First Singapore-produced vegan cheese to offer more alternatives to consumers

SINGAPORE- The first plant-based, nut-free cheese range to be developed locally has been launched, contributing to national efforts to reach 30 by 30, the goal to locally produce 30 per cent of food consumed by 2030.

HerbY-Cheese, which is said to melt and grate like real cheese, is sold under the brand HerbYvore and features three products that emulate staple cheeses: parmesan, cheddar and mozzarella.

The dairy-free cheese range was developed by home-grown agricultural commodity company, Agrocorp International, with support from Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Enterprise Singapore.

It offers alternatives to those who are lactose-intolerant, or cannot tolerate imported vegan cheeses, which often contain nuts.

Made with pea protein, instead of the more commonly used soy, HerbY-Cheese contains 5g to 7g of protein in every 100g.

Mr Vishal Vijay, director of strategic investments at Agrocorp, said HerbY-Cheese is minimally processed and contains no more than 10 ingredients in each cheese product.

The price of a 250g block of HerbY-Cheese is $9.50, inclusive of GST.

Associate Professor Susanna Leong, vice-president of applied research at SIT, said a goal in the development of the alternative cheese was to gain a “clean label”.

This indicates that the product was minimally processed and uses only the necessary natural ingredients, she said.

HerbY-Cheese is available to customers on HerbYvore’s website, Green Butchery’s online store, The Green Collective SG, and Everyday Vegan Grocer. 

Ms Lena Tan, head of marketing and business development at HerbYvore, said having vegan alternatives does not mean people need to become vegan.

“Instead, they can adopt a flexitarian diet that emphasises plants or plant-based foods, and lower their consumption of meat and dairy to benefit their health,” she said.

Beyond cheese, HerbYvore also sells a plant protein block that is available on its website, and at FairPrice Finest, The Green Collective SG and Green Butchery. The block cooks like non-melting cheese, and can be used when cooking dishes like vegan pesto, “meatless” patties, or brownies.

The cheeses were produced and tested at SIT’s subsidiary, FoodPlant, which was jointly established with Enterprise Singapore and JTC Corporation, to carry out small-batch production for pilot testing of local markets before large-scale manufacturing begins.

FoodPlant has helped other industry partners develop and bring new food products to the market, including Lentil Pops by Aggropops, a healthy high-protein snack, and Deliciously Bib’s Hainanese Beef Stew and ABC Stew, nutritionally rich food formulated for infants.

At the HerbY-Cheese launch on Friday morning, Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Trade and Industry, said: “Alternative proteins today are more affordable, tastier, healthier, and also a more sustainable food source.”

“The green economy is brimming with opportunity and potential,” he said, citing it as key to meeting the 30 by 30 goal in a “fast, sustainable manner”.

Agrocorp’s international presence across 50 countries demonstrates how Enterprise Singapore can help local businesses obtain a global reach, said Mr Tan.

“The Government will continue to help our businesses internationalise,” he added.