Cathedral City Launches Plant-based Cheese Range

Cathedral City, the best-selling cheese brand in the UK has launched its first vegan cheese range.

Owned by Saputo Dairy UK, the brand moves into the plant-based cheese market for the first time.

The Cathedral City Plant Based is made with a combination of coconut oil and potato starch. It is available in three formats – block, sliced, and grated.

It took the several years to develop the vegan cheese alternative. The new range’s taste profile was based on the brand’s famous creamy cheddar. The company says it helped it deliver “the great quality people know and expect from Cathedral City.”

According to data from Kantar [Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 7 August] 7% of UK households are buying the plant-based cheese alternatives with the entire market worth £40.2m.

Neil Stewart, Cathedral City’s head of marketing said: “Demand for free-from alternatives is soaring but for some shoppers, such as flexitarians, there hasn’t been an offering which is good enough to encourage them to purchase regularly."

“That’s where our new Plant Based range comes in which boasts a delicious and unrivalled flavour and texture,” he added.

According to Saputo, customers feedback on vegan cheese is positive. A survey run by Cathedral City found that 84% of those leading a dairy-free lifestyle confirmed they would buy the plant-based range.

Cathedral City also hoped to win over those looking to reduce their consumption of dairy products without having to “sacrifice taste, texture or quality” with the new range.

“This launch is a momentous occasion for Cathedral City – extending our portfolio into dairy-free alternatives for the first time with a range of great tasting alternatives to cheese, meaning more people can enjoy our delicious products,” Stewart said.

The new product launch follows the acquisition in May 2021 by Saputo of vegan cheese company Bute Island Foods, an owner of the Sheese brand. Saputo, also owns the plant-based spread and cheese alternative brand Vitalite.

The new range has been rolling into supermarkets nationwide since Monday.