Happy Mouse - Delicious Vegan Cheese Not Only For Vegans

Meet lovely Sam!

Sam is passionate about vegan cheese! She is an owner and founder of Happy Mouse - the maker of delicious plant-based cheese - Vegan Shropshire Mature, and an ethical brand that is not afraid to take a stand (for the planet). 

With a little help from her partner, Luke, she makes tofu-based vegan cheese in a variety of flavours that she describes as punchy, creamy and moreish! She is sure that if people just tried vegan cheese, they would certainly like it.

Sam, how was Happy Mouse born? 

Both Luke and I adopted a vegan lifestyle in early 2019. We began the mission of finding vegan versions of our favourite foods. For me, that was cheese. I would always be first in line for the Christmas cheeseboard or the first to organise a cheese and wine night, and at the time, I couldn't find anything on the shelves that was quite right for me. So, I decided to start experimenting. I used all sorts of ingredients; cashews, almonds, soya milk, kappa carrageenan, and agar-agar. I even fermented my own rejuvelac. My final experiment involved tofu, and that was my favourite by far! I liked it so much, I thought others might like it too, and Happy Mouse was born!

Why did you decide to change your life and switch to a plant-based lifestyle? 

Personally, I made the switch to a vegan lifestyle for the animals. I was horrified by the truths of animal agriculture and the dairy and egg industries. The health and environmental benefits of being vegan are also a huge bonus! 

What made you decide to create a vegan cheese brand? 

I was overjoyed to be able to create something that could rival dairy cheese and help others ditch the dairy and the cruelty of the dairy industry. Many people say to me that cheese is the one thing that prevents them from being fully vegan, and after trying mine, they could make the switch. When I hear things like this, I feel my job is done. 

That's awesome! We're happy for you! :) Is it vital for you to be a sustainable brand?

It is very important to me to be an ethical/sustainable brand. I think it is becoming more important to consumers now too, which is amazing. I use recyclable and compostable packaging as standard, and I'm very mindful of where I source my ingredients. My business definitely has a positive impact on the planet. The dairy industry has a truly damaging effect on the environment, so the more people I can convert to Happy Mouse, the better! 

What kind of plant-based cheeses do you offer?

My current flavours are original, onion & chive, cranberry, chilli, garlic, caramelised onion, smoked and blue. I have seasonal specials from time to time, and I hope to expand my range in the near future. So far, I haven't come across another tofu-based vegan cheese, so that's my USP at the moment!

What's your superhero power? 

My superhero power? :) The ability to magically turn everyone vegan, of course! I would also like the ability to open people's minds. I'm very sure; if people just tried vegan cheese, they would certainly like it.

I would say it is super important to be passionate about ethics yourself. I care so much about what I do, and it gives me the drive and motivation to keep pushing and to keep getting my cruelty free products out there.

Who would be the best brand ambassador for Happy Mouse?

My brand ambassador would be Earthling Ed. I follow his work, and I think what he does is amazing. I follow the Surge Sanctuary on Instagram, and it's refreshing to see how happy the animals are. I've also eaten at Unity Diner, and the food is out of this world. I would love Happy Mouse to be on the menu!

What's the next thing for Happy Mouse?

My dream is to get Happy Mouse out there. I want as many people as possible to substitute dairy cheese with my cheese. I want to diversify cheese boards all over the UK and get people talking about tofu cheese.