All cheese, or Vanozza?

In this interview, company founder Nico talks about the award-winning mozzarella, the benefits of going meat-free and his Italian aunt

Nico, how do you come to make vegan cheese?

I switched to a vegan lifestyle over ten years ago. In 2015, I opened the first vegan pizzeria in Hamburg. I needed good cheese for it. It not only had to be made from natural ingredients, but also have the perfect consistency when it melted. As there was nothing satisfactory on the market at the time, I started to develop the cheese myself. Initially only for my own use, then also for other caterers. I have since sold the pizzeria, but I still make the cheese.

How did you develop your products?

We experimented a lot to find the perfect recipe - initially in the restaurant kitchen. The basic idea for our mozzarella based on cashews, psyllium and coconut came from my aunt in northern Italy. Together with experts and food technicians, we then further developed our mozzarella in the foodlab and are now ready for retail.

You recently won the Startup-Days at Grüne Woche. What does that mean to you?

We are of course delighted to have won this award! It has not only brought us great media attention, but also the opportunity to present our products to a wider audience. We hope that this will enable us to win over even more retailers for our products.

Where can I currently buy your mozzarella?

In addition to direct sales to restaurants, you can find our mozzarella in selected shops and online. These include Chef's Kulinar, Transgourmet, Mammafiore, Frischedienst in Berlin, Rewe Nord and the vegan-vegetarian delivery service Velivery. We also envisage partnerships with Rewe Ost and Edeka in the future.

What makes vegan life special for you?

The increased availability of vegan products has now made vegan life easy. That wasn't the case ten years ago. A positive side effect was that I learnt to cook very well and creatively as a result. Overall, I feel fitter and more energised thanks to the vegan diet.

What is your favourite dish with Vanozza cheese?

The classic is of course pizza. The new mozzarella sticks that we are launching this year are also unbeatable in flavour. It's our first ready-to-fry frozen product with a gluten-free coating. They are awesome.