The Working Definitions
'Specialty cheese' is a marketing category. It generally means any cheese that is not standard commodity cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, American). Specialty cheeses can be made at any scale — including by very large industrial producers.
'Artisan cheese' refers to scale and method. True artisan cheese is made in small batches, by hand, by an identifiable cheesemaker, often using milk from one farm or a small group of named producers.
Side-by-Side
| Attribute | Artisan Cheese | Specialty Cheese |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | Small-batch, often <1,000 wheels/year | Any scale, including industrial |
| Method | Hand-made, traditional | Can be fully automated |
| Maker | Named cheesemaker or family | May be anonymous |
| Milk source | Often single-farm or named coop | Can be commodity-pooled milk |
| Regulation | Not legally defined in most markets | Not legally defined |
| Price | Premium | Variable |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is artisan cheese always better than specialty cheese?
Not always. Some specialty cheeses produced at larger scale are excellent. But artisan production correlates strongly with character, traceability, and craft — so when both terms appear, artisan is the more meaningful signal.
How can I verify a cheese is truly artisan?
Look for the cheesemaker's name, the farm or affineur, and the production region. Reputable retailers will share this information. If a cheese is anonymous, it's likely not artisan in the meaningful sense of the word.