Our thoughts may surprise you
Plant-based cheese is likely reaching its apex in 2026. Vegans and faux-cheese enthusiasts alike are finding it increasingly difficult to distinguish these products from dairy-based cheeses, thanks to refinements in the production process.
One of the latest brands of plant-based cheeses shaking up supermarkets is Umyum. Umyum’s offerings are made of cashews sourced from “an awesome company in West Africa,” according to its website. These plant-based cheeses are organic and gluten and dairy-free; even the lactic acid used comes from plants. They also have several flavored butters.
As the managing editor of a cheese magazine, here’s my honest feedback on Umyum’s roster of plant-based cheeses.
The Packaging
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While the packaging of Monroe is standard, the wedge boxes are anything but. They’re tomato red, triangular, and generally bold, channeling a commercial vibe rather than an artisanal one. Inside, each vegan cheese is vacuum-sealed for ultimate freshness.
Monroe
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Monroe is the brand’s flagship camembert-style wheel. Its exterior is impressively bloomy—it would blend in on a cheese board among dairy cheeses. The dead giveaway that it’s vegan happens when you cut into it: The paste boasts a mushroom color as opposed to a milky white.
Monroe smells yeasty and pungent thanks to an aging process that mirrors milk-based cheeses. The creamy mouthfeel is, again, rather impressive. As time passes, however, it doesn’t wilt or soften like a creamy cheese typically would.
Overall, this is a cheese I could see someone breaking out at an event to accommodate vegan friends. For the average cheese lover, it’s not a replacement for camembert, but worth trying.
Would I recommend? It depends—there’s a time and place for it.
Za’atar & Spices
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This one is kind of crushable. It’s spreadable like cream cheese, making it an excellent choice for pairing with toasted pita or a zesty bagel and schmear. The base is mild, but a good foundation for the za’atar-rubbed rind bursting with flavor. This spice blend is low-key fantastic.
It’s clearly vegan; there’s something about its fatty taste that’s decisively nutty, not milky. However, I went for seconds.
Overall, this is the option you buy if you ever need to take a little break from dairy … such as after too much holiday indulgence.
Would I recommend? Yes.
Coffee & Pepper
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Coffee & Pepper is not wholly unpleasant, but it’s definitely more coffee than it is pepper. In fact, I didn’t taste any pepper—the grounds studding the rind drowned that flavor out. I felt a small buzz after biting into a piece.
This offering is slightly messier than the Za’atar. Similarly, it doesn’t really stand on its own like a cube of cheddar would; all of Umyum’s wedges feel closer to pâtés in that sense.
Overall, the infusion of coffee in the wedge didn’t work for me. But I do think this is worth trying on a lark if you like coffee-flavored snacks.
Would I recommend? Maybe. The flavor profile wasn’t my jam.
Chutney & Saffron
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The scent of this style is fruity. It sports a yellow rind that creates an ombre effect as it travels deeper into the paste. Of the three, this one broke as I took it out of the packaging—it felt softer and more malleable than the others.
In my opinion, the chutney and saffron flavor is too intense for the vegan cheese’s base; it tasted off-balance.
Overall, it wasn’t my favorite.
Would I recommend? No.
Conclusion
If you’re in the cheese biz, your palate can likely spot the differences between Umyum’s plant-based cheeses versus milk-based cheeses, from texture to color to flavor. I think the average person would be able to pick up that something a little different is going on, too. It’s worth acknowledging that something like Monroe is just another commercially available option in the snacking realm, not necessarily a de facto replacement for, let’s say, Arethusa’s Karlie’s Gratitude.
As a brand within the vegan cheese-scape, Umyum is a solid option. If I had to choose a top pick from the four cheeses, it’s Za’atar & Spices by a landslide, with Monroe as my second. Both are very different, but equally unique. I think they’ll make several folks at your next dinner party happy—perhaps even you.
Alana Pedalino
Alana Pedalino serves as Managing Editor of culture. Her work has been featured in Bon Appétit, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and more. She loves to write, cook, and kayak. Find her bylines at alanapedalino.com.
