Patrick Oconnell
Vegan cheese is a category of non-dairy, plant-based cheese analogues. The first vegan cheeses were made without whey or casein, two proteins that give traditional cheese its ability to stretch, melt and smear. Instead, makers of these plant-based cheeses manipulated nuts, grains, oils or starches to produce products that mimic those qualities. The first documented maker of commercial soy cheese was Li Yu-Ying, who, around 1910, started a soy dairy in France. Li had learned about soy while growing up in Beijing, where fermented tofu had been used to make non-dairy cheese-like products for over 1,000 years. However, it was the realisation that there were usable ingredients beyond soy that galvanised the possibilities of full-scale vegan dairy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First vegan cheese maker | Li Yu-Ying |
| First vegan cheese product | Fermented tofu |
| First vegan cheese company | Tofu Manufacturing Co. |
| First vegan cheese type | Gruyere, Roquefort, and Camembert |
| First vegan cream cheese | 1930s |
| First tofu cheesecake | 1971 |
| First vegan cheese cookbook | "Artisan Vegan Cheese" by Schinner |
| First vegan cheese options | Tofu, nuts, seeds, and oats |
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What You'll Learn
The first vegan cheeses
The origins of vegan cheese can be traced back to the early 20th century with the development of "soy dairy". The first documented maker of commercial soy cheese was Li Yu-ying, who, around 1910, started a "soy dairy" outside Paris, France. Li adapted traditional Chinese techniques for making fermented tofu to create vegan versions of Western cheeses like Gruyere, Roquefort, and Camembert.
In the 1930s, there was a wave of development in soy-based cream cheese alternatives, largely driven by Seventh-day Adventists. During this time, tofu-based vegan cheeses had already been used in China for centuries, with the first recorded mention in the 1500s. The 1970s saw the birth of the tofu cheesecake, and in the 1980s, soy protein-based cheeses that were more similar in flavor and texture to traditional cheeses became widely available. However, these early products were lower in quality than dairy cheese or today's vegan cheese, with a waxy, chalky, or plastic-like texture.
It wasn't until the discovery of usable ingredients beyond soy, such as nuts, seeds, and oats, that the possibilities of full-scale vegan dairy truly took off. In 2004, Brooklyn-based company Dr. Cow introduced the first nut-based wheels of cheese and tangy cream cheese, bringing an artisanal touch to the world of vegan cheese.
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The first soy cheeses
The history of vegan cheese dates back to the early 20th century, when soy was first used to create cheese-like substances. The first documented maker of commercial soy cheese was Li Yu-ying, who established a "soy dairy" in France around 1910. Li adapted traditional Chinese techniques of using fermented tofu to make non-dairy cheese, crafting Western favourites like Gruyere, Roquefort, and Camembert.
Fermented tofu, or tofu in general, has been used in China for centuries to make cheese-like products. Its varying degrees of firmness and texture, coupled with its ability to absorb flavours, make it a versatile base for vegan cheese. However, early attempts at commercial soy cheese in the West fell short in taste and texture compared to dairy cheese.
It wasn't until the 1980s that vegan cheese began to evolve beyond soy. The raw food movement, which focuses on unheated, fermented foods, experimented with nuts and seeds to create cheese-like pastes and sauces. Cashews, in particular, stood out for their high fat content and neutral flavour, paving the way for more cheese-like products.
By the mid-1980s, brands like Soyarella, Soya Kaas, and Soymage emerged with recognisable cheese alternatives. The 1990s saw the publication of cookbooks like "The Now and Zen Epicure," which featured recipes for vegan sour cream, mayonnaise, and pumpkin mousse using cashews. In 2004, Dr. Cow, a Brooklyn-based company, introduced artisanal nut-based wheels of cheese and cream cheese, further elevating the sophistication of vegan cheese.
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The first nut-based cheeses
The history of vegan cheese dates back centuries, with tofu-based vegan cheeses first appearing in China. In the early 20th century, "soy dairy" was developed by Li Yu-Ying, an anarchist who had learned about soy while growing up in Beijing. Yu-Ying established the first soy dairy in Paris around 1910, creating non-dairy versions of Western cheeses like Gruyere, Roquefort, and Camembert.
However, it was the exploration of ingredients beyond soy that truly revolutionized vegan cheese. The raw food movement played a significant role in this shift, with raw foodists experimenting with fermenting nuts and seeds to create cheese-like pastes and sauces. The use of nut-based milks, particularly cashews, opened up new possibilities for more cheese-like products. Cashews offer a high fat content and a malleable flavor that closely resembles traditional cheese.
