Milky Way Program
The Journey of Knowledge at the World Cheese Awards Brazil 2026
The B32 Theater, in Praça da Baleia in São Paulo, will be the stage for knowledge and innovation at the Brazilian World Cheese Championship. On April 17th and 18th, the Via Láctea Program brings together the leading experts in the sector for two days of technical immersion, debates, and collaborative reflection on cheesemaking culture.
The Milky Way Program is an invitation for cheesemakers, producers, technicians, researchers, and cheese enthusiasts to meet, exchange experiences, and further elevate the sector in Brazil. Secure your pass and be part of this journey of knowledge at the B32 Theater!
Registration: SIMPLA
Location: B32 Theater – Praça da Baleia, São Paulo
How to participate
You need to purchase a pass for R$100.00 (one hundred reais), which guarantees access to all conferences and activities in the program. Classes are open and on a first-come, first-served basis: the first 50 participants to arrive at each room secure their place. The rooms are adjacent, and movement between them is quick, as classes always end 5 or 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of the next one, allowing you to make the most of all the activities.
At the end of each conference or master class, you will receive individual certificates by email confirming your participation in the activities attended.
Each Master Class They have an additional value of R$260.00 and offer in-depth experience with the leading experts in the sector.
Milky Way Program: The Journey of Knowledge at the World Cheese Awards Brazil 2026
The B32 Theater, in Praça da Baleia in São Paulo, will be the stage for knowledge and innovation at the Brazilian World Cheese Championship. On April 17th and 18th, the Via Láctea Program brings together the leading experts in the sector for two days of technical immersion, debates, and collaborative reflection on cheesemaking culture.
How to participate
To participate in the Milky Way Program, it is necessary to purchase a pass for R$100, which guarantees access to all conferences and activities on a first-come, first-served basis, as the rooms have limited capacity. Classes are open to all, and the first 50 participants to arrive at each room secure their place. The rooms are adjacent, and movement between them is quick, as classes always end 5 or 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of the next one, allowing you to make the most of all the activities.
At the end of each conference or master class, you will receive individual certificates by email confirming your participation in the activities attended.
Each Master Class They have an additional value of R$260.00 and offer in-depth experience with the leading experts in the sector.
Friday, April 17th
Room 1
Time | Theme | Speaker | Profile |
9am – 12pm | Most common cheese defects (Master class) | Múcio Mansur Furtado | A leading professor and researcher in cheese technology, with decades of experience in training cheesemakers. *(Master Class – R$ 260)* |
12pm – 2pm | Break – Lunch | — | — |
2 PM – 3 PM | Official opening of the Milky Way | Cláudia Mendonça (SerTãoBras) | Director-General of SerTãoBras, an association dedicated to promoting the sector. |
Juliana Jensen (Club Brasil da Guilde) | President of the Club Brasil de la Guilde Internationale des Fromagers. | ||
Luís Augusto Nero (BRAFP) | Professor and researcher at the Federal University of Viçosa. | ||
3pm – 4pm | Cheeses around the world and in Brazil | Antonio Fernandes and international guests | Professor and researcher at the Federal University of Viçosa. |
Room 2
Time | Theme | Speaker | Profile |
9am – 12pm | SEBRAE Panel | Simone Goldman – IG, opportunities and challenges (SEBRAE-SP) | The Brazilian Service for Support to Micro and Small Enterprises presents its initiatives to support small producers and entrepreneurs in the dairy sector. |
João Paulo Arciprete – Management and sustainability as a competitive advantage in cheese production (SEBRAE-SP) | |||
Valéria Pires – From competition to market, how Mato Grosso is transforming quality into value (SEBRAE – MT) | |||
12pm – 2pm | Break – Lunch | — | — |
2 PM – 5 PM | How to master your cheese-making process and stop "guessing" the cheese. | Rodrigo Magalhães (Global Food) | As an expert in process management in the art of cheesemaking, Rodrigo brings a practical approach to ensure success. |
Room 3
Time | Theme | Speaker | Profile |
9am – 11am | When territory becomes value – Italian DOP and IGP | Maíra Vasques Pessanha | Editor-in-chief of the magazine Professione Casaro Italia, specializing in designations of origin and geographical indications in Italy. |
11am – 12pm | Geographical Indications of Minas Gerais | Lucilha de Faria (Serra da Canastra) Estela Mares (Serro) | Representatives of the Association of Producers of Minas Artesanal Cheese. |
12pm – 2pm | Break – Lunch | — | — |
2 PM – 3 PM | Benefits of raw milk | Arnaud Sperat Czar (Fondation pour la Biodiversité Fromagère) | Arnaud, a French expert based in Brazil, is a proponent of using raw milk in the production of artisanal cheeses and is a member of the Foundation for Cheese Biodiversity. |
3pm – 4pm | Cheese in settlements – liberating cooperative work for women | Elisabeth Schober (MST) Alan Ferreira (Veterinarian) | Elisabeth, a representative of the Landless Rural Workers Movement, shares the experience of cheese cooperatives that promote autonomy and female empowerment in the countryside. |
Saturday, April 18th
Room 1
Time | Theme | Speaker | Profile |
