Dive Brief:
- Violife, a maker of dairy-free cheeses, spreads and creamers, announced a social series on TikTok and Instagram called “Undairy the Dish,” which showcases its products being used to create a variety of recipes, according to a press release.
- The series is part of a larger “Undairy the Craving” campaign from the Flora Food Group brand. Other campaign elements include a gift-card giveaway, partnerships with a variety of chefs from across the country, a recipe generator and a grant for aspiring chefs.
- The brand’s marketing sees it trying to address some of the concerns surrounding vegan cheeses such as taste, meltiness and texture. Compared to dairy-free milk alternatives, vegan cheeses continue to lag in terms of popularity gains.
Dive Insight:
Violife is leveraging social media to dispel some of the preconceived notions surrounding the versatility of vegan cheeses and spreads. “Undairy the Craving” is intended to show consumers that dairy-free cheeses can be a suitable stand-in that delivers the same satisfaction as traditional cheeses. The campaign also comes as the global plant-based cheese market is expected to hit $9.9 billion by 2033, up from $3.5 billion in 2024.
The multipart campaign includes several components meant to directly address some of the commonly held beliefs surrounding vegan cheese products. For example, Craving Credits allow consumers to upload a receipt for any dairy cheese purchase and receive a $5.99 e-gift card to use for a Violife product, providing a way to try the brand risk-free, as nondairy alternatives can be pricey. The Undairy the Craving recipe generator provides ideas on how to use Violife products using AI-generated recipes.
The Undairy Collective is a group of chefs, including Akhtar Nawab of Alta Calidad & Wayward Fare, Jenner Tomaska of Esme and Yara Herrera of Hellbender. The group will put out a variety of content involving Violife products, such as menu takeovers, original recipes and in-person experiences.
The Undairy Grant is a collaboration with the Culinary Careers Program to support the careers of up-and-coming chefs.
Social series have become a go-to for food brands looking to show off their products. TikTok has proven to be a valuable tool, with food trends on the platform helping to drive demand for ingredients and certain products, as exemplified by recent surges in interest in Dubai Chocolate and cottage cheese.
Violife is not the first food brand to use social media to demonstrate how its products can be used in the kitchen. As part of its “#UnlockYourGreenFlag” campaign, Knorr posted recipes to TikTok and Instagram in the lead up to Valentine’s Day to encourage consumers to cook their sweetheart a meal at home to show off their cooking prowess instead of spending money eating out.
AI recipe generators also have proven popular for brands. In 2024, Avocados From Mexico launched GuacAImole, an AI tool that generated unique guacamole recipes from images users uploaded.
Flora Food Group has largely focused on dairy-free and vegan alternative brands. Other brands in the company’s portfolio include Country Crock, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! and BlueBand.
