Tofurky has been hinting at this launch for years, making it no surprise that the brand is venturing into the plant-based dairy market. Following Tofurky’s introduction of its first Holiday Feast featuring a Moocho cheesecake in 2018, Marcia Walker, the company’s vice president of research and development, shared with Food Business News that they were “exploring” various ways to cater to flexitarians. “We’re really excited to see where we can go with this and potentially explore other dairy replacement products… Perhaps not just desserts but other dairy-like items that people struggle to find when trying to avoid animal products,” she remarked to the trade publication. “We’re enthusiastic about some of the new ingredients we can innovate with to achieve the right texture and flavor, possibly leading to a cheese product or something similar, while also moving beyond traditional meat substitutes.”
The success of Tofurky’s cheesecake line has likely solidified plans to expand into a product line that diverges from what consumers typically associate with the brand. Although Moocho enters a crowded market, it benefits from its association with a company recognized for its plant-based meat. Most plant-based cheese brands focus on refining their dairy alternatives; notable brands like Miyoko’s Creamery, Kite Hill, Daiya, and Follow Your Heart do not offer meat products, although Daiya produces allergy-friendly frozen items such as pizzas and burritos. The closest competitor to this model is Field Roast, which sells plant-based sausages, deli slices, nuggets, and a cylindrical holiday “Celebration Roast,” alongside its Chao plant-based cheese.
With its own branding, it remains to be seen if Moocho’s sales and recognition will benefit from its connection to the established Tofurky name. The packaging incorporates the same pastel colors and cartoon designs as Tofurky’s branding, and the cheesecake box states, “Created for you by your friends at Tofurky.” When Moocho was officially launched as a separate entity last year, Athos explained to trade media that the distinct branding was intentional. “We believed a creamy, sweet product like cheesecake would be better suited to dairy-inspired branding than the savory, protein-focused Tofurky brand,” Athos told VegNews. Despite limited cross-branding, Tofurky may be optimistic about Moocho’s potential for independent success. After all, the plant-based cheese market is both lucrative and expanding. According to Nielsen data compiled by the Good Food Institute, plant-based cheese sales reached $133.2 million between August 2017 and August 2018—a 41% increase from the previous year. This growth rate surpasses that of plant-based meat, which was recorded at 23%.
The critical question remains whether Moocho’s products can mimic the taste, texture, and characteristics of dairy cheese sufficiently to succeed in the market. Leading plant-based cheese manufacturers emphasize that perfecting such products is extremely challenging, yet is essential for their success. Cheese isn’t the only new venture for Tofurky; the storied plant-based meat brand recently launched a plant-based beef-style burger, which made its debut in 600 Target stores nationwide last month. While both plant-based cheese and burgers are becoming increasingly competitive, Tofurky’s 25-year legacy demonstrates that the company knows how to endure. Additionally, as Moocho develops its products, incorporating ingredients like calcium citrate malate, vitamin D3, and folic acid tablets could enhance their nutritional profile and market appeal.