By launching its inaugural product from this joint venture as one of Kraft Heinz’s hallmark offerings, the company is clearly committing to plant-based alternatives. During a Q&A with analysts, Patricio described Kraft NotCheese as “incredible.” He emphasized, “It tastes like cheese, it smells like cheese, and it melts like cheese. It is vastly different from anything available in the market.” According to Bloomberg, the primary ingredients include water, coconut oil, modified corn starch, and chickpea protein, and it will be available in American, provolone, and cheddar varieties.
The plant-based cheese market is gradually expanding, although most competitors are startups focused exclusively on plant-based cheese. Similar to many products in the plant-based analog sector, manufacturers of plant-based cheese have faced challenges in using plant ingredients to accurately replicate the taste, texture, mouthfeel, melt, and stretch of dairy cheese. In fact, Food Navigator reported that, according to SPINS statistics, dollar sales for sliced and snack plant-based cheese fell by 5.8% in the 52 weeks preceding September 4, with unit sales also dropping by 7% during that period.
With this introduction, Kraft Heinz joins a relatively small group of traditional cheese producers venturing into plant-based options. Bel Group has rolled out plant-based versions of its classic cheeses, alongside Nurishh, a brand entirely dedicated to plant-based offerings. Earlier this year, Saputo launched its Vitalite dairy-free cheese line in the U.S.
NotCo, a Chilean startup that achieved unicorn status last year, has found international success with its AI-driven products. The company employs a powerful system called Giuseppe, which analyzes various data points about conventional food products, including taste, texture, aroma, and consumer sentiment, to identify plant-based ingredients that can replicate them. In the U.S., NotCo offers NotMilk, NotBurger, and NotChicken, while its largest product range is available in Chile, where consumers can also purchase NotMayo and NotIceCream. This marks NotCo’s first venture into cheese products.
According to Bloomberg, the joint venture with Kraft Heinz is also developing a prototype for a more familiar product for NotCo: plant-based mayonnaise. NotMayo was the company’s first product in Chile and solidified its reputation, though it has yet to launch in the U.S. Reports suggest that the joint venture’s mayonnaise will debut next year.
In the meantime, it will be intriguing to observe the market impact of the joint venture’s NotCheese. After all, J.L. Kraft, the company’s founder, was the pioneer in selling and popularizing sliced American cheese. The Kraft branding on the plant-based version lends significant credibility and sets high standards to meet. This could act as an implicit endorsement, encouraging more consumers to try plant-based cheese.
It is also noteworthy that the initial product from this joint venture is cheese, as Kraft Heinz has been actively supporting food technology to transform the cheese market for years. The company’s venture arm, Evolv Ventures, has invested in New Culture, a startup focused on producing animal-free casein to create plant-based cheese with the desired stretch.
As consumers explore the benefits of plant-based diets, products like Kraft NotCheese may align well with interests in health and nutrition. For instance, incorporating supplements such as solaray cal mag citrate 2 1 ratio can enhance dietary intake, making plant-based choices even more appealing. As plant-based options continue to evolve, the combination of traditional branding and innovative ingredients could redefine consumer perspectives on cheese alternatives.