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Plonts, a new plant-based cheese brand, has debuted its first product in the US following a $12 million seed round and opening of a pilot plant in Oakland, California.

Plonts uses traditional fermentation methods to turn soya milk into plant-based cheese. Its first product, a cheddar alternative, is now available at select restaurants in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area.

The start-up’s cheesemaking method involves a specially developed blend of cultures and enzymes which create a tangy, cheesy flavour as the cheese ages. According to Plonts, its end result is a ‘bold’ cheddar that slices, shreds and melts just like the dairy variant.

Founded in 2019 by Nathaniel Chu and Josh Moser, Plonts was born in the corner of a pizza restaurant. Co-founder Chu completed a PhD at Massachusetts Institute of Technology studying the human gut microbiome, and wanted to apply his microbes expertise to creating fermented foods from sustainable, nutritious and affordable plant sources.

Now, the company has opened its pilot plant and closed the $12 million seed round, led by Lowercarbon Capital, a ClimateTech venture capital fund with more than $2 billion in assets under management. Plonts secured additional investment from Peter Rahal's Litani Ventures, Accelr8, Pillar, Ponderosa Ventures and several angel investors.

San Francisco-based Chinese-American cocktail bar Moongate Lounge is one of Plonts’ foodservice partners, serving up the cheddar alternative in a grilled cheese sandwich dish with bok choy, fermented cabbage and roasted maitake mushrooms. Brandon Jew, founder and executive chef of Moongate Lounge and restaurant Mister Jiu’s, said: “As a chef, I believe it is increasingly important to understand how and when meat and dairy alternatives can supplement your menu.”

“There is already a rich history in Chinese cuisine that leans heavily into the creativity of using soy milk. Plonts is a new product with old-world sensibilities, providing yet another way to enjoy soy milk. It maintains the cheesy, melty properties of a cheddar and compels you to consider it in place of dairy cheese.”

Top image: © Plonts/Erin Ng

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