Yuki Cheeze Vegan Creamery
Yuki Cheeze is a vegan cheese brand that captures hearts and taste buds by offering a delightful plant-based alternative to traditional cheese. Our cheeses are crafted using 100% plant-based ingredients and made in Switzerland. We want to provide a sustainable and cruelty-free choice for cheese lovers while promoting a healthier and more ethical food system. We strive to minimize our environmental footprint at every step of our production process and use recycled and recyclable packaging.
Who are the people behind the project and what is your background?
As a vegan and vegetarian couple, we established Yuki Cheeze, leveraging our entrepreneurial experience in hospitality, sustainability, and culinary fields. Our family's scientific expertise supported us in researching the ideal plant-based cheese alternative. This isn't our first venture; we've independently developed sustainable projects like compostable packaging. Passionate about self-development, we embrace the challenge of positively impacting the world. Yuki Cheeze is our inaugural joint.
How did your idea come into being?
We wanted to find an healthy cheese alternative to animal products. After much research we realized most vegan cheeses on the market are filled with processed foods and chemicals or are made from 100% cashew nuts which is not as local as we would have expected. So we decided to make our own. We wanted to make a cheese that is good for the environment, but also for our body. After reading a lot of research papers on the subject of plant protein and fermentation as well as traditional cheese processing, we started the trials in order to make a suitable healthy and sustainable cheese alternative. It took 6 months of trials every day to nail the perfect recipe but we did it! The cheeses we created are fermented with beneficial bacteria and koji. It starts with a plant based fresh milk we make ourselves and we curdle just like real cheese making. The whey is then drained and used for our vegan burrata so we don't waste anything.
What is your idea to impactfully design a climate positive FOODprint for Switzerland?
We prioritize local and sustainable ingredients in Yuki Cheeze, sourcing Swiss soymilk, Italian almonds (constituting approximately 80% of the cheese), and Swiss alps salt. Our partnership with Swiss miso ensures locally made miso/black garlic toppings. Seasonal desserts and cheese toppings feature local produce. A small percentage of fairtrade and organic cashew nuts is used. Cashew alternative cheese reduces CO2 emissions by 3 times and requires 40% less water than animal milk alternatives, according to eaternity. Our packaging is climate neutral, plastic-free, and fully compostable, reusable, or recyclable. Recycled kraft paper boxes and home compostable stickers are used for fresh cheese, and our dessert jars are designed for reuse or recycling. We strive for zero waste!
How do you define the positive impact of your solution on the problem described above?
Local Sourcing: Our cheese is made from Swiss organic soymilk, and we use Spanish almonds and local ingredients for toppings. By prioritizing local sourcing, we minimize transportation and support regional producers.
Climate-Friendly: Approximately 80% of our ingredients are sourced locally, primarily organic, and produced in one place. This reduces the need for extensive transportation and processing. Additionally, our plant-based ingredients have a lower climate impact compared to animal-based alternatives.
Ethical Practices: We maintain close relationships with our Swiss suppliers, Spanish almond producers, and fairtrade cashew suppliers. We ensure fair compensation for sustainable raw ingredients. We even produce our packaging in-house to have full control over the process and directly support workers without intermediaries.
Health Benefits: Our cheeses are rich in living gut-friendly probiotics from plant-based ferments and koji. They also provide minerals.
