Daiya Foods announces investment in fermentation technology

Daiya Foods has announced a multi-million-dollar investment in fermentation technology to advance its plant-based cheese portfolio.

Combining traditional cheesemaking methods with modern technology, Daiya says that it will create a plant-based cheese that is “tastier, meltier and stretchier than any other on the market”.

The fermentation site will be housed at its production facility in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Michael Watt, CEO of Daiya, commented: “This is one of the largest investments in next-generation plant-based cheese since we started the company 15 years ago, and with it Daiya is raising the bar for what consumers can expect from the category”.

He added: “We believe that the future of plant-based cheese achieving parity to dairy lies in traditional fermentation techniques. I don’t believe any brand has fully cracked the code on a formula that cheese lovers feel entirely confident in – Daiya is going to change that.”

Jamie Siu, R&D director of advanced research and technology at Daiya, said: “We’ve worked with experts to develop a facility and formulation that is world-class. For our team to be able to deliver this fermented product has been no small task. It has involved extensive research and development in the traditional art of cheesemaking, applied in a plant-based setting.”

Daiya expects to see its innovation reach the marketplace by the end of the year.

Further financial details were not disclosed.