New Culture: In Asheville, Darë Vegan Cheese is creating delicious plant-based alternatives

_{Team Effort: All cheeses are handcrafted by Darë staff members (above) at the company’s Asheville facility.}

The proprietor of Darë Vegan Cheese loves a good pun. “Darë” is pronounced “dairy,” and is a play on words involving owner Gwendolyn Dare Hageman’s middle name. Prior to Darë’s launch in 2019, Hageman spent several years working in the unpredictable food industry to save up for her own business.

Hageman was inspired to create non-dairy cheeses because of her sister’s vegan diet. “She and I were roommates. She had been vegan for a while . . . a lot of vegan cheese tastes bad,” she laughs. “I really enjoyed the meals my sister and I made together,” noting that she, too, became vegan.

Hageman, who holds a biology degree and is a self-professed “science nerd”, came up with a proprietary approach to making dairy-free vegan cheese that tastes great and sells well. She began offering her products at farmers markets. Now, she not only has a thriving online business—her Darë cheeses can be also found at Whole Foods in both the Southeast and in Southern California, as well as Earth Fare and select Harris Teeters.

Like so many other small businesses in Western North Carolina, Darë Vegan Cheese fell victim to Hurricane Helene’s wrath. “We lost all our inventory” because of the water damage, she recalls. “But we restarted that October . . . I feel lucky.” Hageman grew up on the Outer Banks, so she’s familiar with horrific hurricanes. “You know what they say,” she continues. “Action is the antidote to despair and we’re still here a year later!”

Traditionally, cheese is made by curdling milk and drying, shaping, and aging the solids to get specific flavors and textures. Rather than fermenting animal products, Darë uses the same techniques with a cashew base to achieve a smooth texture with different flavors. The handcrafted cheeses can be used in many dishes like homemade cheesecakes, deviled eggs, harvest salads, pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, oatmeal bars, casseroles, dips, wedges, waffles, and more. “Our vegan cheese is just an everyday product,” she explains.

Darë’s extensive product list includes customer favorites such as the smoked pimento dip and balsamic fig wedges. “The pimento is a best seller, especially here in the South. It’s nostalgic, I think. People love it,” she explains. Also, the balsamic fig . . It’s just as delicious as it is beautiful!”

She and her team are constantly researching new recipes that highlight their products (many are available on their website). “We’re always thinking outside the block,” she jokes. For the holidays, Darë is releasing a new chocolate cheesecake dessert recipe. The company sells lots of whole cheesecakes during December for families and office parties, Hageman explains. Cheese boards, with crackers, nuts, olives, and vegan cheese are also popular. “We have grown super rapidly,” Hageman explains.