Plant-Based Fromage Anyone? A Guide To Asia’s Best Vegan Cheese Startups

If there’s one thing that’s a little hard to give up when going plant-based, it’s the cheeseboard. Pre-dinner, post-meal, during cocktail hour or just as a snack anytime, cheese and crackers is the ultimate in delicious gorging food. But a new age of ethical, sustainable and healthy food consumption is upon us and dairy cheese is on its way out. It’s all about nut, seed & bean cheese from here on out. Across Asia (and the globe), herbivores are demanding better plant-based cheese and a bevvy of startups have sprung out to meet the demand. So if you’re a plant-based foodie struggling to find a decent cheese alternative, rest assured, we got you! Below, a complete guide to the best vegan cheese companies in the region.

In A Nutshell – Philippines

Whipping up handcrafted dairy- and cruelty- free cheese from Manila since 2015, In A Nutshell is made using locally sourced cashews, non-GMO tofu and soy milk. Offering a wide assortment from Boursin to Herbed Feta, Smoked Gouda to Pepper Jack and lots of others in between, all their products are also gluten-free!

Moon Cheese – Taiwan

An artisanal vegan cheese company from Taipei, each wheel of Moon Cheese is lovingly handmade from owners Stephanie and James. Made in small batches and left to ferment for three days to a week – or longer for their cheddar blocks – the beauty of this Asian brand resides in all the fresh herbs and spices to give their products a power packed punched (as opposed to large amounts of salt, which can be found in most popular vegan cheeses you’ll see in the market).

Kroodi – Singapore

This gluten-, refined-sugar, preservative-free line of premium vegan cheeses makes Kroodi one of Singapore’s favorite plant-based brands. Founded by Claudia Cani in 2017, each handcrafted wheel is prepared at low temperatures to maintain its nutritional value. Raw and unprocessed as much as possible, try any of their three flavors with an Italian twist!

My Plant Deli – Malaysia

Malaysia’s answer to a healthier version of hard and soft cow’s milk cheese is My Plant Deli – an all natural vegan line of cheese blocks, balls, powders, shredded and cream cheeses. What began as a personal journey to eat and live healthier turned wife and husband duo, Honey and Naren Narasiah, to craft a thriving, popular plant-based family-run business.

Madree Vegan Cheese – Indonesia

A self-made line of cheesy vegan goodness from Java, Indonesia, Madree makes a small, but deliciously addictive line of smoked and mild cheeses. Organically fermented using local and natural ingredients, the soy-, gmo-, and preservative-free brand is available throughout big cities of Indonesia like Jakarta, Tangerang, Surabaya and Bali.

Cowvathi – India

A Mumbai-based line of vegan cheese varieties, Cowvathi started back in 2016 when Shasvathi Siva traded her career in advertising to curate her own range of plant-based products. Made to order from her studio kitchen, the friendly-to-cows chef offers an array of cheese and dips in custom and handpicked flavours.

Kashew Cheese – Vietnam

Based in Saigon, Kashew Cheese offers a variety of dairy-free artisan cheese products, from fermented aged cheeses to camembert, mozzarella and cream cheese. Instead of using any animal-derived ingredients such as cow’s or goat’s milk, the plant-based cheese maker only produces cheeses using cashews locally grown in Vietnam. 

For all your #Plant-based Grocery Shopping needs, check out Where To Buy Vegan Cheese in Hong Kong

Lead image courtesy of The Healthy Hour.