Freundeskreis developed a ‘Cam-mhh-berta’ plant-based cheese alternative made from only four ingredients: apricot kernels (a byproduct of the fruit industry), water, salt, and vegan microorganisms. Their production process is similar to traditional cheese-making.
ProVeg: Your ‘Cam-mhh-berta’ uses upcycled apricot kernels. What unique qualities does this ingredient bring to your plant-based cheese?
Freundeskreis: Apricot kernels are an agricultural by-product of the jam and juice industry. They are a circular and resource-efficient raw material. But what we value most about them is their excellent nutritional value. Apricot kernels are rich in proteins and unsaturated fatty acids. Their special properties enable us to produce a creamy and authentic cheese alternative with similar nutritional values to dairy cheese.
PV: What sustainability or innovation message do you hope customers take away when they try your cheese?
FR: We use traditional cheese-making techniques to create plant-based cheese alternatives. But instead of milking cows, we are milking apricot kernels. This way, we’re able to produce a cheese alternative with a clean label, and provide an authentic cheese experience. We want to enable vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians to enjoy the food they know and love from the past together with their friends.
PV: What is the biggest impact you hope Freundeskreis will have on the future of food?
FR: Food connects people. With plant-based moments of pleasure, we want to shape a sustainable future together and contribute to climate neutrality.
Want to learn more about our Incubator startups? We’re hosting a Demo Day, where some of the most exciting startups in the plant-based and fermentation-powered food space will pitch their bold ideas to the world.
Tune in to discover game-changing innovations and powerful presentations from our 10 featured startups, gaining insights from leading investors on what excites the industry’s top minds. You’ll have the chance to network with market leaders, fire questions to the startups, and even vote for your favorite to win the Audience Award – plus, you could win a fantastic plant-based prize!
When? Thursday, 18 September/15:30-17:45 (Central European Summer Time)
Where? Online – join from anywhere
How? Get your free ticket here.
Emily Styrka
Content Creator and Writer
