It’s no secret that dairy cheese is hard to give up for those of us who grew up eating it, despite the many layers of cruelty involved in the dairy production process. With dairy cheese’s high levels of protein, fat, vitamins, and calcium — not to mention its meltability and umami flavor — it’s no wonder that so many people claim they would be vegan but just can’t bring themselves to give up cheese.

Plant-based cheese products promise to mimic all the good parts of dairy cheese, while being better aligned with health goals, vegan ethics, and environmental sustainability. Yet, while the global market for plant-based cheese is predicted to reach over US$7 billion by 2030, current offerings frequently fall short in one or more areas.

The challenges of replicating the nutritional content, functionality, and sensory qualities of dairy cheese have proven quite difficult. Beyond technical challenges, plant-based cheeses also face food neophobia since they’re unfamiliar to the average consumer. These challenges lead to a smaller market for plant-based cheese, which in turn drives up prices, hampers competition-driven innovation in the market, and reduces accessibility of plant-based cheese options in grocery stores and restaurants.

This article aims to review the current state of plant-based cheese products in Europe and provide evidence-based suggestions for improvement.

Plant-based proteins are structured differently from dairy proteins at the molecular level, and each base for plant-based cheese comes with its own unique properties. Options for plant-based cheese bases include a wide range of legumes, cereals, and nuts. However, despite this variety of options, a roundup of commercial plant-based cheeses in the U.K. found that low-protein, high-saturated-fat oils are still the most commonly found bases. Coconut oil topped this list, being found in nearly three-quarters (74%) of products, followed by nuts (10%), palm oil (5%), soy (3%), and sunflower oil (2%).

Customers deserve better. Throughout the rest of the paper, the authors address evidence-backed ways to tackle common challenges to help plant-based cheeses live up to their potential. These challenges and their proposed solutions are detailed in the table below.

Advocates can contribute to the improvement of plant-based cheeses, which will ultimately reduce demand for cruelty-derived dairy cheese, in several ways.

Consumers can hold plant-based cheese producers to a higher standard by voicing their constructive feedback directly to companies that put out sub-par products. They can even share tips from this article suitable for whichever area the plant-based cheese in question is falling short.

Meanwhile, consumers can also direct their purchasing dollars and positive feedback toward producers of higher-quality products. Advocates can suggest for these high-quality plant-based cheeses to be incorporated into their local grocery stores, restaurants, schools, or places of business.

Vegan advocacy campaigns can be transparent about the need to carefully evaluate the nutrition labels of plant-based cheeses, especially in terms of protein, saturated fat content, and vitamins. Advocates can put out guides about shopping for plant-based cheeses that educate and inform consumers, while highlighting quality plant-based cheese products and where they can be found.

Finally, advocates involved in the business of producing plant-based cheese can incorporate the evidence-backed suggestions from this article, actively seek feedback from consumers, and continue innovating on their products.