Le Gruyère AOP d'État Vaudois: That's two in the bag for Jean-Daniel Jäggi!
After 28 years at the Grandcour (VD) dairy, a stream of awards at the close of 2024: with a diploma from the Swiss Cheese Awards, a silver at the IPG awards, and a gold at the World Cheese Awards, Jean-Daniel Jäggi’s Le Gruyère AOP has now been named Gruyère d'État Vaudois for the second time, repeating his win from 2021. Alongside Mathias Mayor, President of the Société coopérative de fromagerie de Grandcour et environs, Jean-Daniel relishes his recent victories.
"We make an AOP product, a high added-value cheese of which we can be proud.”
Jean-Daniel Jäggi, Master Cheesemaker in Grandcour (Vaud)
Jean-Daniel Jäggi, your Le Gruyère AOP is a standout at competitions. What’s your secret?
Jean-Daniel Jäggi: It’s all about the passion for cheesemaking, without a doubt. The technique remains the same, of course, but when I look at and handle the curds, I can feel the differences from one batch to the next, and I adjust my movements accordingly. It’s a subtle instinct that’s hard to put into words. We also encourage all producers to bring their milk directly to the dairy. Having that direct contact means we can quickly address any issues that might come up.
Mathias Mayor, what do these successes mean for you and your team at the cooperative?
Mathias Mayor: We’re incredibly proud of Jean-Daniel’s achievements, which also highlight the exceptional quality of the raw materials we work with. For us, these wins also reflect how smoothly the cooperative is running, especially considering all the changes we’ve gone through in recent years. We have even welcomed our eighth milk producer on board at the start of 2025, which is a great boost for the local milk supply.
How did you celebrate this distinction?
Jean-Daniel Jäggi: First, we had an official reception with State Councillor Dittli and the producers of the 2025 wines of honour: Clos Maijoz, a reserve from Aigle’s town authorities, and the barrel-aged Garanoir from Château Le Rosey in Bursins. There was, of course, plenty of product tasting! Later, we rounded off the year with a gathering of the dairy staff and their partners for an 'apéro-coulage' and fondue. To mark the occasion, we presented the milk producers with the emblematic IPG plaques, which we received along with a silver medal at the five-yearly awards in October 2024.
What media and publicity impact are you expecting?
Jean-Daniel Jäggi: The Vaud State Council already recognised my Le Gruyère AOP in 2021, and the media coverage was great at the time. On top of that, I partnered with the award-winning wineries, which sparked consumer interest and led to a significant boost in sales. I plan to do the same again this year with the new winners, the combination of wine and cheese is always a crowd-pleaser!
Mathias Mayor: Jean-Daniel, in his modesty, doesn't mention that his cheese dairy has built an excellent reputation in the region. Word spreads quickly in insider circles; and once the diploma is displayed in the shop, customers do the rest. Even our local authorities are thrilled with the reputation of the Grandcour cheesemaker!
Do these awards motivate you?
Jean-Daniel Jäggi: I don’t need awards to get out of bed in the morning! But it’s certainly gratifying because my Le Gruyère AOP has impressed the juries, especially considering it was selected from among the five cheeses that all scored 19 or more in each category for 2023-2024. What’s more, we make an AOP product, a high added-value cheese of which we can be proud.
Figures
- 3.2 million kg of milk processed annually
- 300 tonnes of Le Gruyère AOP matured at Fromco SA
- Cellar capacity: 4,750 wheels
- 17 employees, including 4 in production
