The First Vegan Cheesy Flatbreads Are Now Available. Here’s Where

Americans eat 3 billion pizzas every year, according to the National Association of Pizza Operators, but a number of allergies prevent pizza lovers from indulging in their favorite affordable food. Until now. Leading vegan cheese brand Daiya just announced the first-ever selection of plant-based and allergen-friendly frozen cheesy flatbreads. The three new flatbreads are inspired by the Italian trattoria experience, bringing allergen-susceptible and plant-based customers an affordable pizza option.

Featuring Daiya’s award-winning Cutting Board Cheeze Shreds on a gluten-free crust, the three flatbreads will be available at Stop & Shop, Giant, Whole Foods, New Seasons Market, and Price Chopper locations across North America. The three pizzas will be available for $9.79 online and for varying prices at retail locations. Designed to provide customers with a convenient plant-based option, the new range includes three flavors with specialty ingredients from Daiya’s current product offerings.

• Mushroom, Carmelized Onion & Fig: Topped with rich mushrooms and caramelized onions, this sweet and savory pie also features a vegan creamy garlic sauce and Daiya’s Mozza- and feat-style cheeses.
• Tomato, Sunflower Seed Pesto & Arugula: With nut-free sunflower seed pasta, this dairy-free flatbread is topped with tomatoes, red onions, arugula, and parmesan-style shreds.
• Meatless Italian Sausage Style Crumbles, Roasted Pepper & Kale: Daiya’s meatless flatbread features meatless Italian-style sausage crumbles with roasted yellow peppers and kale. This flatbread is topped with dairy-free parmesan and feta cheeses.

“At Daiya, our longstanding tradition of breakthrough plant-based discoveries continues with our first-to-market flatbreads,” Dan Hua, Vice President of Marketing, said. “We know that consumers are often still choosing to cook at home, versus eating out as a result of the pandemic, and so we wanted to ensure they had the option for both a quick and convenient, yet delicious-tasting flatbread that was both plant-based and allergen-friendly.”

Daiya Leads the Vegan Market

This February, the Product of the Year Awards granted Daiya Cheese the award for the best Plant Based Food category. The brand received the award alongside Quorn's Chiqin Cutlets, which won the Meatless category. The data agency claims that this product award is the largest consumer-voted award for product development, revealing what consumers really love to eat.

Daiya's vegan cheese products have become a household name since its founding in 2008. However, vegan cheese faces significant consumer backlash for its minimal nutrients and off-putting taste. Last December, Daiya announced that it reformulated its product selection to improve the taste, texture, and nutritional value of its vegan cheeses. Using ingredients including oat and chickpeas, the Daiya cheese blocks will range in flavor, including Medium Cheddar, Jalapeno Havarti, Smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack flavors.

Why You May Consider Avoiding Dairy

Daiya's plant-based flatbreads will give consumers an opportunity to enjoy the tasty flavors of their favorite meal without the consequences of consuming dairy. Eating dairy presents serious health risks including inflammation, joint and muscle pains, diabetes, and even cancer.

Recently, Loma Linda researchers found that drinking milk increases the risk of prostate cancer by 60 percent. Another study from the International Epidemiology Association found that one serving of milk a day was linked to a 30 percent higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Cutting out dairy can also help protect your heart. Due to its high levels of saturated fat, milk present significant risks to the heart and cardiovascular health. One study found that by reducing milk consumption and lowering saturated fat intake, consumers can lower their risk of heart disease by 21 percent.

For more great products, check out The Beet's rankings of frozen vegan pizzas and dairy-free cheese shreds.