Noord-Hollandse mi-vieux - European Score 100/100

European Score analysis

Ouden Dijk's Noord-Hollandse mi-vieux is a semi-aged uncooked pressed cheese earning a perfect European Score of 100. The breakdown awards 35 points for the Belgian company headquarters, 35 for manufacturing, 10 for ingredients, 15 for distribution, 5 for certifications, and 5 for proximity. Origins are traced to the Netherlands, consistent with the Noord-Hollandse designation.

The product carries a PDO label — Protected Designation of Origin — which formally anchors it to a specific Dutch geographical territory and production method. This certification accounts for the full 5-point certifications allocation and provides independently verified provenance under EU protected food name regulations.

Within the uncooked pressed cheeses category, the product ranks at the 61st percentile across 625 products assessed — the largest category in this batch. With 625 products evaluated, landing above 61% of the field is a solid result in a highly competitive and diverse segment. For a European-minded shopper, this cheese offers a combination of Belgian commercial infrastructure and Dutch PDO-certified manufacturing, with clear cross-border European provenance. The PDO label in particular signals that the geographical identity of the cheese — tied to Noord-Holland — is protected and verified, giving shoppers confidence that they are purchasing an authentic regional product.