A vegan cheese triumphed over dairy in a major contest, but then events took a sour turn

A groundbreaking event occurred in the cheese industry when a plant-based blue cheese from Climax Foods, based in Berkeley, California, was poised to win a prestigious Good Food award. This award evaluates not only the product's quality but also the environmental and social ethics of the companies involved. This particular vegan cheese, made from ingredients like pumpkin seeds, lima beans, hemp seeds, coconut fat, and cocoa butter, had made it through to the final selection and was served in top restaurants, including Eleven Madison Park in New York.

However, the victory celebration for Climax Foods was cut short when the Good Food Foundation, the awarding body, retracted its finalist status. The foundation initially proposed naming a co-winner and hinted at revisiting their categories next year. The controversy heightened when it was revealed that an older ingredient, kokum butter, used in Climax cheese, was under scrutiny for not having GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status by the FDA, although it was later replaced with cocoa butter in the submitted product. The foundation had quietly updated its criteria to include GRAS certification, a change not present at the time of finalist announcements.

The situation escalated when it was discovered that Climax had actually been informed via email in January that it was the award winner, leading the company to prepare for the celebration. However, Climax CEO Oliver Zahn was informed by a reporter that they were no longer in the running, prompting allegations of foul play and accusations that the foundation caved to pressure from traditional dairy cheesemakers.

The controversy reflects broader tensions in the food industry about the definition and acceptance of vegan products alongside traditional dairy items. Climax’s approach to cheese-making involves using plant-based ingredients directly, which CEO Zahn argues is simply more efficient than traditional methods involving animals.

Despite the setback, the incident signals a significant shift in the artisanal cheese industry, challenging traditional views and potentially reshaping market dynamics as vegan alternatives gain sophistication and consumer acceptance.