First Vegan Cheese Factory Opening in Thailand

Swees, a producer of plant-based dairy products, has declared that it will open “Thailand’s first” industrial-scale plant for the manufacturing of vegan cheese in the early part of 2023.

The two-year-old firm is now based in Chiang Mai, Thailand’s northernmost province. In order to enhance the accessibility of its animal-free cheeses to catering and retail consumers, it is launching an aggressive growth strategy.

Swees aims to expand its market share throughout the larger Asia-Pacific (APAC) area in addition to domestic clients. According to CEO Nicolas Frauenfelder, interest in plant-based foods is on the rise in this region, following the lead of Europe.

Cheese not only for vegans

Swees was established in 2019 and formally introduced in 2020 after a triumphant debut at the Thaifex food festival.

In place of dairy, Swees uses locally produced soybeans in an effort to appeal to health-conscious customers more broadly than just vegans. As a result, its nondairy selection excludes ingredients such as palm oil, trans fats, sugar, and GMOs.

It also keeps an eye on a crucial group of customers: those who cannot tolerate lactose.

It is estimated that lactose intolerance affects 90 percent of Asians in some way. Despite this, there is a growing demand for traditional dairy products. Asia is now known as the region with the highest dairy consumption, with China and India leading the way.

However, the APAC vegan cheese market is projected to increase at an annual rate of 15.17 percent as consumers begin to value health in a post-pandemic world and as plant-based dairy alternatives become more widely available.

Environmental effects of dairy

Swees positions itself as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional dairy while also taking consumer health concerns into consideration. The dairy industry is associated with a number of negative environmental effects, such as soil degradation, deforestation, and water contamination from manure and fertilizer runoff.

Emissions are a significant issue as well; it is estimated that the manufacturing of dairy cheese accounts for around 4% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

In particular, methane emissions should be decreased by 30% by 2030, according to experts. Notably, the dairy business today raises an estimated 270 million dairy cows, and one cow can belch up to 220 pounds of methane annually.

According to recent studies, plant-based cheese is associated with 50% fewer emissions than regular dairy substitutes. Additionally, Swees has cited additional study that puts the number considerably higher.

“The opening of the vegan plant-based cheese factory in Thailand is historic in all ramifications, as it is designed as a sustainable new production facility to produce vegan cheese for Thailand and save the environment, with studies revealing that plant-based cheese releases 80 percent less CO2 emissions compared to dairy cheese,” stated Frauenfelder.

The business has started its initial fundraising campaign to help fund its growth goals. Additionally, to aid in the creation of a fresh batch of cheeses made from cashews.

Source: “Thailand Opens Its ‘First Ever’ Vegan Cheese Factory” by Plant Based News

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