread with paprika, from Finca de Uga, semi-cured pasteurized, and for Goat Farito spread with paprika, from Quesería El Faro, pasteurized cured.
Blind tasting and promotion
The contest was developed through a system of blind tasting, with a panel made up of specialists in analysis of agri-food products. The samples were evaluated without the jury knowing the brand or origin of the cheeses..
The award-winning productions will be able to use the official badge of the award obtained for one year and participate in the promotional actions organized by the ICCA.. In the case of the Best Cheese of the Canary Islands, The recognition will also serve as a showcase for a production that combines raw goat milk, cheese tradition and one of the most recognizable ingredients in the Canarian pantry: el to remember.
