North Kingstown, Rhode Island – Galaxy Nutritional Foods, America’s leading producer of cheese alternatives, announced today the launch of its new product offering – Vegan Shreds. The new line is available in Mozzarella and Mexican flavors and is made from non-genetically modified (Non GMO) ingredients with a unique soy free cornstarch base. Galaxy’s new Vegan Shred products will be sold in natural food and health food stores throughout the United States beginning in April 2012.
The new Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan Shred line is dairy and casein free. It is also soy, gluten, lactose and preservative free. The Vegan Shreds melt, stretch, and taste like real cheese. Additionally, the products have no added sugars and have zero saturated and hydrogenated fats and are cholesterol free. The products have been produced to appeal to individuals who live a vegan and/or vegetarian lifestyle, have a milk and/or soy allergy, or simply want to improve their health by following a plant-based diet.
“Our customers are asking for delicious vegan shredded cheese alternatives that melt and stretch like the real thing,”said Rick Antonelli, Chief Executive Officer, Galaxy Nutritional Foods. “It took us over a year to develop our Vegan Shreds and we’re excited to deliver this new product to the marketplace and give our customers what they’ve been demanding – a cheese alternative that tastes great while also satisfying their dietary needs and lifestyles.”
Over the past year, there has been tremendous growth in the shredded cheese categories. According to a Spinscan powered by Nielsen Scantrack report ending September 3, 2011, shredded cheese products in both the conventional and natural channels are the fastest growing segment in the category with sales up 32 percent from a year ago and 64 times that of slices. The growth in this particular segment can be attributed to the fact that consumers enjoy the convenience of a shredded product as their lives become busier and they strive to prepare simple and healthy meals at home.
Galaxy Nutritional Foods makes many products for a variety of consumers – those living with dietary restrictions such as lactose intolerance and food allergies and those who have chosen to live a vegan and vegetarian lifestyle. According to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), food allergy is on the rise in the United States with 15 million Americans having food allergy including 6 million children. The rate is growing significantly among children. In June 2011, according to a study published in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, statistics show that 1 in 13 children in the United States have a food allergy.
“We really understand the vegan and food allergy markets and wanted to develop a soy and dairy free shredded product that acts like real cheese,”said Jerry Schwartz, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Galaxy Nutritional Foods. “Our new Vegan Shreds are unique because they eliminate two of the most common food allergens while maintaining a superior taste.”
Galaxy Nutritional Foods is well known in the industry for its ground-breaking recipe formulas, which provide consumers great tasting alternatives that taste and act like real cheese. For example, the company unveiled to the marketplace last year a unique dairy free Vegan Cream Cheese Alternatives in two flavors – Classic Plain and Chive & Garlic – that were well received by retailers and consumers. These products are available under the company’s Veggie and Vegan brands and are similar to real cream cheese in texture and taste due to an innovative culturing process. Galaxy’s Cream Cheese Alternatives are the only cultured product of its kind on store shelves today. Additionally, the company’s Cream Cheese Alternatives are made with a base of coconut and sunflower oils and soy protein, which help to create its smooth and creamy texture.The products are completely gluten and dairy free (casein free) and certified kosher.
Product nutrition information for Galaxy Nutritional Foods’ new Vegan Shreds include: Serving Size 1oz. (28g) Servings per container 8. Calories 90. Total Fat 6g. Calcium 25%. Cholesterol 0mg. Sugar 0g.
About Galaxy Nutritional Foods
Over the last 25 years, Galaxy Nutritional Foods, based in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, has forged innovation in the lactose intolerant and diet related products industry. Galaxy’s Veggie brand cheese alternative is the leading seller in the nation and is sold in the produce section of the most major supermarkets in the United States and Canada. Galaxy’s popular cheese alternative brands available in natural foods stores nationwide, include soy-free Rice, soy-based Veggy, dairy-free Vegan, and dairy- and soy-free Rice Vegan. For the millions of Americans suffering from dairy allergies, Galaxy developed its allergen free (soy and dairy free) Rice Vegan brand and the soy-based Vegan brand, which cater to the vegan lifestyle and dairy restricted diets. The company’s newest product introductions, Veggie and Vegan brand cream cheese alternatives, have won numerous awards for taste, texture and functionality and are dairy free. Galaxy is a national multi-site silver sponsor of the FAAN Walk for Food Allergy, which take place in more than 40 locations across the country. For information, please visit www.GalaxyFoods.com.
Source: Galaxy Nutritional Foods