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Miyoko's Creamery
IndustryDairy-free products
PredecessorMiyoko's Kitchen
Founded2014
HeadquartersSonoma, California
Websitemiyokos.com
Clockwise from top: pepper jack, garlic and chive cheese spread, and lox cream cheese (all vegan).

Miyoko's Creamery, formerly Miyoko's Kitchen, is an American food producer founded by Miyoko Schinner in 2014.

Overview

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Miyoko's Creamery specializes in dairy-free products including butter and a wide variety of different types of cheeses using traditional cheesemaking cultures and techniques, chiefly out of cashews, oats and chickpea flour.[1][2][3][4][5]

History

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Miyoko Schinner initially started a vegan food company named Now and Zen in 1997, but could not get anyone to invest in the business. She closed that company in 2003.[6] In 2014, Schinner[7] established "Miyoko's Kitchen", but later changed its name to "Miyoko's Creamery". The startup swiftly accrued $1 million in seed money, first being invested in by Seth Tibbott, the founder of Tofurky.[1][8]

Fundraising continued to grow: in 2017, it obtained $6 million in funding, for a total of $12 million.[9] In December of that year, it moved from a 4,000-square-foot facility to a 29,000-square-foot facility,[9][10] located in Petaluma.[7] Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi made an investment in Miyoko's Creamery in November 2019.[11][12] In addition to vending within the United States, Miyoko's Creamery expanded its market in 2019, distributing to Canada and Australia.[13][14]

On 10 November, Miyoko’s Creamery announced plans to raise $12 million in funding and explore the potential sale of the business, as reported by Bloomberg. In a letter to shareholders, CEO Stuart Kronauge outlined a "financial stabilisation plan" aimed at increasing profits and considering strategic alternatives, including selling the company.[15]

Food Truck

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Miyoko's Food Truck, in a Cross Country Tour starting from March 4, 2020, distributed 15,000 free grilled cheese sandwiches around the United States in order to promote cruelty-free vegan cheese in the Country.[16][17]

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In August 2021, Miyoko's Creamery prevailed on First Amendment grounds in their lawsuit against the California Department of Food and Agriculture's attempts to force the company to cease using the words "Cheese" and "Butter" among others in the marketing of their products.[18]

In February 2023, Miyoko's Creamery announced that Schinner was no longer CEO, and that it and Schinner had parted ways.[19] A few weeks later, on February 16, Miyoko's Creamery filed a lawsuit against Schinner, alleging that she misappropriated confidential information and copied the data to her personal cloud after the board of directors voted to terminate her as CEO. The case was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, Case 3:23-cv-00711.[20] In response, on March 3, Schinner's attorney Lisa Bloom announced that she would be filing a wrongful termination counter lawsuit. Bloom stated: “The company's behavior in forcing her out of the company she created and built, then trashing her via an outrageously malicious and misleading lawsuit will be met with facts and witnesses showing that Miyoko's own complaints of toxic and sexist behavior by certain male executives were swept under the rug, and then she was demoted and fired.”[21]

On May 18 Miyoko's Creamery and Schinner made a joint announcement that both lawsuits were resolved. The announcement states: "Miyoko’s Creamery and Miyoko Schinner are pleased that they have resolved all legal disputes between them and that they have withdrawn all legal claims made against each other. Miyoko’s Creamery acknowledges the tremendous creativity, hard work, and integrity of its founder, Miyoko Schinner, a true pioneer in vegan creamery products, and appreciates her many contributions to the company over the years. Miyoko Schinner appreciates the dedicated team of people at Miyoko’s Creamery and their commitment to continuing her legacy through sustained and continued excellence in manufacturing, developing and selling vegan creamery products." It also states that they both “wish each other well as they go their separate ways.”[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b "This Woman Is Taking On The $120 Billion Cheese Industry". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  2. ^ Chowhound. "A Visit with the Queen of Vegan Cheese, Miyoko Schinner". Chowhound. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  3. ^ Erickson, Katheryn (2019-08-23). "If I Close My Eyes, I'd Swear This European-Style Vegan Butter Is Real Butter". The Strategist. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  4. ^ Mack, Heather (2019-11-14). "Vegan Cheesemaker Wants Dairies to Swap Cows for Plants". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  5. ^ Bland, Alastair (7 April 2015). "Hold The Mammal: Daring To Make Dairy-Free Cheese From Nuts". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  6. ^ Duggan, Tara (2017-02-16). "Vegan cheese startup Miyoko's Kitchen drawing lots of investors". SFGate. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  7. ^ a b Batey, Eve (2020-02-10). "Vegan Cheese Company Barred From Using Cow Photos By State Regulators". Eater SF. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  8. ^ "Miyoko's Kitchen and the Rise of Vegan Cheese". Specialty Food Association. 2016-10-03. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  9. ^ a b Forgrieve, Janet. "Will The Dairy Of The Future Come From Cashews Instead Of Cows?". Forbes.
  10. ^ Marx, Rebecca Flint (2019-05-16). "Not milking it: how vegan cheese finally caught up with modern appetites". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  11. ^ Pritchett, Liam (2019-11-14). "Ellen DeGeneres Invests In Vegan Cheese Brand Miyoko's". LIVEKINDLY. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  12. ^ "Ellen DeGeneres invests in Pelatuma's plant-based dairy brand's growth". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  13. ^ "Miyoko's Vegan Butter Debuts in 1,000 Stores in Canada". VegNews.com. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  14. ^ "Miyoko's Vegan Cheese and Butter Expand to Australia". VegNews.com. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  15. ^ Holland, Fiona (2023-11-21). "Miyoko's Creamery 'seeks funding, ponders selling business'". Just Food. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  16. ^ Ettinger, Jill (February 22, 2020). "Miyoko's Gives Away Vegan Grilled Cheese Truck on 17 City Tour". The Beet. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  17. ^ "Miyoko's Food Truck to Give Away 15,000 Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches in Cross-Country Tour". VegNews.com. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  18. ^ Schlott, Rikki (30 August 2021). "California Court Rules Vegan Creamery Has First Amendment Right To Call Products 'Butter' and 'Cheese'". reason.com. Reason. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Miyoko's Creamery Announces Executive Transition". Business Wire. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  20. ^ "Mintz Reps Vegan Food Company Miyoko's in Trade Secrets Suit". Law.com. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  21. ^ Hamstra, Mark (2023-03-02). "Schinner Plans Countersuit in Miyoko's Creamery Dispute". Specialty Food Association. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  22. ^ Watson, Elaine (2023-05-18). "Brief: Miyoko's and namesake founder bury the hatchet, withdraw legal claims". agfundernews.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
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