Some of the spotlight is on Australian and New Zealand brands at the 2024 Vegan Cheese Awards, where Lauds with their Aged Cashew Vegan Cheese, Damona's America Cheddar, and Dilectio's Blue Vegan Cheese from Australia, alongside New Zealand’s Savour with Ash Dairy Free Cashew , One Love Planet’s To Brie or Not To Brie Vegan Cheeses and Angel Food Dairy Free Cream Cheese Style Vegan Cheese are proving competitive on the global stage.
Source: VeganCheese.co - Selection of Australian and New Zealand Vegan cheeses being celebrated
These Antipodean vegan cheese nominees are part of a plant-based cheese market experiencing significant growth. Valued at approximately USD 1.30 billion in 2023, the market is forecasted to expand at an annual rate of 13.4%, reaching around USD 3.55 billion by 2032. This expansion is largely driven by the increasing consumer demand for sustainable and health-conscious alternatives to animal dairy products.
What is just as interesting is that 94% of this years nominees are just vegan cheese producers and 6% are from dairy producers. Most finalists are small businesses using their passion by the day to produces some of the world's best non-dairy artisanal cheeses.
Regions like Europe and North America currently dominate this market, fueled by robust product innovation infrastructures and a significant portion of populations turning towards vegan and plant-based diets. However, the Asia-Pacific region is also showing rapid growth due to changing dietary habits and heightened health awareness among consumers.
Continuous innovation is crucial as companies strive to enhance the taste and texture of vegan cheeses, making them comparable to their dairy counterparts. The upcoming announcement of the winners at the Vegan Cheese Awards will likely highlight these advances and celebrate excellence in taste and innovation within the sector.
Australian and New Zealand brands are not just competing; they are setting standards in a fiercely competitive international arena, showcasing quality and innovation in the vegan cheese market can come from any part of the world. As the market continues to grow, these southern hemisphere players are not only participating but are leading what can be termed a delicious revolution.
Winners will be announced this week following public voting.
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