London vegan cheese maker taps into second major U.S. grocery chain

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A London vegan cheese maker has landed a deal with a major U.S. grocery chain that puts its cashew-based product into all 50 states.

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London vegan cheese maker taps into second major U.S. grocery chain Back to video

Nuts for Cheese has already shipped about one million wedges of its cheese this year, a 40 per cent increase in sales over 2021, said chief executive and founder Margaret Coons.

Its deal with Sprouts Farmers Market, headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., has pushed the small London business into the grocery market in a big way.

“They are national retailers, it is a huge opportunity for us. It has opened up a lot of distribution networks as it is a highly respected chain,” Coons said.

“It is a high-quality, premium grocery selling alternative and specialty products.”

Nuts for Cheese also sells to Whole Foods in the U.S.

While it has been busy in recent months filling the Sprouts order and pushing it above the million-unit mark, it will consistently ship about 80,000 wedges of its cheese a month.

“We saw a bit of a lift in the pandemic as more people were cooking from home and it has continued. We are still growing,” Coons said.

That growth is not just in the vegan community as plant-based foods are entering the mainstream and Nuts for Cheese is taking advantage, she added.

“We cater to people who do not eat dairy and people who embrace a foody lifestyle, who want high-quality ingredients and food that makes them feel good,” Coons said.

Nuts for Cheese has about 30 employees and operates out of a 25,000-square-foot (2,250-square-metre) plant on Pacific Court.

Another vegan cheese maker in London, Plantworthy Food, has also hit a milestone, selling its powder cheese sauce into Whole Foods stores in Ontario and British Columbia in June, said Andrew Zuk, who owns and operates the home-based business with his brother James.

Plantworthy has gone from selling 10,000 bags of its cheese powder in 2021 to about 30,000 this year. It is sold in about 75 stores nationally.

“It means people are standing behind this product. We have taken customer feedback and made changes from what we heard,” Zuk said.

Like Nuts for Cheese, Plantworthy also uses cashews as a base for its cheese powder and users can add plant-based milk to make sauce for mac and cheese, nachos and other uses, he said.

“It is a very versatile product,” Zuk said. “A lot of people are trying to eat more plant-based food. It is a market that has grown significantly. It is creamy, delicious and plant-based so people are trying it.”

He operates from his home office in London but has contracted production to a food producer in Ontario. The sauce is available from the Plantworthy website and at Quarter Master Foods in Wortley Village and the Sobeys Extra at Wonderland and Oxford streets.

“People are interested in health and wellness and plant-based options. It is delicious and healthy,” Zuk said.

Grand View Research, a California-based market research firm, has studied the vegan cheese market and its potential growth and in a report published online stated the sector is forecast to grow.

It was valued at US$2.4 billion in 2021 and is expected to increase annually by about 12 per cent from 2022 to 2030, the firm said.

“Increasing acceptance of veganism, especially among millennials, has been fuelling market growth. The growing awareness regarding animal cruelty and the negative impacts on the environment caused by the dairy industry has encouraged consumers to opt for plant-based products,” Grand View Research said.

The “cashew segment” held the “dominant position” in the market and is expected to continue to hold it, the company.

“Cashew-based vegan cheese contains vitamins B2 and B12 and is low fat. This makes it favourable among health-conscious consumers all over the world.”

ndebono@postmedia.com

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