Daiya facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Retail, food service, ingredient supply |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | 3100 Production Way, Burnaby, BC V5A 4R4 |
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Key people
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Andre Kroecher (co-founder) Greg Blake (co-founder), Hajime Fujita (CEO) |
| Products | Dairy alternatives |
| Parent | Otsuka Pharmaceutical |
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Daiya Foods Inc. is a company from Canada. It is located in Burnaby, British Columbia. The company was started in 2008 by Andre Kroecher and Greg Blake.
Daiya is famous for making cheese-like products. These are made from coconut oil and tapioca flour. They look and melt like real cheese! Their products don't have any animal ingredients. They also do not contain soy, lactose, wheat, barley, gluten, or nuts.
You can find Daiya products in many stores. These include natural food stores and regular supermarkets. They are sold in countries like Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, Mexico, and Hong Kong. Some restaurants use Daiya products on their menus. You can also find them in packaged foods from companies like Amy's Kitchen. Daiya has won many awards for its products. For example, it won the 2009 Veggie Award for Product of the Year. In 2011, BC Business magazine called Daiya one of the most creative companies in British Columbia.
In July 2017, a big company called Otsuka Pharmaceutical bought Daiya Foods. They paid $405 million for it.
How Daiya Foods Started
Andre Kroecher began working on the idea for Daiya in 2005. Greg Blake joined him in 2007. For the next year, they worked together. They created the mozzarella and cheddar style shreds. These were based on Andre's early ideas.
In early 2008, a food scientist named Paul Wong joined the team. He helped them make the recipes better. He also helped them produce more of the products. Daiya Foods, Inc. first showed its products at a big event. This was the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California, in 2009. People loved them right away! In late 2009, Daiya Foods moved to its own special building. This helped them make sure their food was very safe.
In November 2019, Hajime Fujita became the new CEO of Daiya Foods. He now leads the company's work around the world. He also helps the brand grow in new countries. Before this, Fujita worked for Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, the company that owns Daiya. Also, Melanie Domer was promoted to Chief Commercial Officer. John Kelly became the Chief Marketing Officer. These were important changes in the company's leadership.
Awards and Recognition
Daiya has won many awards for its products and ideas.
- In 2009, Daiya won first place in a competition. This was the BC Innovation Council (BCIC) Commercialization of Agricultural Technology Competition.
- Also in 2009, PETA gave Daiya the Libby Award for the best vegan cheese.
- Daiya Foods won the VegNews Veggie Award. This happened at the Natural Products ExpoWest Show in Anaheim, California. They won it in March 2009, 2011, and 2012.
- In 2010, VegNews named it the best vegan cheese.
- PETA also gave Daiya the 2010 Proggy Award for Company of the Year.
- In 2012, Daiya won awards in Canada. These included the British Columbia Food Processors award for Product of the Year. They also won the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Gordon Royal Maybee award. This award is for great new ideas in food production or quality.
See also
