Top brand companies have taken notice of the surge in demand for plant-based and vegan diets. They understand that it is here to stay and not just a fad. As a result, many companies joined the trend and produced dairy-free versions of their popular products. Because they are experts in the food industry, this is fantastic news for us since they make dairy-free versions that taste like the original products.

Kraft, Babybel, and Philadelphia Cream Cheese now have dairy-free versions of their most famous cheese products. Read my review of the products and learn how AI helped Kraft develop authentic-looking and tasting dairy-free cheese.

Kraft NotCheese

The cheddar and provolone slices smell and taste like real cheese. They did not fall apart and were separated in between wax paper, which was a nice feature. 

While the provolone has a mild Swiss cheese flavor, the cheddar smells and tastes like real cheddar cheese, even capturing the sharpness. It is my favorite of the two. Kraft NotCheese also makes an American cheese version.

NotCo, the company that partnered with Kraft to make vegan cheese, used an AI program named Giuseppe to replicate the look and taste of cheese. Giuseppe breaks down the molecular components of animal-based products and researches a database of 300,000 plants for those with similar molecular structures to recreate the look, feel, and taste. That’s why the NotCheese products taste just like real cheese.

Ingredients

Water, Coconut Oil, Chickpea Protein, Modified Food Starch, Contains Less Than 2% Salt, Soybean Oil, Carrageenan, Natural Flavor, Sorbic Acid As A Preservative, Lactic Acid, Chickpea Flour, Coconut Cream, Paprika Extract (color), Annatto Extract (color), Rosemary Extract.

Best consumed within five days.

Babybel Plant-Based Vegan Cheese, White Cheddar

Everyone recognizes the Babybel round-shaped cheese encased in red wax paper. The vegan version is wrapped in green wax and is soft, smooth, and moist. It also smells and tastes like white cheddar.

According to their website, “Babybel® Plant-Based is made in the same facility as our dairy-based Babybel® products, but in a separate space dedicated to our plant-based products to ensure it has no exposure to milk or any of the other U.S. FDA Top 9 allergens.”

Ingredients

Water, modified food starch, coconut oil, calcium citrate, no more than 2% of each: salt, natural flavor, citric acid, beta-carotene (color), cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12).

Philadelphia Plant-Based Cream Cheese, Chive and Onion

Most of the vegan cream cheese I have tried in the past taste more like sour cream, better suited to top a baked potato. However, this one tastes like cream cheese, and while it was hard at first, it became spreadable after I mixed it with a butter knife. Kraft owns the Philadelphia Cream Cheese brand, and  I couldn’t find out if Kraft also used AI to replicate the authentic taste, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they did. Other flavors are original and strawberry.

The package says it contains no gluten, lactose, or artificial dyes.

Ingredients

Water, Coconut Oil, Modified Potato Starch, Faba Bean Protein, Contains Less than 2% of Salt, Dried Chives, Dried Onion, Xanthan Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Lactic Acid, Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid as a Preservative.

Conclusion

I’ve reviewed many vegan cheese brands, and these three come the closest to getting the texture and taste right. For those who don’t want to go dairy-free or vegan because they can’t find authentic-tasting cheese, I think these products can make them change their mind.

Did You Know?

I’ve reviewed many brands that make gluten and dairy-free versions of their popular products. The brands with flavors identical to their original products are:

• Oreo gluten-free cookies (original, mint crème, double stuf, and golden)
• Hidden Valley Plant Powered Ranch Dressing
• Starbucks Non-Dairy Creamer (pumpkin spice, hazelnut, and caramel)
• I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter
• Country Crock Plant Butter
• Reddi Wip Dairy-free (the one made with coconut milk, not almond milk)
• Lindt Oatmilk Chocolates
• Ben and Jerry’s non-dairy ice cream

Brands That Taste Like Brand Name Chocolates

• Go Max Go: Jokerz, Twilight, and Mahalo taste like Snickers, Milky Way, and Almond Joy
• Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Dairy-Free Hazelnut and Cocoa Spread is similar to Nutella
• No Whey Milkless is similar to Hershey’s milk chocolate

Vegan and Gluten-free Chocolates Similar to Brand Names

Fun Food Fact

NotCo also makes vegan-friendly products, including NotMilk, NotBurgers, and NotChicken.

Quotes

“In reality, cow’s milk, especially processed cow’s milk, has been linked to various health problems, including mucous production, hemoglobin loss, childhood diabetes, heart disease, atherosclerosis, arthritis, kidney stones, mood swings, depression, irritability, ALLERGIES.”

Townsend Medical Letter, May 1995, Julie Klotter, MD

“At least 50% of all children in the United States are allergic to cow’s milk, many undiagnosed. Dairy products are the leading cause of food allergy, often revealed by diarrhea, constipation, and fatigue. Many cases of asthma and sinus infections are reported to be relieved and even eliminated by cutting out dairy.”

Natural Health, July 1994, Nathaniel Mead, MD