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Daiya

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Daiya Foods Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryRetail, food service, ingredient supply
Founded2008
HeadquartersVancouver, British Columbia
Key people
Andre Kroecher (co-founder, VP Innovation, Director)
Greg Blake (co-founder, CEO, Director), Paul Wong (VP R&D), Dave Beryar (VP Finance), Michael Lynch (VP Marketing), Mike Cooke (VP Sales), Rich Simons (Chairman), Eric Patel (Director), Terry Tierney (Director), Hans Knapp (Advisor)
ProductsDairy alternatives
ParentOtsuka Pharmaceutical
Websitehttp://www.daiyafoods.com/

Daiya Foods Inc. is a Canada-based dairy alternative food company located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company was established in 2008 by Andre Kroecher and Greg Blake.[1] Daiya is made from cassava and arrowroot and is known for its cheese-like consistency and melting properties. It contains no animal products or soy, casein, lactose, whey, wheat, barley, gluten or nuts.[2]

Daiya is sold in natural and conventional food stores within Canada and the United States, and is featured on restaurant menus and in packaged food products made by Amy's Kitchen and Turtle Island Foods. Daiya has won many awards for its products, including the 2009 Veggie Award for Product of the Year.[3] In 2011, BC Business magazine named Daiya one of the 20 most innovative companies in British Columbia.[4]

In July 2017, Otsuka Pharmaceutical agreed to acquire 100 percent of Daiya Foods Inc. for US $325.97M.[1][5]

Products

Pizza topped with Daiya cheese
  • Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds
  • Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
  • Daiya Pepper Jack Style Shreds
  • Daiya Cheddar Style Block
  • Daiya Jalapeño Havarti Style Block
  • Daiya Monterey Jack Style Block
  • Daiya Smoked Gouda Style Block
  • Daiya American Style Slices
  • Daiya Cheddar Style Slices
  • Daiya Provoloné Style Slices
  • Daiya Swiss Style Slices
  • Daiya Gluten Free Supreme Pizza
  • Daiya Gluten Free Fire Roasted Vegetable Pizza
  • Daiya Gluten Free Cheeze Lover's Pizza
  • Daiya Gluten Free Mushroom & Roasted Garlic Pizza
  • Daiya Gluten Free Margherita Pizza
  • Daiya Gluten Free Spinach & Mushroom Pizza
  • Daiya Strawberry Cream Cheese Style Spread
  • Daiya Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread
  • Daiya Chives & Onion Cream Cheese Style Spread
  • Daiya Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese Style Spread

Daiya also partners with other companies that make products with Daiya:

  • Amy's Dairy Free Rice Macaroni & Cheeze[6]
  • NuLife Grilled "Cheese" Sandwich
  • NuLife Round Ultimate "Cheese" Pizza
  • Gardein meatless products
  • The Higher Taste Vegan Supreme Buzzito
  • Tofurky Pizza[7]

Uses

Vegan enchilada with Daiya cheese substitute at Bandidas Taqueria, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Daiya can be used as an alternative to cheese in various vegan dishes.

History

Andre Kroecher first began developing Daiya in 2005. Greg Blake partnered with Kroecher in 2007 and the two spent 1 year developing the Mozzarella and Cheddar Style Shreds now in stores based on Kroecher's early innovations. Food Scientist Paul Wong was brought on in early 2008 to help with scaleup and refining the formulations. Daiya Foods Inc's alternatives were first introduced at the Natural Products West Expo in Anaheim, California in 2009 and were an instant success. In late 2009, Daiya Foods moved to a dedicated facility to ensure the highest level of food safety (Daiya Foods Inc. is an SQF certified facility)[8] After Daiya's acquisition by Otsuka, some retailers have discontinued carrying Daiya products; this is due to Otsuka's practice of using animal testing. [9]

Awards

Daiya won first place in the BC Innovation Council (BCIC) 2009 Commercialization of Agricultural Technology Competition.[10] Also in 2009, Daiya was the awarded the PETA Libby Award for best vegan cheese. Daiya Foods won the VegNews Veggie Award at the Natural Products ExpoWest Show in Anaheim, CA in March 2009, 2011 and 2012. In 2010, it won the best vegan cheese award from VegNews[11] and the 2010 Proggy Award for Company of the Year from PETA.[12] 2012 awards in Canada include the British Columbia Food Processors award for Product of the Year and the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Gordon Royal Maybee award, in recognition of outstanding applied development by a Canadian company or institution in the fields of food production, processing, transportation, storage or quality control.

See also

References

  1. ^ Rosolen, D. (2011, May). Company Profiles: Daiya Foods Inc. Food in Canada. 71 (4), 38-42. ISSN 1188-9187
  2. ^ Clyne, C. (2009, November 7). SV Interview: The Dudes of Daiya - Andre Kroecher and Greg Blake. SuperVegan.
  3. ^ The Veggie Awards 2009. VegNews. (70).
  4. ^ The 20 Most Innovative Companies in B.C. 2011. Guide to Innovation in B.C. BCBusiness.
  5. ^ Foods, Daiya. "Otsuka Announces the Acquisition of Rapidly Growing Plant-Based Food Innovator Daiya". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  6. ^ Harradine, G. (2010, October). 2010 Foodie Awards. Vegetarian Times. (380), 54-59. ISSN 0164-8497
  7. ^ Veggie Bits. (2010). Vegetarian Journal. 29 (4), 26. ISSN 0885-7636 See also: Tofurky Pizza (official site).
  8. ^ About us. Daiya Foods Inc. 2010.
  9. ^ https://theoutline.com/post/2145/daiya-otsuka-vegan-cheese-controversy
  10. ^ Phan, I. (2010, January 11). $600,000 Awarded to the Recipients of the 2009 Commercialization of Agricultural Technology Competition. BCIC Press Release. Canada Newswire.
  11. ^ Morgan, T. (2011, August 10–16).Find: Daiya Vegan Cheese. Boise Weekly, 20 (7), 17. ISSN 1944-6314
  12. ^ Moore, H. (2010, December 20). Vegan Cheese Maker is Company of the Year. The PETA Files.
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