The Overberg’s beloved artisan cheesemaker, Klein Rivier Cheese claims three SA Champion titles in addition to ten international medals at the recent 2026 SA Dairy Awards held at Nederburg Paarl.
Nestled in the heart of Stanford along the banks of the Klein River, they have been doing something remarkable for over 25 years – and the world has taken notice. Klein River Cheese, South Africa’s most award-winning artisan cheesemaker, has capped an extraordinary season on the global cheese circuit, cementing its reputation not just as an Overberg treasure, but as a world-class producer.
At the 2026 SA Dairy Championships – judged over three days by a formidable panel of 130 experts – Klein River Cheese claimed three coveted SA Champion titles. Their Gruberg Vintage 12 Months and Cultured Salted Butter earned top honours, while their Parmesan two-years, crafted exclusively for Babylonstoren, rounded out a remarkable hat-trick. The winners were announced on 23 April, with 122 products named SA Champions across all classes.
The accolades didn’t stop there. Klein River also secured second-place finishes with their Parmesan (1-year), Cape Leopard from their Safari Collection, and the Oak Smoked Stanford – an exclusive for Woolworths – alongside a third-place finish for their Gruberg Mature (six Months).
Cheese Awards in Bern
Just months earlier, Klein River had dazzled on the international stage at the 2025 World Cheese Awards in Bern, Switzerland – the largest cheese competition on the planet, featuring over 5,000 cheeses from nearly 50 countries. The Stanford dairy collected an impressive ten medals, highlighted by a Super Gold for their 24-month Babylonstoren Parmesan, which also earned the prestigious Best South African Cheese trophy. Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals followed across a range of their signature varieties.
Behind every medal is a team led by the head cheesemaker Clement October, who took the reins in 2021 after apprenticing under legendary cheesemaker Jaco van Beulen for 12 years. In 2024 Agri-Expo has honoured Clement with the inaugural Hollard Game Changer Award.
Klein River sources its milk exclusively from small, neighbouring Jersey dairy farmers whose pasture-raised, grass-fed cows have been silage- and hormone-free since 1994 – a philosophy as principled as the cheese is delicious.
With 14 varieties crafted using age-old artisanal methods, Klein River Cheese remains true to its roots – and the results speak for themselves. You can visit them at 14 Queen Victoria Street, Stanford, any day of the week.
