Founder Spotlight: Margaret Coons (Nuts For Cheese)
Margaret Coons
Company:
Business Description:
Nuts For Cheese is a leading producer of 100% dairy free, plant-based cheese made from Organic and Fairtrade Certified cashews. Available in six deliciously creamy flavors, Nuts For Cheese can be found across Canada and the US.
Startup Stage:
Scaling
Location:
London, Ontario, Canada
What led you to where you are today?
I embarked on my journey in 2015 as a certified vegan chef experimenting after hours to create a premium, artisanal vegan cheese using only the finest ingredients. My first year in business included many late nights, renting commercial kitchen space and early mornings at the farmer’s market selling my products. Almost immediately we were overwhelmed with requests from independent health food shops, restaurants and eventually large conventional retailers (1,500 stores and counting!).
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
Scaling up recipes for high-volume production without making sacrifices to quality was definitely a learning curve. Today, I’m proud our products are made without the use of starches, gums, fillers or artificial flavours. We also recently achieved our Fairtrade Certification in addition to being Certified Organic and Certified Vegan.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
Helping young brands, collaborating with other brands, and sponsoring / participating in vegan community events.
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
Raising awareness for our brand as we expand into the US market and introduce new product lines such as Nuts For Butter launching this summer.
Fun fact about you:
I like to keep busy! I’m working on a cookbook. Stay tuned!
Anything else you would like to share?
Business ownership is a round-the-clock commitment - be prepared to pivot, get creative and take every opportunity you can!
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