Kelvin and Cathy Haigh, from The Cheese Barn, were crowned 2018 Champion of Champions - Commercial, for their cumin seed gouda.

The Cheese Barn's cumin seed gouda has been crowned the 2018 Champion of Champions for commercial cheese.

Hailing from Matatoki, near Thames, The Cheese Barn owners Kelvin and Cathy Haigh said they did not suspect the win.

Cathy Haigh said they had won lots of medals for their cheeses before, "but never won champion".

There are two top awards up for grabs - commercial and artisan.

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The Cheese Barn had been entering in the NZ Champions of Cheese Awards since 1998.

They also walked away with a gold medal for their cumin seed gouda, and a bronze for their regular gouda, from the eight cheeses they entered.

Kelvin Haigh said they entered what they "believe is the right cheese for competition".

The couple originally were not going to go to the ceremony last Thursday, content with their medal haul which had been announced a week earlier.

"It always seems to be the same people who win every year."

However, they received an email asking why they had not got their tickets yet.

"They told us they couldn't say much but 'I think you should come'," Cathy said.

At most, they thought they could win the Champion Dutch Style Award, which went to the aged cumin gouda from Barrys Bay Traditional Cheese.

They previously won the Dutch Style category in 2011.

Cathy said it was a "nice surprise" to win the overall category.

Each year the Haighs have entered their gouda, camembert, and blue cheeses into competition.

Going forward, Cathy said they would continue business as usual but she would "hope to win it again next year".

Kelvin said they were coming up to the end of gouda producing season, but it would "need to mature for four-to-six months before it can be cut".

He said their recipes go unchanged on the most part. "We won't make any changes unless we need to."

To qualify for the commercial Champion of Champions award, cheesemakers need to produce more than 25 tonnes annually.

Kelvin would not reveal how much cheese they made annually other than: "We make lots".