The product will be available in 2021 in packs of 200g and is the latest in a series of plant-based innovations from Norseland, which launched Applewood Vegan in September 2019, followed by Applewood Vegan slices in June 2020, Mexicana Vegan in July and the Ilchester Vegan Festive Selection, which is new for Christmas 2020 and features two new vegan cheese alternatives alongside Applewood Vegan and Mexicana Vegan. The new introductions are the Ilchester Vegan Melting Mature and the Ilchester Vegan Blue (with blue spirulina vein).
Lisa Harrison, senior brand manager for Applewood Vegan, said, "It's been a busy year since the launch of Applewood Vegan with demand for our vegan products continuing to grow; UK sales of Applewood Vegan are set to account for 20% of the total UK sales of Applewood by the end of the year with Applewood Vegan sales increasing by 16% month on month since July 2020.
"This demand has given us the opportunity to work on new innovations for our Applewood Vegan brand, starting with the launch of the slices in June and now we are proud to reveal Applewood Vegan Grated.”
Harrison said it melts well, like its dairy cheese counterparts.
"We conducted a survey that found that 78% of consumers would buy Applewood Vegan Grated and another survey earlier this year by Raisin.co.uk showed that, during lockdown, the public were craving melty-cheese - cheese on toast, cheese toasties - which re-enforced what we were already thinking about innovation and the Applewood Vegan brand, and creating a grated version for convenience as more of the population works from home and has the majority of their meals at home.”
Like Applewood Vegan block and Applewood Vegan Slices, Applewood Vegan Grated is fortified with B12 and calcium, is coconut based, has Applewood's smoked flavoring and is free from dairy, lactose, soya, gluten and palm oil.
Norseland became the first major UK dairy company to introduce a vegan cheese alternative with the launch of Applewood Vegan last September. The company said when it launched, 40% of the stores of the first major supermarket that stocked it sold out on the first day.
Also, recent research from Alertr.co.uk showed that since April, online searches for Applewood Vegan have increased by 150%, making it the second most searched for vegan product.