Rolling out at retailers nationwide this year, Vitalite is a new brand of plant-based, vegan-certified, dairy-free cheese from Saputo Dairy USA. Vitalite is available in six varieties: Plant-Based Mozzarella Style Slices, Plant-Based Mozzarella Style Shreds, Plant-Based Cheddar Style Slices, Plant-Based Cheddar Style Shreds, Plant-Based Grated Parmesan Style, and Plant-Based Creamy Original Spread.

 “As demand for vegan cheese continues to grow, many consumers have been vocal about how difficult it has been to find a plant-based cheese that lives up to their expectations,” said David Cherrie, Saputo Dairy USA vice president, marketing and innovation. “As a dairy company, we are experts at making cheese people love and crave. Where other plant-based cheeses fall short, we saw an opportunity to use our expertise in the cheese category to create a delicious plant-based alternative.”

“People following a plant-based or flexitarian diet have limited options in the grocery store and many of those options lack appeal,” said Chef Nikki Trzeciak, Saputo executive chef and senior manager of culinary and sensory. “The idea for Vitalite came out of trying to solve that. We want home cooks to feel liberated in the kitchen and inspired to create traditional foods they have an emotional connection to without compromise.”

According to a 2022 Food Institute report, the global vegan cheese market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of about 10% and reach a market value of about $7 billion by 2030. This demand is being fueled by the growing number of consumers following vegan, plant-based and flexitarian diets, increasing awareness about lactose intolerance, mounting climate-change and animal-welfare concerns, and the expanding middle class in developing nations.

Vitalite products are made without genetically modified ingredients and are vegan- and kosher-certified, gluten-free and except for the Creamy Original Spread, soy-free.