Vegan shoppers ‘outraged’ over Bega’s new plant-based venture
- Replies 15
Bega, an Australian dairy brand, now offers plant-based cheese for the first time in its 124-year history.
This new product has been introduced by Coles and is said to be specifically made to cater to the needs of vegan shoppers. However, the launch has now become the subject of scrutiny after it has created a rift among a group of people who think that Bega is taking advantage of the booming plant-based market.
Recently, Coles has caused quite a rift within a certain group of shoppers after launching a new product that has been seen as the supermarket chain ‘taking advantage’ of the vegan market.
Bega’s plant-based versions of shredded and sliced cheddar cheese were discovered by shoppers at a local Coles in Queensland’s Gold Coast this week. This comes as part of the company’s plan to make its products more accessible to people who follow a plant-based diet.
Photos of the products were shared online, which sparked a fierce divide among shoppers.
Many said they were happy about the new option, but others were upset that it would make their trip to the dairy aisle ‘even more confusing’.
‘It's not cheese. Call it something else if it isn't dairy,’ one man complained after seeing the sliced and shredded range in the store.
Vegans, in particular, were upset because they felt that the company was taking up market space – one even urged Bega to ‘stay out of it’.
‘Stay out of it, Bega. Leave some space in the market for smaller companies,’ they wrote.
Another took issue with the company being funded by the dairy industry, which they claimed meant Bega was only concerned about expanding profits and not animal welfare.
The upset shopper wrote: ‘I try not to support companies that also make animal-derived products as their ethics are not in alignment with my vegan ethics. Whether the product itself is vegan or not, the company isn’t (especially a giant dairy product producer like Bega).’
Another pointed out that Bega makes cow milk cheese aside from plant-based cheddar. ‘You can’t erase 90 per cent of this company’s morals just because they want to cash in on a market they are missing out on. There are other companies that are way more ethical that deserve your money,’ they added.
Others have complained that the cheeses are priced higher than Bega’s dairy offerings while also being more expensive than other vegan cheeses.
One pointed out that both 200g packs of shredded and sliced cheese were advertised for $8.50. Meanwhile, the normal 250g shredded and sliced cheese variety costs $7.00 in Coles online store.
‘I can understand why vegan alternatives from vegan companies cost more because it is a niche market, but big businesses like this should not be charging $1.50 more than their dairy cheese for 50g less. Just more price gouging,’ one replied.
The vegan products were also described as a ‘rip-off’ compared to other brands.
‘What a rip-off. I will continue to buy Sheese as it is $2 cheaper and my favourite,’ one wrote.
‘It’s a shame all the vegan cheeses are so expensive,’ another added.
At the same time, someone else suggested that this was a ‘tactical move’ for the dairy company as they recently recorded profits being down 74 per cent in the half-yearly financial results.
Revenue was up 11 per cent to $1.67 billion; earnings were down by 26 per cent during this time last year.
‘The dairy industry seems to be taking an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach,’ another responded.
On the other side of the coin, many said they were happy to see another company taking steps to offer a dairy-free option.
‘The market is getting bigger and bigger; it’s so good to see,’ one replied.
‘Really curious to see how it tastes,’ someone else commented.
At the time of its release, Matt Gray, the General Manager of Marketing at Bega Foods, said the company’s expertise in the cheese-making business places them in the ‘best possible position to make an appealing substitute’.
‘We have credentials in cheese making, and we’re excited to leverage this knowledge and expertise to create a great tasting dairy-free range under the Bega brand,’ Mr Gray declared.
The brand’s Marketing Manager, Niamh Farrell, also stated: ‘Bega’s Plant-Based Cheese range has undergone sensory testing to create a smooth, creamy, cheese-style product that delivers on texture and taste.’
Ms Farell added that the newest offering was ‘proudly in line with the quality of Bega’s great portfolio of products that our consumers know and love’.
A spokesperson for Coles said adding plant-based products was one of the ways the supermarket was meeting the growing demand of the public.
‘We have a growing number of customers choosing to purchase vegan and meat-alternative products, and we are working hard to continue to expand that range to meet their demands,’ the spokesperson told reporters.
