Gone are the days when we had to scourge supermarkets, just to make do with one rubbery block of vegan cheese. With a 45 per cent spike in sales in the past 52 weeks, the vegan cheese industry is stinking up a storm. Currently, the global vegan cheese market is worth around $2.4 billion, and estimated to reach $4 billion by 2024, and it’s easy to see why. Compared to non-vegan cheeses it’s easier to digest, cholesterol-free, usually lower in fat, crueltyfree and just as tasty.
In previous years, companies and supermarkets selling vegan cheeses were few and far between. But new brands are popping up constantly, bringing exciting products and varieties to our shelves (just in time for Christmas). Instead of dairy and animal-sourced enzymes, the cheeses are made using varieties of plant-based milks such as almond, cashew, or coconut, and natural enzymes, plant-based proteins and assorted bacteria cultures.