One of the pioneers in this space was Schinner, who launched Miyoko's Creamery and authored the book "Artisan Vegan Cheese." Schinner discovered a way to produce vegan cheese using fermentation processes similar to those used for dairy cheese and yogurt. She replaced cow's milk with a heavy cream made from nuts or oats and then inoculated it with lactic acid, allowing bacteria to produce various flavors.
In 2004, Brooklyn-based company Dr. Cow introduced the first nut-based wheels of cheese and tangy cream cheese, bringing an artisanal touch to the vegan cheese world. Since then, nut-based cheeses have become widely popular, with recipes for walnut-based cheddar, walnut parmesan, cashew-based mozzarella, and herbed macadamia cheese balls. Nut-based cheeses are a versatile and soy-free option for those seeking plant-based alternatives to dairy cheese.
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The first tofu-based cheeses
The first tofu-based vegan cheeses were made in China as early as the 1500s, with the first mention of fermented tofu (furu) dating back to the late 16th century. Furu was used as a condiment to accompany rice or porridge, and Western sources from the 19th to 21st centuries often compared it to cheese, even referring to it as a "nondairy/vegan cheese".
In the early 20th century, soy dairy was established by an anarchist named Li Yu-Ying, who founded the first soy dairy in Paris, France. Li adapted traditional Chinese techniques for making fermented tofu to create vegan versions of Western cheeses such as Gruyere, Roquefort, and Camembert. Li's innovation sparked further development in the 1930s, with the creation of soy-based cream cheese alternatives.
The 1970s and 1980s saw the emergence of commercial vegan cheese products, including tofu-based options. However, these early offerings were often lower in quality and had unappealing textures compared to their dairy counterparts. It wasn't until the 1980s that soy protein-based cheeses with flavours and textures more akin to traditional cheese became widely available.
The versatility of tofu, with its varying degrees of firmness and texture, made it a popular choice for replicating the consistency of cheese. Additionally, tofu's ability to absorb the flavours of various seasonings made it a suitable base for vegan cheese innovation. Despite these advantages, the first tofu-based vegan cheese products that hit the market often fell short in comparison to dairy-based cheeses. It wasn't until nearly two decades later that significant improvements were made in vegan cheese flavouring and variety.
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The first vegan cheese brands
The history of vegan cheese dates back to the early 20th century when the first soy dairy was established in Paris by Li Yu-Ying, an anarchist from Beijing. Li adapted traditional Chinese techniques of fermenting tofu to create non-dairy versions of Western cheeses such as Gruyere, Roquefort, and Camembert. However, these early attempts at vegan cheese lacked the flavour and texture of their dairy-based counterparts, and it wasn't until the 1980s that soy-based cheeses began to gain traction in the market.
One of the pioneers of this industry was a woman named Schinner, who in 1988 opened Now & Zen, a San Francisco restaurant that served rudimentary vegan cheeses. Schinner went on to start a company that manufactured vegan foods, but it closed in 2003 due to a lack of interest in vegan products at the time. However, she didn't give up and, in 2011, launched Miyoko's Creamery, which quickly gained popularity and revolutionized the vegan cheese market. Schinner's innovation was to use the same fermentation process as dairy cheese, inoculating heavy cream made from nuts or oats with lactic acid to create a diverse range of flavours.
Another early entrant into the vegan cheese market was Dr. Cow, a Brooklyn-based company that, in 2004, introduced artisanal nut-based wheels of cheese and tangy cream cheese. The raw food movement also played a significant role in the development of vegan cheese, with raw foodists experimenting with fermenting nuts and seeds into cheese-like pastes and sauces.
In the early 1990s, the vegan cheese market was still in its infancy, with Soymage being the only brand of vegan cheese available in the United States. However, the market has since diversified, with brands like Daiya, Field Roast Chao, and Violife offering a wide range of slices and shreds made from coconut oil and potato starch. The expansion of the vegan cheese market is driven by a growing preference for vegetarian sources, rising urban populations, and a greater inclination towards international foods. According to market research, the global vegan cheese market is expected to reach $3.9 billion by the end of 2024, with Europe having the largest market share.
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Frequently asked questions
The first vegan cheese was made by an anarchist named Li Yu-Ying, who founded the first soy dairy in Paris, France, in the early 20th century.
Li Yu-Ying made non-dairy versions of Gruyere, Roquefort, and Camembert.
The first vegan cheese was made from fermented tofu, a process that had been used in China for over 1,000 years.
