Sweden / New York-based vegan cheese brand Stockeld Dreamery has partnered with vegan fast food chain Mr. Charlie’s to launch the Mr. Royale with Cheese.
The burger features Stockeld Dreamery’s dairy-free cultured cheddar, which is made with traditional cheese fermentation techniques. The cheese alternative is said to have excellent melting properties and a higher protein content than competing products.
The Royale with Cheese is currently available at Mr. Charlie’s’ Los Angeles restaurant and will roll out at the chain’s San Francisco location in the next two weeks.
“We’re delighted to be teaming up with these cool humans and their revolutionary cultured cheddar,” said Taylor Mckinnon, co-founder and CMO at Mr. Charlie’s. “I’m always trying to push the boundaries with our menu, so finding a plant-based cheese that actually tastes like cheese, plus one that actually melts, makes this a game changer for us on the kitchen line. It’s definitely elevated our menu. It’s the Rolls Royce of guilt-free cheese and my favorite product of ’24 to date.”
Expanded distribution
The news comes just weeks after Stockeld Dreamery announced a partnership with New York-based Plantega to distribute its cultured cheddar at more than 60 NYC bodegas. Stockeld has also just revealed that it is partnering with Vegan Distribution to expand in Northern California; through the partnership, the brand’s cultured cheddar and cultured cream cheese will be available throughout the Bay Area.
“We’re incredibly excited to bring in Stockeld Dreamery cultured cheeses,” said Sharon from Vegan Distribution. “Vegan Distribution is dedicated to providing a most extensive vegan cheese selection to our customers and this partnership will allow easier access to these wonderful new animal-friendly products.”
The “vegan McDonald’s”
Mr. Charlie’s opened its first location in Los Angeles in 2022, and was quickly dubbed the “vegan McDonald’s”. The restaurant became a viral sensation on TikTok and Instagram, developing a cult following after celebrity reviews attracted millions of views. A San Francisco location opened in January 2023, followed by a restaurant in Sydney, Australia, later that year.
The chain is known for its social justice work, which includes employing individuals struggling with homelessness, addiction, or recent release from incarceration in order to give them a “second chance at life”.
“Mr. Charlie’s is anything but your average burger chain,” said Sorosh Tavakoli, founder and CEO of Stockeld Dreamery. “They have one of the most innovative and fun brands in the space, the food is amazing, but what really makes them special is the people and their purpose of giving back to the community. I don’t think our cheese has a bigger fan than Taylor (“I can’t believe you’ve cracked it Sorosh, your cheese actually melts!!”) and I’m proud to say that it will be served on every burger in locations in LA and SF (and soon beyond).”
He adds, “California is the number one region we get cheese requests from outside of New York which makes this expansion so natural for us.”
Find out more about the brand at www.stockeld.com
