FrieslandCampina Winter Fancy Faire brings award-winning Dutch cheeses, new launches, and sustainability to California food pros.
Why L.A. Food People Are Paying Attention
Southern California doesn’t chase food trends, it curates them.
From Santa Monica wine bars to Culver City restaurant kitchens to Orange County specialty markets, taste here is confident, global, and quietly demanding. That’s why the FrieslandCampina Winter Fancy Faire appearance matters to this audience.
When a Dutch dairy heavyweight arrives in California with new cheeses, world-class awards, and a sustainability program that actually shows its work, people notice.
From January 11–13, 2026, FrieslandCampina takes over Booth #3011 at the San Diego Convention Center, just a smooth drive south for anyone serious about food. This isn’t novelty cheese. It’s flavor-first, fun-loving craftsmanship designed for people who care what’s on the board—and what it says about them.
The FrieslandCampina Winter Fancy Faire Moment, West Coast Edition
The FrieslandCampina Winter Fancy Faire showcase lands at a perfect time for Southern California. Here, chefs build menus around balance. Home cooks care about provenance. Wine collectors want cheeses that don’t collapse next to a great bottle.
As the world’s largest Gouda and Dutch cheese producer, FrieslandCampina isn’t trying to convince anyone it belongs. It’s demonstrating why it already does. New product launches, World Cheese Championship winners, and its global “Nourishing a Better Planet™” initiative are all on display—ready to be tasted, questioned, and judged.
In a region where farmers markets and Michelin stars coexist comfortably, that balance of credibility and approachability matters.
New Cheeses Built for California Palates
Let’s talk flavor, because that’s where Southern California gets ruthless.
The new Gayo Azul® Chili Pepper Slices feel tailor-made for this market. Whole-milk richness meets a gentle, controlled heat—enough to wake up a burger without hijacking it. It’s buttery, balanced, and undeniably fun-loving. Picture it melting over a backyard smash burger in Culver City or upgrading a casual sandwich after a beach day in Santa Monica. Relatable? Painfully so.
Then there’s A Dutch Masterpiece® Rembrandt 12-Month PDO, a cheese that feels right at home next to natural wines, older Bordeaux, or that bottle you’ve been saving “for the right moment.” Made with North Holland milk, it delivers caramel notes, light crystallization, and a depth that rewards slow eating. This is cheese for people who pause between bites—and enjoy doing so.
Add Parrano® and Royal Hollandia® cheeses to the mix, and you’ve got a portfolio that moves easily from restaurant cheese carts to Orange County specialty shops. Bold, nutty, classic—each one clear about what it is and why it exists. Flavor-forward and, yes, still fun-loving.
Awards Matter When Taste Is Non-Negotiable
Southern California has no shortage of opinions, so awards help cut through the noise. The FrieslandCampina Winter Fancy Faire booth highlights a lineup of 2024 World Cheese Championship Gold winners across Gayo Azul®, Parrano®, and Royal Hollandia®.
These aren’t marketing trophies. They’re blind-judged wins that signal consistency and restraint. For chefs in Santa Monica, Culver City, and Orange County, that translates into trust. For retailers, it means customers coming back for the same cheese twice. And for home hosts, it means fewer explanations and more nods around the table.
Let’s be honest: saying “it won gold” still feels good. Relatable? Absolutely.
Sustainability That Fits the California Mindset
Southern Californians care how food is made—but they don’t want a lecture with their cheese. FrieslandCampina’s Nourishing a Better Planet™ program focuses on nutrition access, farmer livelihoods, climate impact, biodiversity, packaging, and responsible sourcing. It’s practical, global, and measurable.
Cheese that tastes great and respects the future? That’s very on-brand for California.
Mini FAQ for SoCal Food Pros
Q: Where can media and buyers meet FrieslandCampina?
A: On-site interviews and tastings happen at Booth #3011 during the Winter Fancy Faire Show at the San Diego Convention Center.
Q: What’s new at the booth?
A: Gayo Azul® Chili Pepper Slices and A Dutch Masterpiece® Rembrandt 12-Month PDO lead the debuts.
Q: Who should care?
A: Chefs, specialty retailers, wine and cocktail professionals, and serious home entertainers.
Why This Resonates in Southern California
The FrieslandCampina Winter Fancy Faire showcase speaks directly to how Southern California eats: global, thoughtful, flavor-driven, and fun-loving without trying too hard. Whether you’re sourcing for a Santa Monica menu, a Culver City wine bar, or an Orange County cheese case, this is a portfolio worth tasting—and remembering.
