Switzerland Retail Giant Coop Launches “Free the Goat” Vegan Cheese

Switzerland-based supermarket giant Coop recently launched a new line of handmade vegan cheese produced by Swiss startup New Roots. The cashew milk-based cheese is available at select Coop locations in three flavors: “Free the Goat” Ricotta, Camembert Cheese, and Cream Cheese. The successful August launch of vegan ground beef and burgers made by Danish brand Naturli’ Foods prompted Coop to expand its vegan options. “Plant-based foods appeal to consumers because of their durability and increasingly because of their taste qualities,” Coop Fresh Products Manager Silvio Baselgia told European Supermarket Magazine. “Nowadays they are more popular than ever.” New Roots owners Freddy Hunziker and Alice Fauconnet are considered pioneers of vegan cheese in Switzerland and have won several awards for their products, including a Swiss Vegan Award and the PETA Vegan Food Award.