Honegger won two gold medals and one bronze medal at the 2026 Uruguay Cheese Competition

The Uruguayan company Honegger, a licensee of Marca País, won three awards at the 20th edition of the 2026 Uruguay Cheese Competition. Its cottage cheese was awarded two gold medals—one in the national category and another in the international category—while its signature heart-shaped Camembert was awarded a bronze medal for the second time.

The competition brought together producers from Uruguay and other countries in the region—including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru—with approximately 420 cheeses entered. The evaluation considered attributes such as texture, appearance, elasticity, aroma, and flavor.

A unique feature of this competition is that each product must achieve a minimum score in the various evaluated attributes to qualify for a medal, regardless of the results obtained by other participants. In this way, the awards also serve as a guarantee of the level of quality achieved by the winning products.

For Honegger, the awards represent recognition of their hard work and commitment to quality. In 2024, during their first participation in the competition, they were pleasantly surprised and thrilled to receive a bronze medal for their heart-shaped Camembert.

A story that brings together tradition, expertise, and passion
Behind Honegger is the venture of Laura Honegger—who holds a degree in Dairy Science and Technology and has nearly three decades of experience in the industry—and her husband. They began making cheese in 2020, initially using a small 12-liter pot in their home kitchen.

Although the venture began to take shape that year, the idea dates back to 2002, when Laura envisioned making cheeses in a distinctive heart shape, which she later succeeded in patenting.

In 2022, the project took a major step forward with the start of production at its own facility, located in Nueva Helvecia, Colonia. Since then, the company has continued to grow, introducing new products and expanding its facilities.

The name Honegger also pays homage to Laura’s Swiss ancestors, who arrived in Uruguay during the 19th century and became part of the history of Colonia Suiza. Through her venture, Laura seeks to keep alive that cultural legacy, which helped shape the identity of a region deeply rooted in cheese production.

The production of its products combines technical expertise, a careful selection of raw materials, and meticulous monitoring of every stage of the process. For the owners, food safety and quality are fundamental aspects that go hand in hand with the pursuit of distinctive flavors, aromas, and textures.

The Quality of Uruguayan Cheeses as a National Distinctive Feature
The accolades received by Honegger also highlight the quality of the nation’s cheese production and its ability to compete with products from other markets.

Drawing on her experience in the dairy sector, Laura highlighted the evolution of the Uruguayan cheese industry over the past few decades—in both artisanal and industrial production—driven by continuous process improvements, the quality of raw materials, and strict health and safety standards.

“Uruguayan cheeses are more than well-positioned on the global stage. We can compete anywhere—they’re very good,” she stated.
For the businesswoman, one of the country’s main strengths lies in the quality of its milk, complemented by producers’ expertise, production controls, and companies’ commitment to continuous improvement.

In this context, Honegger also envisions new opportunities for growth. She is currently working on expanding her plant and developing new products, with the goal of entering international markets in the future.

As a licensee of Marca País Uruguay, Honegger recognizes the value of being part of an initiative that identifies and promotes products and companies associated with the country’s attributes.

“I believe it’s a tremendous endorsement, and at the same time, a commitment for us to carry the brand,” Laura said regarding the licensing.

Honegger’s track record reflects how tradition, expertise, and a commitment to quality can become distinguishing features for domestic production, helping to strengthen the positioning of Uruguay and its products both within and beyond its borders.