Daiya Foods

Daiya Foods, founded in 2008 in Vancouver, Canada, is a leading plant-based food company specializing in dairy-free alternatives. The company's product lineup includes a variety of plant-based cheeses, yogurts, dressings, and frozen foods such as pizzas, burritos, and desserts. Daiya's products are free from dairy, gluten, soy, and peanuts, catering to consumers with dietary restrictions and those seeking plant-based options. The company utilizes ingredients like oat flour, pea protein, and coconut cream to create its dairy-free products. In 2017, Daiya was acquired by Japanese pharmaceutical company Otsuka for USD 325.97 million, a move aimed at expanding its global reach. As of 2023, Daiya's products were available in over 25,000 retailers across North America and in several international markets.

In March 2023, Daiya announced a multi-million dollar investment in fermentation technology at its 400,000-square-foot production facility in Burnaby, British Columbia. This investment aims to revolutionize their vegan cheese production, focusing on improving taste, texture, and meltability to more closely resemble dairy cheese. The company has been working with Italian artisans and strategic partners, including those in academia, to develop these new formulations. Daiya's latest innovations include plant-based cheese that can achieve a cheese pull of 180 millimeters, approaching the 200-250 millimeter range of dairy cheese.

Key customers and partnerships

In January 2022, Daiya Foods entered into a sales and distribution partnership with Hyundai Green Food to bring its dairy-free products to South Korea. This agreement allows for the distribution of over 15 Daiya products through Hyundai's 20 stores, ecommerce channels, and food services division, catering to the growing demand for plant-based foods in the country.

Daiya's products are sold in various retail chains across North America, including Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Metro Ontario, Zehrs, Sobeys, and Safeway. The company has also expanded its presence internationally, with products available in markets such as Australia, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dubai, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Ireland, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, and Sweden.