New Line of Creamy Vegan Brie to Debut

Wildbrine, a fermented foods company known for its raw sauerkraut and kimchi, unveiled a new cashew-based vegan brie and butter during the annual trade show Natural Products Expo West. The cheese is cultured to replicate the “funk” and brine of dairy-based gourmet cheese. Flavors of the revolutionary brie include Beet Blush, Shiitake Shakeup, and Neo Classic (Wildbrine’s take on traditional brie), and like its dairy-based counterpart, Wildbrine’s variety has a distinctive rind created during an aging process. The butter is also made from fermented, or “cultured,” cashews and coconut oil, and can be used in multiple applications, from spreading on toast to baking flaky vegan pie crusts. “We believe in fermentation and culture, and it works wonders for cheese and butter,” co-owner Chris Glab told VegNews. “We’re using this ancient technique to take fermentation to different categories to help everyone eat more plant-based.” Wildbrine’s new vegan products will begin to roll out to specialty stores in California by mid-spring and will eventually be available nationwide. Other vegan companies have also come out with fermented cheeses in recent years, such as Nuts For Cheese, Julie’s Vegan Foods, and Punk Rawk Labs, adding to the sophistication and variety of the plant-based cheese market.