The premium king of cheeses, AOP Berner Alpkäse, is produced on around 500 Alpine meadows in the canton of Bern during the short summer period (from approx. mid-May until the end of September). The cheese matures in three stages, allowing it to develop its own unique character. During the first 4½ months, it is a floral young semi-hard Alpine cheese. It then develops into a characterful AOP Berner Alpkäse (Coeur des Alpes) before turning into exquisite AOP Berner Hobelkäse from 18 months onwards. No menu would be complete without this extra-hard cheese, no matter whether it is served in pieces or as shavings. The quality of this natural product made from unpasteurised milk, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids and bioactive peptides and thus has health benefits, has significantly improved in the past 20 years. The Bernese Alp Cheese Championships from CASALP, the trade organisation for AOP Berner Alpkäse and Hobelkäse, have been instrumental to this improvement.

Every wheel of AOP Berner Alpkäse is one-of-a-kind and is shaped by the place where it is produced and the position of the Alpine meadow. Each one is as unique as the stories and faces of the Alpine craftspeople who pour so much passion and skill into the creation of this high-quality product.