Flying Squirrel the plant-based cheese made in Ireland

Colm O’Fearaíl is the man behind the Flying Squirrel plant-based cheese, and he talks a bit about the market and how it started, check the interview.

What is your business about?

I make plant-based or vegan cheese using traditional cheese-making techniques. That means the cultures I use are used on dairy cheese and the process I use to ferment it, to age it are very similar to how dairy cheeses are made. At the moment, I am producing an alternative to camembert made from macadamia and cashew milk and I am planning on bringing a range of other cheeses to market.

How did your business start and how is it going so far? what are your thoughts about this market?

I started making cheese alternatives around four years ago. Prior to that, I had started learning about cheese making and fermentation in the UK and Germany. With the help of the SuperValu food academy, I was able to launch in a number of stores last September and then later started supplying some wonderful vegan eateries like The Carrot’s Tail and Veggie Vibe. I have a small farm and the plan and dream are to build my own production unit and then be in a position to rescue animals. So far, it has been going really well but obviously things are very tough at the moment with the pandemic. In general terms, there is a growing market for vegan products and alternatives and although it is incredibly difficult for small producers, I think the future is bright for vegan food businesses.

In a few words, tell us the benefits of the products/services you offer?

The cheeses are made from 100 % natural ingredients, are soya free, palm oil free, they’re hand crafted using traditional methods of aging and fermenting. They are suitable for vegans , those looking for another lactose-free alternative or those making a conscientious decision to cut down on dairy for health or environmental reasons.

For how long time are you Vegan and what made you go vegan?

I’m vegan a little over six years now. On Christmas day a few years ago, I delivered a calf on my uncle’s farm and I began asking questions of myself at that point as to whether I could continue supporting animal agriculture. Like many others, I had been blissfully ignorant of the suffering of animals and didn’t make the connection between the fate of the animal and what was on my plate. When I started learning the truth about how we as a society treat animals, the decision was easy.

How do you see the vegan community in Ireland?

As a community, we are growing and getting stronger all the time. There are so many positives, we have lots of activists doing fantastic work, great vegan businesses and some amazing vegan sanctuaries like Heartstone, Eden and Back into Daylight. Of course, there are powerful business and lobby groups that will oppose change but we now have a unique opportunity to stand up for animals as more and more people become familiar with the horrors of animal agriculture and the direct link to climate change.