Everybody say Sheese!!!

SHEESE made by Bute Island Foods is an award winning product that is completely dairy free, gluten free, non-GMO and certified vegan and Kosher.

It all began thirty years    ago with a group of humble artisans around a farmhouse kitchen table. A cheddar style soya-based cheese alternative was developed and they called it ‘Scheese’. In 1994 Bute Island Foods renovated a very small derelict stone building on the Scottish Isle of Bute, and established the first official production of hand-crafted Sheese in the completely animal and dairy-free site.

With more flavors being added to create a more extensive range, Sheese quickly gained popularity, and was soon available in many other European countries, starting with Sweden, Germany and Holland. For many years it was completely produced by hand, including the individual weighing out and shaping of each item, using a hand-press. With a new managing director in 2003, whom having been seriously ill as a child and unable to eat dairy or animal products, was determined to develop and produce a wide range of alternatives to dairy food products as close as possible to the original, in taste and texture.

Demand outgrew production capabilities and so new state-of-the-art machinery was purchased, doubling production capacity.

By 2012 Bute Island Foods had a delicious range of spreadable creamy Sheese and a new range of melting Sheese. Expansion continued in products, premises, and distribution, with Sheese supplying private labeling for Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Spar and some overseas companies too. Bute Island Foods won the Vegan Product Developer of the Year 2017 from the Food & Drink Awards and in 2018 went global reaching all the way down under in Australia!!!

When launched in Australia company director, Mark Crichton, said: “Just like the UK, plant-based is booming down under, and 2018 looks likely to set new records, as more and more people awaken to the benefits of plant-based products. It’s incredibly rewarding to see Sheese becoming a well-loved brand around the world, bringing our long-standing vision to life and giving people an alternative to dairy that they love.”

Bute Island Foods have taken their Sheese to many exhibitions around the world such as the Free From Functional Food Expo held in Barcelona and the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, proving to be beneficial as their products are now available in Israel and the USA too.

As one of the main employers on the small Scottish Island of Bute, the dedicated team work hard to make and develop new vegan foods, because it’s something they really care about. They care passionately about animals, and fervently about making healthy foods for people who are lactose intolerant or just want to stop eating dairy. Be sure to check out their website’s ‘vegan recipes’ for some inspiration on everything from soups to vegan cheesecake.

After speaking with Laura Edwards , Sheese’s Public Relations Officer, it is clear that Sheese are  always busy in research and development and hope to be producing even more products, which are friendly to everyone. They pride themselves on having good quality products, so are constantly bettering themselves.

Currently they produce 11 Sheese blocks, 6 Creamy styles, 3 Wedged styles, 4 pre-grated and 4 pre-sliced. All of the information for each product can be found on their website, most are Kosher certified and proudly sport the KLBD logo. A lot of their products made for private labels, including an ice cream range are also Kosher certified but not necessarily with the logo on the packaging. The Original Creamy Sheese and also the Garlic and Herb Cream Sheese are the flavors with the highest demand, both kosher certified with the KLBD logo.

We asked Laura “How does being KLBD kosher certified benefit your products?”  She answered “We are so proud to be certified kosher because we are reaching a whole other community. Our main consumers in the past have been from the vegan community or the free-from community, so to have the support from the Jewish community is a fantastic bonus for us.”

     For more information please visit http://www.buteisland.com