by Debayan Paul
Photo: @saymoocho
Pioneer plant-based meat product manufacturer Tofurky is all set to unveil their very first and very own lineup of six new vegan cheese products in the form of shreds and cream spreads.
Tofurky, which is known for its sausages and tempeh products, among others, will be launching six plant-based cheese products at this year’s Natural Products Expo West under its sister brand Moocho, media outlet Forbes reports.
Moocho, which was launched last summer at the same Expo, had limited market availability with its vegan Moocho cheesecake offering only. Now the addition of six products is due by Summer 2020.
Speaking about the new branding for products produced in-house at Tofurky, CEO Jaime Athos revealed that they needed to differentiate Tofurky’s familiar lineup of plant-based meats with that of their new dairy-free confectionery offering.“Tofurky is known as a high-protein savory brand, that just doesn’t fit with confections or dairy,” Athos told.
According to media reports, separating the Tofurky banner will be taken seriously to make the Moocho brand look standalone in the market, with no Tofurky branding on its packages and a separate Instagram account as well.
With the Moocho brand, it is being speculated Tofurky is reportedly trying to tap into a wider consumer market who is either unfamiliar with the Tofurkey brand or that doesn’t like the idea of fake meat products.
“A lot of [new shoppers] don’t really have a great understanding of what Tofurky represents or how long we’ve been around. So Moocho has to not just lean on that Tofurky relationship, it has to stand alone,” Tofurkey and Moocho CEO Jaime Athos said in an interview.
Variations of the new products will include a sweet strawberry spread, a plain spread, and a veggie flavor spread, whereas the shreds will include cheddar, mozzarella, and a mix of the two, dubbed Fiesta Blend. The products will use ingredients like fermented lactic acid, cultured soy milk, and faba bean protein.
The new Moocho products will be made available by Q1, Q2 this year in supermarkets and specialty stores, with a suggested pricing of $4.50 for the spreads and $4.99 for the shreds.
The Vegan Cheese Revolution
For many prospective vegans, finding a good vegan cheese alternative used to be tough. However, in recent years there have been huge improvements in the availability of different plant-based cheese options that are remarkably similar to dairy cheese in taste and texture. Brands such as Good Planet, Volife, Miyoko’s, Daiya, Kite Hill, and others are spoiling vegans with their delicious vegan cheese options.
According to data collected for the Plant Based Foods Association, sales of dairy cheese reportedly remained flat, whereas US sales of vegan cheese grew by 19% in a 12-month period ending in April of last year. Sales of vegan food too saw an increase in sales versus the sales of normal food according to the same SPINS data.
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About the Author
Debayan writes for anything that is for the benefit of Humanity. Currently a Web Editor for Paperboat Holidays and a freelance digital writer, Debayan remains busy finding the meaning of life, when not working.
