The Truth About Daiya Vegan Cheese

Vegan cheese can be a great option if you're someone who prefers to avoid dairy in your diet. One of the brand names in the market, Daiya vegan cheese, has been making waves for awhile. As per the brand's website, its vision is to constantly innovate and introduce more consumers to plant-based diets. As a statement on the site explains, "We go all out to earn our place on daily menus with plant-based nutrition that delivers delightful flavor. To ensure that everyone can gather around the table — food-allergic, flexitarian, vegan, and everyone in-between — sharing meals made with respect for the planet, a commitment to quality, and a love for every bite."

That does sound good and wholesome, right? But wait, how well does the brand deliver in the market? Consumers are fairly divided. A Redditor mentioned that they think Daiya vegan cheese only works well with other ingredients but not on its own. For example, they wrote that cream cheese from the brand is great with a bagel but not so pleasant on its own. But hold on, there's more to this story.

Certain Redditors have raised the point that vegan cheese from Daiya isn't as great as it once was, and believe that the quality has suffered. "Daiya is ok, but other newer brands have really stepped up the game and Daiya hasn't really kept up," they explained. They also pointed out that there many other options worth trying in the market. Another thing they added was that Daiya was bought by a company that's non-vegan which made people suspicious about the brand.

As illustrated by The Outline, Daiya's 2017 acquisition was highly concerning because it was bought by Otsuka, a pharmaceutical company that doesn't hesitate to test its products on animals — a point that vegan customers simply can't overlook. A spokesperson from a grocery store in Manhattan, Orchard Grocer, said that the acquisition was highly troubling for her company. "The day that the sale was announced we pulled Daiya products from our shelves," she revealed. Other grocery stores made similar decisions to avoid Daiya's products and stick to other vegan cheeses instead. Sigh.