Kraft Heinz launches plant-based cheese slices through NotCo joint venture

Kraft Heinz and NotCo are launching NotCheese, a plant-based version of the iconic Kraft American cheese, CEO Miguel Patricio said in prepared remarks with Kraft Heinz’s quarterly earnings report adding that Kraft NotCheese is “incredible”: “It tastes like cheese, it smells like cheese and melts like cheese,” he said. “It is very different from everything that is in the market.”

According to Bloomberg, the main ingredients are water, coconut oil, modified corn starch and chickpea protein. They will come in American, provolone and cheddar varieties.

NotCheese will be available in early November at about 30 Giant Eagle stores in the Cleveland area, Bloomberg reported. A national rollout is planned next year, according to the news service.

This is the first product from the joint venture between the CPG giant and the artificial-intelligence-powered company that creates plant-based alternatives. While Kraft Heinz has a massive portfolio, it has historically had a relatively small presence in the plant-based alternatives segment.

With this launch, Kraft Heinz joins a relatively small group of traditional cheese companies getting into plant based such as Bel Group and Saputo.

Food Dive