Daiya Foods Inc. is a Canadian-based vegan cheese

Cheese

Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....

 food company located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company was established in 2008 by Andre Kroecher and Greg Blake. Daiya is made from cassava

Cassava

Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...

 and arrowroot

Arrowroot

Arrowroot, or obedience plant , Bermuda arrowroot, araru, ararao, is a large perennial herb found in rainforest habitats...

 and is known for its cheese-like consistency and melting properties. It contains no animal products or soy, casein, lactose, whey, wheat, barley, gluten or nuts.

Daiya is sold in natural food stores within Canada and the United States, and is featured on restaurant menus and in packaged food products made by Amy's Kitchen

Amy's Kitchen

Amy's Kitchen is a privately held corporation which began operation in 1987, with the purpose of making healthy, organic, and easy-to-prepare frozen food. Owned and run by Andy and Rachel Berliner, Amy's Kitchen took its name from their then-newborn daughter. The company employs over 1,500 people...

 and Turtle Island Foods

Turtle Island Foods

Turtle Island Foods is the company which produces Tofurky, a popular vegetarian and vegan alternative to turkey, as well other meatless products...

. Daiya has won several awards for its products, including the 2009 Veggie Award for Product of the Year. In 2011, BC Business magazine named Daiya one of the 20 most innovative companies in British Columbia.

Ingredients

Daiya contains the following ingredients:

purified water, natural whole ground cassava/tapioca and/or arrowroot flours, high oleic sunflower and/or safflower and/or identity preserved high oleic canola oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, natural flavors (derived from plants), xanthan gum, sunflower lecithin, natural vegan enzymes, natural vegan bacterial cultures, citric acid, and natural color.

Products

• Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds
• Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
• Daiya Pepperjack Style Shreds

Daiya also partners with other companies that make products with Daiya:

• Amy's
  Amy's Kitchen
  Amy's Kitchen is a privately held corporation which began operation in 1987, with the purpose of making healthy, organic, and easy-to-prepare frozen food. Owned and run by Andy and Rachel Berliner, Amy's Kitchen took its name from their then-newborn daughter. The company employs over 1,500 people...
  
   Dairy Free Rice Macaroni & Cheeze
• NuLife Grilled "Cheese" Sandwich
• NuLife Round Ultimate "Cheese" Pizza
• Gardein
  Gardein
  Gardein is a brand name of a line of plant-based foods manufactured by Garden Protein International Ltd., in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, and is marketed throughout the United States and Canada in a variety of supermarket and grocery store chains such as Whole Foods Market, Krogers, Publix,...
  
   meatless products
• The Higher Taste Vegan Supreme Buzzito
• Tofurky
  Tofurky
  Tofurky is the brand name of an American vegetarian turkey replacement made from a blend of wheat protein and organic tofu.Tofurky is a trademark of Turtle Island Foods a company based in Oregon...
  
   Pizza

Uses

Daiya can be used as an alternative to cheese in the following vegan dishes:

• Enchilada
  Enchilada
  An enchilada is a corn tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a chili pepper sauce. Enchiladas can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including meat, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, seafood or combinations.-Etymology:...
  
  
• Grilled cheese sandwich
• Lasagna
  Lasagna
  Lasagna is a wide and flat type of pasta and possibly one of the oldest shapes. As with most other pasta shapes, the word is generally used in its plural form lasagne in Italy and the U.K. Traditionally, the dough was prepared in Southern Italy with semolina and water and in the northern regions,...
  
  
• Macaroni and cheese
  Macaroni and cheese
  Macaroni and cheese, also known as "mac and cheese", "macaroni cheese" in British English, or "macaroni pie" in Caribbean English, is a casserole consisting of cooked macaroni and cheese sauce...
  
  
• Meatball sub
• Parmigiana
  Parmigiana
  Parmigiana is a Southern Italian dish made with a shallow-fried sliced filling, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked. Parmigiana made with a filling of aubergine is the earliest version...
  
  
• Pizza
  Pizza
  Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
  
  
• Quesadillas
• Reuben sandwich
  Reuben sandwich
  The Reuben sandwich is a hot sandwich of layered meat, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, with a dressing. These are grilled between slices of rye bread. The meat is either corned beef or pastrami, and the dressing is either Russian or Thousand Island dressing...
  
  

History

Andre Kroecher first began developing Daiya in 2005. Daiya cheese alternative was first introduced at the Natural Products West Expo in Anaheim, California

Anaheim, California

Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...

 in 2007.

Awards

Daiya won first place in the BC Innovation Council (BCIC) 2009 Commercialization of Agricultural Technology Competition. Also in 2009, Daiya was the awarded the PETA

Peta

Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...

 Libby Award for best vegan cheese. In 2010, it won the best vegan cheese award from VegNews

VegNews

VegNews is a magazine that publishes content about and relating to vegetarianism, including news, health information, recipes, global events, veg products, media, and more. It was founded in 2000 as a newspaper, and transitioned to full-color glossy in 2004. The bi-monthly publication now has more...

 and the 2010 Proggy Award for Company of the Year from PETA.

Further reading

• Cohen, A. (2011, January 3). Smile and Say "Daiya". All Animals. The Humane Society of the United States. 36.
• Deloitte & Touche LLP. (2011). Back to basics: How successful B.C. food & beverage companies are creating shareholder value. Second Annual B.C. Food & Beverage CEO Survey.
• Dowling, C. (2011, January 5). At last: a vegan cheese that's good. North Shore News.
• Fullbrook, S. (2011, April 4). Daiya Foods Inc. BC Business. 29 (4), 78-79.
• Mickey Z. (2010, August 4). Talking Delicious and Melt-able Vegan "Cheese" With Daiya Foods' Kristen Bourke (Interview). Planet Green.
• McKinnell, J. (2010, May 25). For these vegans, it's the Holy Grail. Maclean's. 123 (20), 60.