Vegan cheese is a category of non-dairy, plant-primarily based cheese product. Vegan cheese levels from smooth fresh cheeses to elderly and cultured difficult gradable cheeses. Vegan cheese is made with greens, wealthy in proteins, fats, and milks (plant milks). It is also crafted from sesame, sunflower, nuts (cashew, pine nut, peanuts, and almond), and soybeans. It additionally uses other ingredients: coconut oil, nutritional yeast, tapioca, rice, potatoes, and spices. Three key reasons riding the trend toward plant-primarily based cheese alternatives are rising instances of lactose intolerance, moral issues approximately animal welfare, and dairy's environmental footprint. The vegan cheese industry has seen a double-digit increase over the past few years. According to information, the income of plant-based cheese grew 41% thru August 2020, whilst the income of normal dairy cheese has been flat. Taking an idea from the popularity of plant-primarily based milk, vegan cheese innovators have started out growing cashew, almond, and oat-based formulations. While many key gamers are focusing on vegan mozzarella, it is a great basis for an increase due to the fact pizza holds a totally massive proportion in the food enterprise. Burger King, one in all the biggest speedy-food chains inside the United States, introduced a meatless version of its signature burger. Burger King partnered with Impossible Food, a vegan organization, to supply the brand new burger.
Growing awareness of environmental contamination caused by dairy practices is likely to favor the market growth
The growing awareness of people towards environmental contamination caused by dairy practices is leading to a transition towards dairy alternatives. Dairy farming adversely impacts watercourses due to nitrogen and phosphorus emissions from manure spreading and over-grazed fields. For greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the dairy farm contributes more than 80% of the impact for milk and more than 90% for cheese. Among these emissions, about 50% are due to methane (CH4) emissions from enteric fermentation. Moreover, increasing concerns about health problems from consuming dairy products further influences consumers to shift to vegan products. Recent research has suspected using antibiotics, hormones, and allergens on cattle to increase cattle production, creating a negative outlook of the dairy industry. The emergence of flexitarian consumers, who are reducing meat and dairy consumption by replacing them with plant-based products, is also expected to play a crucial role in driving the market. The increasing popularity of veganism has made food manufacturing units incorporate dairy-free alternatives while producing different food products. Vegan cheese is prominently used in bakeries and fast foods. In order to capitalize on the growing demand for vegan cheese, major fast-food companies like Domino's and MacDonald's have started serving vegan burgers, pizza, and many other vegan fast food products. Many supermarkets and retail stores have started selling different varieties of vegan cheeses.
The low protein content of vegan cheese is likely to hinder the market growth
The lower nutrition profile, inferior taste and texture attributes compared to traditional dairy cheese are the major concerns associated with plant-based cheese. These factors made vegan cheese as an unviable alternative in several applications. The key component that gives dairy cheese the traits people love is the texture and stretchiness due to casein proteins found in cow's milk. Currently, the researchers are experimenting with microbial fermentation, a synthetic technique that enables microflora like bacteria and fungi to express casein proteins. These are then turned into larger structures called casein micelles, one of the key building blocks of cow's milk.
Market Segmentation
By Product Type
• Mozzarella
• Parmesan
• Cheddar
By Product Form
• Shredded
• Blocks
By Source
• Soy
• Nuts and seeds
• Coconut
By Distribution Channel
• Online Retail
• Offline
By Application
• Snacks
• Bakery & confectionary
• Dips & sauces
• Others
Geographical Penetration
Germany led Europe to the top of the Vegan Cheese market
Europe evolved as the largest market in terms of value share in global vegan cheese sales. The region is estimated to account for XX% of the sales revenue with major consumption in Germany, U.K. and France. The vegan diet is gaining acceptance in European countries, which is anticipated to fuel the growth of non-dairy cheese during the forecast period. Germany accounts for more than 25 percent of the European non-dairy cheese market. The value of plant-based cheese products sold in German supermarkets has grown by 150% over the past two years, from 18 million euros in 2018 to 50 million euros in 2020. Many European market players are investing in R&D to get ahead of the competition. According to the Plant-Based Food Association, the U.S. market for plant-based foods is anticipated to reach USD 4 billion in sales by 2024. The expansion is driven by the increased inclination towards vegetarian sources, rising urban populations, and a greater preference for international foods. Multiple grocery chains in the US have expanded their geographical presence within specialty stores and supermarkets to address the anticipated growth for vegan cheeses, with annual sales growth expected at 8%.
A wide range of products made the market competitive
The global vegan cheese market is moderately competitive with the presence of local as well as global companies. Some of the key players contributing to the market's growth include Miyoko’s Creamery, Tofutti, Violife, Daiya, Treeline, Dr. Cow, Sister River Foods, Heidi Ho, Kite Hill, and Punk Rawk Labs, among others. The major players are adopting several growth strategies such as product launches, acquisitions, and collaborations, contributing to the growth of the vegan cheese market globally.
According to a report from Food Navigator, Kite Hill, a producer of yogurt, cheese, and dips made from almond milk, received funding of USD 10 million for expanding its product range of vegan cheese.
Vancouver-based Daiya is moving to a manufacturing facility more than six times the size of its current one to keep up with sales, which since 2012 have skyrocketed from USD 17m to USD 127m. Recently the company launched its Daiya Cutting Board Cheddar Style Shreds at 15 Costco locations in Los Angeles and Hawaii.
Northern California’s Miyoko’s Kitchen recently upgraded to a 29,000-sq-ft facility to keep up with the increasing demand and handle 2,000lb batches of nut cheese. Recently the company launched new kid-friendly snacking vegan cheese sticks.