Members, where do you stand when it comes to Bega's new plant-based cheese? Let us know in the comments!
This new product has been introduced by Coles and is said to be specifically made to cater to the needs of vegan shoppers. However, the launch has now become the subject of scrutiny after it has created a rift among a group of people who think that Bega is taking advantage of the booming plant-based market.
Recently, Coles has caused quite a rift within a certain group of shoppers after launching a new product that has been seen as the supermarket chain ‘taking advantage’ of the vegan market.
Bega’s plant-based versions of shredded and sliced cheddar cheese were discovered by shoppers at a local Coles in Queensland’s Gold Coast this week. This comes as part of the company’s plan to make its products more accessible to people who follow a plant-based diet.
Photos of the products were shared online, which sparked a fierce divide among shoppers.
Many said they were happy about the new option, but others were upset that it would make their trip to the dairy aisle ‘even more confusing’.
‘It's not cheese. Call it something else if it isn't dairy,’ one man complained after seeing the sliced and shredded range in the store.
The new product caused a divide among shoppers. Credit: NastyaSensei/Pexels
Vegans, in particular, were upset because they felt that the company was taking up market space – one even urged Bega to ‘stay out of it’.
‘Stay out of it, Bega. Leave some space in the market for smaller companies,’ they wrote.
Another took issue with the company being funded by the dairy industry, which they claimed meant Bega was only concerned about expanding profits and not animal welfare.
The upset shopper wrote: ‘I try not to support companies that also make animal-derived products as their ethics are not in alignment with my vegan ethics. Whether the product itself is vegan or not, the company isn’t (especially a giant dairy product producer like Bega).’
Another pointed out that Bega makes cow milk cheese aside from plant-based cheddar. ‘You can’t erase 90 per cent of this company’s morals just because they want to cash in on a market they are missing out on. There are other companies that are way more ethical that deserve your money,’ they added.
Others have complained that the cheeses are priced higher than Bega’s dairy offerings while also being more expensive than other vegan cheeses.
One pointed out that both 200g packs of shredded and sliced cheese were advertised for $8.50. Meanwhile, the normal 250g shredded and sliced cheese variety costs $7.00 in Coles online store.
Bega’s plant-based cheese variety costs more than the natural variety. Credit: Facebook
‘I can understand why vegan alternatives from vegan companies cost more because it is a niche market, but big businesses like this should not be charging $1.50 more than their dairy cheese for 50g less. Just more price gouging,’ one replied.
The vegan products were also described as a ‘rip-off’ compared to other brands.
‘What a rip-off. I will continue to buy Sheese as it is $2 cheaper and my favourite,’ one wrote.
‘It’s a shame all the vegan cheeses are so expensive,’ another added.
At the same time, someone else suggested that this was a ‘tactical move’ for the dairy company as they recently recorded profits being down 74 per cent in the half-yearly financial results.
Revenue was up 11 per cent to $1.67 billion; earnings were down by 26 per cent during this time last year.
‘The dairy industry seems to be taking an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach,’ another responded.
On the other side of the coin, many said they were happy to see another company taking steps to offer a dairy-free option.
‘The market is getting bigger and bigger; it’s so good to see,’ one replied.
‘Really curious to see how it tastes,’ someone else commented.
At the time of its release, Matt Gray, the General Manager of Marketing at Bega Foods, said the company’s expertise in the cheese-making business places them in the ‘best possible position to make an appealing substitute’.
‘We have credentials in cheese making, and we’re excited to leverage this knowledge and expertise to create a great tasting dairy-free range under the Bega brand,’ Mr Gray declared.
The brand’s Marketing Manager, Niamh Farrell, also stated: ‘Bega’s Plant-Based Cheese range has undergone sensory testing to create a smooth, creamy, cheese-style product that delivers on texture and taste.’
Ms Farell added that the newest offering was ‘proudly in line with the quality of Bega’s great portfolio of products that our consumers know and love’.
A spokesperson for Coles said adding plant-based products was one of the ways the supermarket was meeting the growing demand of the public.
‘We have a growing number of customers choosing to purchase vegan and meat-alternative products, and we are working hard to continue to expand that range to meet their demands,’ the spokesperson told reporters.
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