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Move over, dairy cheese – there’s a new player in town, and it’s vegan! That’s right, vegan cheese is taking the food world by storm as more and more people embrace plant-based options for their health, ethical, and environmental benefits. But what exactly is vegan cheese, and how is it made?

First of all, let’s talk about what vegan cheese isn’t: it’s not made from cow’s milk. Instead, it’s typically made from a variety of plant-based ingredients such as nuts, soy, and coconut. These ingredients are blended together to create a cheese-like substance that can be used in all the same ways as traditional dairy cheese – think topping pizzas, adding to sandwiches, or melting on a grilled cheese.

There are plenty of companies out there making vegan cheese, but two that have made a big splash in the market are UK-based Violife and California-based Miyoko’s Kitchen. Violife uses coconut oil as the base for its cheese, while Miyoko’s Kitchen opts for nuts like cashews and almonds to give its cheese a creamy texture and flavor similar to the real deal. Both companies have seen impressive growth in recent years, with Violife’s sales increasing by 25 percent in 2020 alone and Miyoko’s Kitchen’s products being sold in over 10,000 stores across the US.

But wait – isn’t vegan cheese supposed to be better for the environment? Well, that’s not always the case. Some vegan cheese ingredients, like nuts and soy, can have a larger carbon footprint due to the fact that they often need to be imported from warm climates. This transportation can contribute to emissions. However, the demand for vegan cheese isn’t slowing down anytime soon. In the UK, the market for plant-based cheese is projected to grow by over 50 percent in the next five years, and similar growth is expected in the US and other countries.

So what’s driving this demand? For many people, it’s the increasing awareness of the environmental impact of animal agriculture and health concerns surrounding dairy products. Plant-based alternatives like vegan cheese offer a way to reduce their carbon footprint and improve their health.

In summary, vegan cheese is a plant-based alternative to traditional dairy cheese that is made from ingredients like nuts, soy, and coconut. It’s gaining popularity due to its potential environmental and ethical benefits, as well as being a good option for those who are lactose intolerant or have a cow’s milk allergy. Just remember to read labels and consider your own nutritional needs when deciding whether or not to include them in your diet.

The plant-based food market is booming, and research suggests it could make up 7.7 percent of the global protein market by 2030. With a value of $29.4 billion in 2020, experts suggest that the plant-based foods market could have a value of over $162 billion by the end of the decade.

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