Key Takeaways
- The plant-based cheese market needs to go beyond basic flavors and focus on taste to attract consumers.
- Innovative profiles like Brie or Pepper Jack could elevate charcuterie boards and excite potential buyers.
- Adding fruit or spices to plant-based cheeses could enhance their appeal and mask undesirable flavors.
- Market research shows that 70% of people prefer plant-based foods that offer unique flavors rather than just mimicking dairy.
- It’s time for developers to embrace innovation in plant-based cheese to drive growth and consumer interest.
Why It’s Time to Stop Playing it Safe with Plant-based Cheeses
Is it time to stop playing it safe with plant-based cheese? Now, more than ever, there’s a wide variety of innovative plant-based cheese available for adventurous eaters.
You might be thinking, “What do you mean? Plant-based cheese is an area of incredible ongoing innovation!”
This is undoubtedly true.
As Dr. Bernd Koehler, Edlong’s Global VP of R&D, and Dr. Lourdes Mato, Associate Principal Scientist–Applied Research, outlined in their in-depth two-part series Riding the Waves—The Ongoing Evolution of Plant-based Cheeses, the growth and improvement in the quality and functionality of alternative cheeses is extremely impressive.
However, so much of the attention and resources during this “2nd Wave” of innovating plant-based cheese has focused squarely on how it performs.
How can we make it melt better? What’s the best way to improve the stretch? Are the texture and the mouthfeel on par with traditional dairy cheese?
Questions like these seem to be top of mind, and though there is still work to be done, developers continue to come up with better and better answers.
Yet, this fixation on the “science piece” of the puzzle might be distracting from the more important questions:
Does it taste good? Are people going to be excited to try this?
Innovative Charcuterie: Bored No More
The offerings in the plant-based cheese aisle often look something like this:
- Slices: Basic Cheddar, Provolone, Swiss
- Shreds: Cheddar, Mozzarella, Mexican Blend
- Crumbles: Feta, Bleu Cheese
…and that’s about it.
While nothing is wrong with these standard, run-of-the-mill profiles, they aren’t exactly anything for people to get excited about, especially those who aren’t already consumers in this space.
There are estimated to be more than 1,800 different types of cheese worldwide!
Though we don’t have to recreate them all, we can start by thinking about our charcuterie boards.
For example, offering a Brie or Camembert, a Smoked Gouda or Manchego, or even a Pepper Jack could be enough to make someone stop and take a second look that otherwise would’ve walked on by.
Not to mention, innovative profiles like these can work with or help to mask stubborn off-notes in plant-based cheese.
But why stop at Pepper Jack? Delicious combinations like caramelized onions, smoked combinations (smoked pepper), or spicy habanero would make the perfect complement for spreadable or block plant-based cheese.
Innovating with Fruit: Feeling Fruity
Thinking of charcuterie board staples, we can’t forget about the perfect pairing of fruit and cheese.
We’re already seeing dairy cheese developers getting innovative by experimenting with adding fruit pieces into cheeses. Everything from blueberries to apricots are finding their way into cheese one never would have thought of before.
Why aren’t we seeing this more in the plant-based space?
Not only do these pairings make sense from a taste perspective, but they also make sense from a development one.
In a recent Plant-based Pro Tip video, Peter Kern, Junior-Flavorist at Edlong, explains how pairing with fruits, even international fruits like Guava, could help you work with the inherent characteristics of your base to achieve the best taste possible.
Innovate and Spice it Up!
Heat is in.
Whether it’s the sweet heat of hot honey or packing a punch with spicier versions of products people already love, peppering in some spice to innovate on plant-based cheeses could go a long way.
But that isn’t the only thing I mean by spice it up.
Earlier this year, Emily Sheehan, Edlong’s Applications Manager—EMEA, APAC,explored how more and more consumers are looking to travel with their tastebuds to experience something new.
This is an opportunity for innovation developers shouldn’t want to miss.
Yes, international cheese profiles like Cotija, Paneer, or Leerdamer are exciting options, but I’m talking about literally spicing up these alternative cheeses.
From Mexican to Indian, European herb blends or even Asian-inspired combinations can satisfy consumers’ adventurous appetites.
Opportunities Abound
To answer my initial question, yes, it is time for plant-based cheeses to stop playing it safe and be more innovative.
There will always be a market for standard cheese profiles and alternatives that can perform like the animal-based original. But that isn’t what will grow the space in the long run.
In fact, a study found that 70% of the population prefers plant-based foods that go “beyond mimicry.”
This is more than an opportunity for developers; it’s an open invitation to delicious innovation.
Find out how you can get started today on your next innovative plant-based creations.
Related Links: