PDO EUROPE TOUR: GERMANY
Created in 1992, the European PDO label is designed to distinguish products that have been ‘processed and prepared in a specific geographical area, using the recognised know-how of local producers and ingredients from the region concerned’. On 1st January 2025, there were more than 153 PDO cheeses, butters and creams across Europe (including the British and Swiss equivalents). The show invites you to discover them in its news pages, while waiting to come and taste them on the exhibitors' stands, from 07 to 09 June 2026 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
This week, we focus on Germany, a country that is still relatively unknown on the European cheese map compared to its Swiss and Dutch neighbours. The country nevertheless relies on its four PDOs to affirm the existence of a high-quality cheese industry.
Allgäuer Bergkäse (PDO since 1997)
From the splendid mountainous region of the Allgäu, this raw cow's milk cheese is quite similar to the Swiss Gruyère and benefits from the grassy quality of the high pastures of the northern Pre-Alps.
It is matured for at least four months and can be aged for up to 12 months, gradually developing a brownish rind and a firm paste with small irregular holes the size of peas.
Maturing enhances its rich, fruity flavour with slightly spicy notes.
Allgäuer Emmentaler (PDO since 1997)
The Allgäu region is also home to this cheese, made from raw cow's milk and distinguished by its larger openings and supple texture, reminiscent of its Swiss cousin, Emmental.
It has a mild, slightly nutty flavour, which gains in intensity as it matures, usually for three to six months.
Odenwälder Frühstückskäse (PDO since 1997)
This ‘breakfast cheese’ (literal translation of Frühstückskäse) originates from the Odenwald region (Hesse).
The specific bacteria used to ripen it give it an orange rind and a smell that's hard to ignore. It has a melt-in-the-mouth texture and a mild, slightly spicy flavour.
Altenburger Ziegenkäse (PDO since 2010)
The latest German PDO, this cheese is a speciality of Saxony and Thuringia, made from a blend of cow's milk and at least 15% goat's milk.
It has a creamy texture and is often eaten young, but thrill-seekers can extend the maturing period. It is not uncommon to find it in German cheese shops accompanied by caraway seeds.
Discover all the flavours of German cheesemaking at Kaeskuche, exhibitor at the Cheese and Dairy Products Show!
