FROMAGO will select the 15 cheese shops that will compete for its first Best Cheesecake award

The enthusiastic reception of the new competition—the main new addition among professional contests—has led the organizers to select up to 15 cheese makers from among all the candidates to compete for the first prize. The final will bring together cheesemakers from all over Spain in Zamora during the third edition of the fair, from September 17 to 20, 2026.

Zamora, June 2026.— FROMAGO Cheese Experience 2026 has closed registration—to great acclaim—for the first edition of its National Best Cheesecake Contest, one of the events that has generated the most interest this year. Moving forward, and in light of the high level of interest, the organizers will select a maximum of 15 cheese makers —up from the 10 initially planned—from among all the applicants, who will then compete for the first prize.

This is the biggest new addition to FROMAGO’s professional competition program, which is rounded out by two well-established contests: the Best Fromelier in Spain Competition and the National Competition for the Best Cheese Board in the Hospitality Industry. Its debut confirms the growing interest that cheese-based pastries are generating among both the general public and industry professionals. The competition is organized by EILZA—the International School of Dairy Industries of Zamora—and is sponsored by INLAC—the Interprofessional Dairy Organization.

Candidates with accents from all over Spain

The candidates come from seven autonomous communities, ranging from the Iberian Peninsula to the Canary Islands—a diversity that reflects the national reach the fair has achieved in just three editions:

• Castile and León: Zamora, Salamanca, and Valladolid.
• Community of Madrid.
• Castile-La Mancha: Toledo and Guadalajara.
• Valencian Community: Valencia.
• Andalusia: Málaga and Cádiz.
• Galicia: Ourense.
• Canary Islands: Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Two must-have cheeses: Zamorano PDO cheese and homemade cheese

This diverse range of origins will be reflected in the cakes themselves. The rules require that the recipe include at least two types of cheese: one of them, Zamorano PDO cheese —the hallmark of the host region—and another from the autonomous community of origin of each participating cheese maker. In this way, each creation will carry with it a small “cheese map” of the country, ranging from Zamorano cheese to cheeses from every corner of the country.

New schedule: Friday afternoon

The final will be held on the afternoon of Friday, September 18, at the fairgrounds themselves, in a space open to both industry professionals and fair visitors. The organizers have adjusted the schedule—which was initially planned for the morning—in order to give participants more space and time for both their preparations and the jury’s deliberations. The selected candidates will be notified of this change shortly.

The other two contests are still open

Registration remains open for the other two flagship competitions for professionals—the Fromelier competition and the Cheese Board in Hospitalitycompetition —and both already have a good number of participants.

For the organization, the competitions are gaining importance with each edition: they serve as a showcase and an opportunity for professionals—whether emerging or established—to gain additional recognition. Feedback from past participants has been very positive, and some of them will also be taking part in various activities during this edition.

With this announcement, FROMAGO is entering the final stretch of preparations for what promises to be an exciting event. In the coming weeks, the organizers will begin to unveil the program of activities.

About FROMAGO Cheese Experience

FROMAGO Cheese Experience is one of Europe’s major cheese festivals, with free admission, taking place in Zamora from September 17 to 20, 2026. It is organized by EILZA—the International School of Dairy Industries of Zamora—on behalf of the Zamora Provincial Council.