Trader Joe’s Adds Vegan Feta Cheese to Dairy-Free Offerings

Trader Joe’s has heard the customer call for more plant-based cheese options and continues to deliver. The national grocery store chain just announced the release of its Vegan Feta Cheese Alternative. The new plant-based alternative is made with a blend of potato protein, potato starch, and coconut oil to replicate traditional feta cheese, giving consumers the chance to try a fully vegan feta cheese for an affordable price. The product will be sold in a 10.6-ounce container for $4.99, packaged similarly to traditional feta in brine.

The grocery company has pledged to enhance its plant-based profile several times over recent years. Trader Joe’s executives have revealed that the company is currently developing several plant-based alternatives while simultaneously introducing more plant-based brands to its store shelves. Trader Joe’s Category Manager for Cheese Kim Conroy stated during the company’s Inside Trader Joe’s podcast that “This is a huge growth area of the cheese business right now,” and that the feta can be supplemented into traditional meals without changing the recipe at all.”

The company initially launched its own plant-based cheese selection last summer that includes both vegan Cheddar Style Slices and Mozzarella Style Shreds. The private label vegan cheese line uses a cashew base to replicate its dairy counterpart. The two styles were priced at $3.99 per 7-ounce package. The company’s plant-based cheese selection is one of the more affordable options on the market.

Alongside the cashew-based cheese, the company also revamped its vegan cream cheese selection. The company announced that the redesigned recipe brings the plant-based cream cheese closer to tasting like the company’s dairy product. To accompany the recipe change, Trader Joe’s also released two more dairy-free cheeses including vegan Parmesan cheese shreds and vegan American-Style Coconut-Based Slices. Conroy mentioned in the podcast that the vegan cheese “melts in a grilled cheese sandwich the way a typical slice of our Organic American would melt."

Alongside its private-label products, Trader Joe’s also increased its dairy-free cheese offerings from other providers. Over recent years, the company began stocking both Miyoko’s vegan cream cheese and Boursin’s new Dairy-Free cheese spread. The plant-based cheese spread will be available in the company’s signature Garlic & Herbs flavor. The new spread was developed in partnership with the vegan giant Follow Your Heart.

The company is also developing new products that incorporate the company’s new plant-based cheeses. Earlier this summer, Trader Joe’s revealed the Vegan Meatless Meat Eater’s Pizza that showcases its vegan mozzarella shreds along with several plant-based meats such as pepperoni, Italian sausage, and chorizo sausage.

The company announced in January that it planned to maximize its plant-based selections and accelerate its development. The plant-based sector since then has continued to rapidly increase, revealing products across all food categories from plant-based protein to frozen snacks. The company just recently released 10 new vegan items, proving that it's keeping its promise. Alongside vegan cheese, consumers can expect many more plant-based alternatives to arrive in the coming years.

Califia Farms Almond Creamer is made with real almonds and coconut cream to give a rich, full-flavored texture and has 2 grams of added sugar. The consistency is so thick it’s more like a heavy cream rather than a creamer substitute. Regardless, it froths up well and is very creamy. The almond taste is noticeable but the creamer isn’t bitter or grainy. You don’t need to use a lot of it; a little goes a long way!

Silk Original Dairy-Free Original Soy Creamer has only 1 gram of added sugar, but sadly it does not froth up well when I heated it due to a thinner, more watery consistency. It didn't combine well with coffee, no matter how much was added. Because of the underwhelming flavor, this was my least favorite.

This Natural Bliss Coconut Milk Creamer/Sweet Cream is the best one I’ve found for both frothing and taste, especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half-and-half. It’s creamy and has a hint of coconut, but no overwhelming coconut flavor. Note: it is made with pea protein, unlike the other ones, which is probably why it’s thicker. Always check ingredients if you have food allergies because unexpected ingredients such as peas can be hiding in the product, and you would never know by the taste.

So Delicious has been marketing dairy-free frozen desserts, yogurt alternatives, and smooth plant-based beverages for over 30 years. Besides the coconut milk, they also have “Original,” “Snickerdoodle.” “Caramel” and “Creamy Vanilla” flavors. I only sampled the coconut milk flavor. This is the only one in this taste test with 0 grams of added sugar. It has a very rich coconut taste and froths up nicely in coffee like milk. It’s not as thick as some of the others but is a good alternative to ultra-sweet creamers if you want to be careful about your sugar intake. The coconut flavor is powerful but not overwhelming.

Natural Bliss Oat Milk Creamer, Vanilla Natural Flavor, with 4 grams added sugar is similar to Coffee Mate’s Coconut creamer but without the coconut flavor. It’s super-rich and creamy with a hint of oat flavor but not bitter at all. My new favorite! This is the best one I’ve found for frothing and taste especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half and half. It’s like the real thing as it’s creamy, fluffy and not grainy. Remember to shake it up before putting in your frother. Use a little and be happy with your non-dairy latte!

The Original Oat-Ly Oat Milk Barista Edition contains 4 grams of sugar but its full-flavored taste makes it a rich choice. It doesn’t market itself as a creamer but it does advertise as the choice for the barista community. It’s slightly less frothy than real milk when mixed but the flavor is pleasant, not bitter, and I would choose it again.

Silk Oat Yeah Oat Milk Creamer, the Vanilla One has 4 grams of added sugar and is also at the top of my list. While it’s sweet, it’s also incredibly rich which means you can use less of it in your coffee. It was thick and creamy when frothed and it adds a fluffy cap to your coffee as lattes make with real cream. Note that pea protein is an added ingredient in this creamer as well. This can rival the real thing but choose this one only if you like a strong vanilla aftertaste!

The Silk Almond Creamer Vanilla boasts that it’s “America’s #1 Almond Creamer. But with 4 grams added sugar you may want to use it sparingly. It did taste sweet and was nice and thick, so someone who likes rich creamers will love it. The vanilla aftertaste was pretty strong. And it's a little too syrupy sweet for my taste.

Nutpods is the closest you'll get to the real thing! Tasters immediately gave this dairy-free creamer a 5 out 5. The texture is smooth and mixes with coffee instantly. Unlike soy creamers, this almond and coconut-based creamer doesn't separate once your done stirring. Nut Pods is the most comparable to half and half in the whole list of creamers!

Forager is cashew milk and coconut cream based that mixes for a unique and flavorful taste. The consistency was on the thinner side, and if you're a heavy cream or half-and-half devotee this is probably not the creamer for you, although those who like a lighter flavor will enjoy it.

This creamer is rich, round and doesn't taste too overtly of coconut. You only need a splash to achieve a nice, creamy effect in your coffee, and there's no watered-down consistency, so if you swear by heavy cream or half & half, give this Trader Joe's option a try! At only $1.69 per carton, this product is a steal.

The thickest consistency of the bunch, resembling a heavy cream rather than half and half. Malk has only 5 ingredients, making it super clean and healthy! The almond flavor might be overpowering to those who like less flavor in their creamer. Add the Maple Pecan flavor to your coffee for an even sweeter taste.