USA, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
With ICDA Consolidation Support
We are thrilled that you are considering entering this year’s International Cheese and Dairy Awards, being held at Bingley Hall, Stafford in the United Kingdom. As the oldest Cheese and Dairy Show in the world, it has an excellent reputation both in the UK and internationally, providing a platform to benchmark your products against the very best on the market and helping to further enhance your reputation for the manufacture of quality cheese and dairy products.
We hope that you will be at the show for the trophy presentations at 11am on Thursday 25 June 2026.
We are working with our colleagues globally to make the safe passage of your cheese as simple as possible.
Please arrange to move your exhibits via your local consolidation point on time, using the timeline below to plan. Your forwarder will confirm the documents required for movement of your entries to our location at London Gatwick in the United Kingdom. Full details will be provided once online entries have been processed.
Once successfully through customs, the show will meet the costs for the onward journey by chilled road freight from our consolidation location at Gatwick through to the staging of exhibits prior to judging.
PLEASE NOTE
- An official veterinary stamped health certificate will not be required. However, in the event of a disease outbreak, conditions of entry may change due to government restrictions outside of our control.
- We will issue a UK Import Authorisation on behalf of the Awards. This will be sent approximately two weeks before you move your entries.
- Individual entries must not exceed 5kg (11lbs). A minimum of 1kg per entry is recommended.
- Total consignment must not exceed 250kg (550lbs).
- An electronic copy of a completed and signed Combined Commercial Invoice / Health Declaration Form must be provided before dispatch to your consolidation location.
- The details on the invoice must match exactly the contents of each case.
- A copy of the Combined Commercial Invoice / Health Declaration Form and Import Licence must accompany your entries for their entire journey.
- Please ensure your cheese is delivered to your consolidation address before the date stated in your consolidation documentation, and only after you have received the Import Licence.
Important Current Notice – USA Entries
Due to current UK import restrictions, only entries made using fully pasteurised milk will be accepted until further notice.
Raw, thermised or mixed raw/pasteurised products will not be permitted entry.
Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Invitation schedules circulated | Jan 2026 – May 2026 |
| Absolute closing date for entries | Wed 08 May 2026 |
| ICDA request Import Licence from DEFRA | Mon 11 May 2026 |
| Identifying labels emailed to exhibitors | Mon 11 May 2026 |
| Requests for Combined Commercial Invoice and Export Health Declaration | Feb – May 2026 |
| ICDA to receive Combined Commercial Invoice and Export Health Declaration | By Mon 11 May 2026 |
| ICDA to circulate Import Licences | Mon 18 – Fri 22 May 2026 |
| Exhibitors move entries to Local Consolidation points (after receiving Import Licence) | Mon 25 May – Wed 10 Jun 2026 |
| Airfreight despatch to PML Seafrigo, London Gatwick | Fri 12 Jun 2026 |
| Customs clearance | - |
| Chilled delivery to Bingley Hall, Stafford (by 8am) | Tue 23 Jun 2026 |
| Cheese staged | Tue 23 Jun 2026 |
| Judging | Wed 24 Jun 2026 |
| Trophy Presentations | 11am Thu 25 Jun 2026 |
| Results available online | P.M. Thu 25 Jun 2026 |
Comprehensive instructions will be provided once entries have been completed online.
We look forward to receiving your entries and wish you every success this year.
Kindest regards,
Ian Luxton
Chairman
International Cheese and Dairy Awards
International Cheese and Dairy Expo