LOS ANGELES — Grounded Foods Co. is introducing cheese alternatives formulated with fermented cauliflower and hemp seeds. Products include lemon, garlic and thyme marinated goat cheese-style blocks; an onion and chives cream cheese-style spread; and an American cheese-style sauce.
Free of nuts, soy and gluten, the products were designed for flexitarians seeking to reduce dairy consumption, according to the company. Grounded Foods was founded by Australian business partners Veronica Fil, a former behavior economist, and Shaun Quade, a chef and restaurateur. The startup sources imperfect vegetables to create products that are lower-cost, nutrient-dense and environmentally sustainable.
“We’re not vegan ourselves, but we recognize that there are enormous sustainability issues surrounding dairy production,” said Ms. Fil, chief executive officer of Grounded Foods. “Our goal is to help everyday people shift away from dairy, by creating something so insanely tasty, you wouldn’t think twice about choosing it over cheddar.”
Last year, Grounded Foods closed a $1.74 million Series Seed round led by Stray Dog Capital, a venture fund supporting plant-based startups. Other investors included Rocana Ventures, Veg Invest Trust and members of the GlassWall Syndicate. Previously, Grounded Foods participated in Mars’ Seeds of Change Accelerator Australian cohort and the Big Idea Ventures startup accelerator program.
The products are available online at groundedfoods.com.