HILMAR, CALIF. — Cheese and whey manufacturer Hilmar collected four US Championship Cheese Contest awards during CheeseCon 2025, in Milwaukee.

Leading the way were the company’s powders, with Hilmar’s PROfraction Beta receiving second place in the whey protein isolate 90, instantized category. Plus, Hilmar 8000 secured both second and third place in the whey protein concentrate 80 category.

Hilmar’s TruSmoke Hickory Smoked Cheddar took third in the open class smoked hard cheeses category, marking the company’s first honor for one of its cheese products.

To create its Hilmar TruSmoke natural cheeses, the company said it uses patented smoking technology that integrates smoke into curd during the manufacturing process.

The company shared that its PROfraction Beta is a lactose-free, instantized WPI that is “rich in amino acids and aids in muscle synthesis.” Hilmar noted the product offers a neutral flavor profile, making it “ideal” for powdered beverages and mixes. Hilmar 8000, the dairy manufacturer added, is “ideal for a variety of food and nutritional applications for basic fortification.”

Hilmar vice president of global sales and marketing Kyle Jensen said the company was honored to bring home four awards in three categories.

“We are especially excited to share the acceptance of our first cheese award,” Jensen said. “This is a true testament to the dedication and commitment of our teams across the organization to produce high quality, innovative products.”

In total, the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association said the 2025 US Championship Cheese Contest featured 2,414 entries from 31 states among the 117 classes of products.

A complete list of award-winning products is available at the event’s website.