Danish Luxury

Food Cheese and butter

Havarti

Havarti, the semi-soft, washed-curd Danish cow's milk cheese, sold around the world and protected in the EU since 2019.

Visit castellocheese.com

Slices and an aged piece of Havarti on a stone board
Slices and an aged piece of Havarti on a stone board

Pictures © Havarti, from castellocheese.com.

Why it is renowned

Havarti is made and eaten far beyond Denmark: the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia and New Zealand all make it, and less than half the world's Havarti comes from Denmark.1 Wisconsin is the main American producer.2 It is one of twelve cheeses whose standard is registered in the Codex Alimentarius.2 Denmark makes about 17,000 tonnes a year, and only 3,000 to 4,000 tonnes of that are eaten at home.2 In October 2019 the EU registered Havarti as a protected geographical indication after four years of Danish lobbying, over strong opposition from the United States; within the EU the name now belongs to cheese made from Danish milk at approved dairies.21

The story

The cheese is named after Havartigården near Holte, north of Copenhagen, where the cheesemaker Hanne Nielsen worked in the 19th century; among her cheeses was a caraway Tilsit made for King Christian IX.2 Danish production of the type, then called Danish Tilsiter, began in 1921, and it took the name Havarti in 1952.2 Pasteurised milk is set with cultures, and the curd is drained, moulded, pressed and brined.3 It is rindless, with small irregular holes, and usually ages for about three months.2 Flødehavarti, cream Havarti, is a different cheese: its milk is flash-pasteurised, so whey proteins stay in the curd.2 It can age up to a year; at twelve months it deepens in flavour and forms small protein crystals.34 Arla sells Danish-made Havarti under its Castello brand, plain, aged and flavoured with dill, jalapeño or herbs.35

  • Castello, Arla's cheese brand, which sells Havarti
Sources
  1. Australia joins fightback over EU's Havarti protection, The Sydney Morning Herald. smh.com.au, read 28 September 2026.
  2. Havarti, Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org, read 28 September 2026.
  3. Havarti (PGI), Castello. castellocheese.com, read 28 September 2026.
  4. Castello Aged Havarti cheese, Castello. castellocheese.com, read 28 September 2026.
  5. Sliced, flavored or plain, Havarti is a versatile favorite, Cheese Market News. cheesemarketnews.com, read 28 September 2026.

Checked 5 October 2026, against the maker's own pages.