9am – 12pm | Brazilian cheese regulations | Nelson de Andrade (MAPA) | Tax auditor and expert in the regulation of artisanal cheeses at the Ministry of Agriculture. |
Jamir Macedo (PA) | Specialist in the inspection and oversight of products of animal origin in the state of Pará. | ||
Alexsandra Olmos (SC) | Technical manager responsible for quality control and inspection of artisanal cheeses in Santa Catarina. | ||
José Omena, Márcio Panza and Stefano Bernardo (AM) | A team from Amazonas working on consolidating state legislation for regional cheeses. | ||
Walter Cartaxo and Rodrigo Fujihara (RO) | Representatives from Rondônia dedicated to food security and the development of the production chain. | ||
Mérli Schuller and Jociane Santos (MT) | Technicians from Mato Grosso working on implementing standards for artisanal cheeses in the state. | ||
Luiz Barrochelo (SP) | Specialist in agricultural defense and cheese legislation in the state of São Paulo. | ||
Isabella Gruppioni (MG) | Technical reference in the inspection and regulation of artisanal cheeses in Minas Gerais. | ||
Federal Deputy Zé Silva | A member of parliament and rural producer, he is one of the main advocates for the agricultural sector and artisanal cheese issues in the National Congress. | ||
Fabiano Fiuza (ES) | Specialist in sanitary defense and cheese legislation in Espírito Santo. | ||
12pm – 2pm | Break – Lunch | — | — |
2 PM – 5 PM | State of the art of Brucellosis and Tuberculosis in Brazil | Patricia Santana Ferreira (MAPA) | Veterinarian and manager of national programs for the control of brucellosis and tuberculosis, presenting the sanitary advances in the country. |
Alexandre Blanco (SENAR-PR) | Specialist in rural vocational training in Paraná, working in the training of producers and technicians for the dairy sector. | ||
Ivy Maggesi (SENAR-MG) | A leading provider of technical assistance and rural extension services for artisanal cheese producers in Minas Gerais. | ||
Pèele Lemos (Lano-Alto Farm) | A rural producer who shares their experience in dairy farm management with a focus on quality and sustainability. | ||
Holorico Costa (Sinhana Farm) | A milk producer with a recognized track record in producing high-quality raw materials for artisanal cheeses. |
Room 2
Time | Theme | Speaker | Profile |
9am – 10am | Research with artisanal cheese | Uelinton Pinto (USP) – Impact of whey on the metabolome and safety of artisanal cheese | A researcher at USP (University of São Paulo) focusing on food microbiology, studying the microbial communities that give identity to artisanal cheeses. |
Luis Nero (UFV) – Biopreservative potential of lactic acid bacteria naturally present in artisanal cheeses | Professor and researcher at the Federal University of Viçosa, specializing in microbiology and dairy technology. | ||
Alline Tribst (UNICAMP) – Vegetable coagulants: an alternative for the production of buttery cheeses | Professor and researcher in the field of food processing, with an emphasis on cheese preservation and quality. | ||
10am – 11am | Cheese Prism of Science Posters | The authors of the selected posters | A highlight is the presentation of selected scientific works, where the researchers themselves present their findings and contributions to the cheese industry. |
11am – 12pm | Parmesan Cheese – Manufacturing Techniques | Alejandro Saraiva (Fermentech) | Fermentech Consultant |
12pm – 2pm | Break – Lunch | — | — |
2 PM – 3 PM | Cheese flavor wheels | Leticia Pereira Basilio (EMATER-MG) | Specialist in sensory analysis and perception of the aromas and flavors of cheeses. |
3pm – 5pm | The art of being a cheesemaker. | Claudine Vigier | A French master cheesemaker and cheesemaker with extensive experience in artisanal sales and training cheesemakers, bringing traditional techniques and in-depth knowledge. |
Annick Polèse | Master cheesemaker and specialist in artisanal cheeses, with an international career promoting the work of cheesemakers. | ||
Débora Pereira | A French-Brazilian professor and journalist, and advisor to SerTãoBras. |
Room 3
Time | Theme | Lecturer | Profile |
9am – 12pm | Signature Cheeses (Master Class) | Delphine Luhring (ENILEA) | Renowned professor Delphine from ENILEA (French National School of the Dairy Industry) shares technological strategies for flavor, quality, and personality in signature cheeses. |
12pm – 2pm | Break – Lunch | — | — |
2 PM – 3 PM | State of the art - goats and sheep | Luciano Piovesan (Bééé Brazil and America Expedition) (IFCE) Andresa Bianchi (Casa Bianchi) | Experts in the goat and sheep production chain will be discussing this with producers from SertãoBras. . |
3pm – 4pm | Round Table – Cheesemakers | Anderson Aguiar (Best Cheesemaker 2024) Maycon Oliveira (Candidate for Best Cheesemaker 2026) Adan and Faviane (Cheese is Life) | Cheesemakers associated with SerTãoBras who have participated and will participate in competitions and who promote cheesemaking culture through social media and personal projects in Brazil. |
4pm – 5pm | Round Table – Buffaloes | Filipe Paulino and Ronaldo César (Búfala Almeida Prado) | Producer and specialist in dairy buffalo breeding and member of SerTãoBras. |
The Milky Way Program is an invitation for cheesemakers, producers, technicians, researchers, and cheese enthusiasts to meet, exchange experiences, and further elevate the sector in Brazil. Secure your pass and be part of this journey of knowledge at the B32 Theater!
Registration: mundialdoqueijodobrasil.com
Location: B32 Theater – Praça da Baleia, São Paulo
Schedule subject to change.