South Korea’s Yangyoo Makes US Dairy-Free Market Entry Through New Armoured Fresh Subsidiary

Seoul food tech Yangyoo has revealed that it is breaking into the U.S. alternative dairy sector. Armoured Fresh is a new subsidiary brand for the company. It will be used to introduce South Korean-developed vegan dairy products to U.S. consumers, as part of the growing alternative protein market.

Yangyoo’s Armoured Fresh began its portfolio with almond milk-based cheeses. The entire range is dairy, egg and gluten-free and the company claims the cheeses contain 20 percent protein. Initial ambitions are to produce four styles of cheese, with eight flavour profiles where appropriate. Future expansion will see vegan yoghurt and ice cream being developed.

A focus on health and flavour

Armoured Fresh will be releasing cheddar slices, mozzarella shreds, ‘cube cheese’ and cream cheese. So far, it has confirmed plain, strawberry, blueberry, citron, garlic herb, jalapeno, injeolmi (sweetened rice cake), and salted caramel & chocolate flavours. The portfolio represents a culturally authentic foray into alternative dairy. It will offer U.S. consumers access to unique products too, helping Armoured Fresh to stand out in an increasingly busy market.

“Our mission is clear. We want to guard and protect people’s health by guarding and protecting our environment and our animals. We do what we do for sustainability, for food security and for our future,” said Andrew Yu, CEO of Armored Fresh in a company statement. “We’ve succeeded in making super vegan cheese that surpasses nutritional value of any of our competitors without compromising taste. We will continue to add technological capabilities, R&D, and innovation to bring crave-worthy vegan products to market.”

Armoured Fresh products will be exhibited at the CES 2022, in Las Vegas this month. Products will be available to sample. No commercial distribution channels have been confirmed yet. Nor have any launch dates. 

Plant milk cheese successes

The vegan cheese market is predicted to be a $4.5 billion market by 2025. As a result, new brands are coming forward to claim a share, while existing ones diversify to retain consumer loyalty. Armoured Fresh will not be the only commercial vegan cheese brand using almond milk as its base. Though coconut oil has been used by numerous companies, including Violife and Aldi, health-conscious brands are looking to other ingredients.  

California’s Misha’s Kind Foods secured $3 million in seed funding last year. The company makes dairy-free cheese using in-house-made cashew and almond milk. Seven flavours of spreadable cheeses have been created so far. The brand aims to offer products that are kind to body, planet and wallet. 

Miyoko’s Creamery is a global alternative dairy manufacturer. Having secured $52 million in a Series C funding round last year, the Californian company made history with a labelling lawsuit win. Proprietary cashew milk acts as the base for a huge portfolio of products. The company recently launched the world’s first vegan butter-focussed cooking channel. It is designed to showcase the versatility of animal-free ingredients.

Nush Foods has brought almond milk cheese into the commercial sector, within the U.K. Its plain and chive flavoured cream cheeses are made using extra creamy milk, made in-house. It claims to have up to 20 percent almond in its milks, which are then converted into cheeses and a range of yoghurts.

Lead image courtesy of Yangoo.