Cheese Alternatives

Vegan Cheese Innovation to Take Center Stage in Colombia at Salón del Queso Vegano’s First LATAM Event

Salón del Queso Vegano (Vegan Cheese Salon), a pioneering event connecting innovators, producers, suppliers, industry professionals and cheese lovers that originated in Madrid, will make its Latin American debut with an upcoming event in Colombia.  

Organized by the food design and innovation consultancy Singular Foods, the meeting will take place at Herbívoro, an upscale vegan restaurant in Bogotá, on August 29th and 30th, 2024. The event will host cooking demonstrations, wine and cheese pairings, workshops, and offering a unique opportunity for networking.

“We want to empower the vegan cheese market”

Salón del Queso Vegano first took place in 2022, with vegan cheese startups Väcka, Mommus, and Vegasauria showcasing their innovations to F&B professionals interested in animal-free and sustainable food solutions. 

Lyda Durango, vegan marketing specialist and event promoter, comments, “It’s a well-known fact that one of the biggest difficulties in the widespread adoption of a vegan lifestyle or an approximation to a plant-based diet is people’s love for cheese. That’s why we want to empower the vegan cheese market throughout the food sector so that these cheeses become a regular part of the foods people love.” 

Violife plant-based cheddar
© Violife

Celebrating vegan cheese

The vegan cheese salon in Colombia aims to celebrate vegan cheese production in the country by showcasing the “best dairy-free cheese,” to make these alternatives more mainstream and acceptable to a broader audience, including dairy cheese lovers.  

According to Singular Foods, Colombia’s vegan sector has been on a significant growth trajectory since 2020, with the plant-based dairy category, including vegan cheese, leading the way. This trend is exemplified by the notable expansions of leading companies such as Violife and NotCo, and is further supported by local Colombian companies, highlighting the region’s dynamic shift toward plant-based food.

Roberto Guerra, the event’s director of communications, shares, “There are still challenges, such as the perceived high cost of these products, which is an obstacle to the widespread adoption of vegan cheese, especially in lower-income demographics. Another challenge is ensuring consumers enjoy the same experience as they do with traditional cheese, which many vegan cheese companies are working on improving.”

Interested parties can email [email protected] for information.

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