Kraft launches vegan cheese slices made from chickpeas following a hugely successful trial

From veganfoodandliving.com

Heinz has partnered with AI brand NotCo to launch a range of Kraft vegan cheese slices with ’dairy-like meltability’…

Food giant Heinz is launching vegan cheese slices nationwide following a hugely successful trial.

Under its Kraft subsidiary, the company partnered with TheNotCompany (NotCo) last year. The partnership made use of NotCo’s AI technology programme called Giuseppe – which ‘analyses the structure of an animal-based food at its molecular level and replicates it using plant-based ingredients’.

As a result, the duo created three realistic variants of plant-based cheese: American, provolone, and cheddar.

Heinz’ vegan cheese slices

                                                                     Featured image © Kraft Heinz Not Company

The vegan cheeses are made from natural ingredients such as chickpea and coconut oil and have no artificial flavours or dyes.

During an eight-week test in Cleveland, KRAFT NotCheese Slices became the number one branded plant-based slices in USD sales.

On July 7, the highly sought-after cheeses will be available nationwide in both the plant-based and dairy aisles at stores.

Heinz has also hinted an international expansion could come as soon as next year. However, no specific details have been announced.

‘Dairy-like meltability’

“Introducing KRAFT NotCheese Slices, that look, feel, and taste like their animal-based counterpart,” Heinz said in a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living.

“The creamy texture and dairy-like meltability will make it hard to believe these slices are made with plant-based ingredients.”

Heinz says its launch comes at the perfect time, with 47 percent of consumers ‘dissatisfied with taste, texture, variety, and availability’ of vegan cheese.

Not a fan of store-bought cheese? Check out these 23 mouth-watering vegan cheese recipes

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/heinz-kraft-vegan-cheese-slices/