Stockeld Dreamery’s Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Spreads Into NYC’s Iconic Ess-a-Bagel

Stockeld Dreamery, the Swedish alternative dairy startup, is expanding its presence in the United States with a new partnership in New York City.

Stockeld has teamed up with New York City’s iconic Ess-a-Bagel to offer customers a plant-based sandwich featuring Stockeld Dreamery’s non-dairy cream cheese. This collaboration marks Ess-a-Bagel’s first-ever foray into plant-based sandwiches in its 47-year history.

‘Healthier and more sustainable foods’

“I am personally responsible for this [Ess-a-Bagel] partnership, having cornered, stalked, and politely pushed this New York institution to partner with us,” Sorosh Tavakoli, CEO and co-founder of Stockeld Dreamery, said in a statement.

“When I finally got to meet Melanie, whose aunt initially started the company, we hit it off immediately! We could instantly appreciate the contrasts between the new meeting tradition and the newcomer meeting the established. We could also instantly find alignment and energy in the desire to push boundaries to deliver healthier and more sustainable foods to the masses,” Tavakoli said.

Visitors to Ess-a-Bagel’s 3rd Avenue store can now indulge in the “Fire in the Hole” sandwich, featuring Stockeld Dreamery’s cream cheese. Additionally, customers can opt to add this cheese alternative to any bagel, with two flavor options available: Smoked Paprika & Chili and Garlic & Herbs.

Stockeld Dreamery‘s non-dairy cream cheese has already gained popularity at three other esteemed New York City establishments: Ground Support Cafe, Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys, and Zucker’s Bagels & Smoked Fish. Soon, it will also be launching at Zaro’s Family Bakery, further expanding its reach across the city.

Novel vegan cheese

Stockeld Dreamery’s ambitious cheese project was made possible by a successful €16.5 million Series A funding round in 2021. This financial support has allowed the company to accelerate the expansion of its team and product portfolio, fueling its mission to revolutionize the cheese industry.

The cream cheese from Stockeld Dreamery is crafted using a unique blend of fermented chickpeas and lentils, complemented by ingredients like coconut oil and spices. Launched last year after more than two years of product development, the company aims to provide a plant-based alternative that rivals traditional dairy cream cheese.

It joins a growing vegan dairy cream cheese category that’s expanding beyond nuts and soy as the base. In March, Israel-based food tech start-up, ChickP Protein, Ltd., announced it had also developed a chickpea isolate that can be used in making plant-based cream cheese.

Last month, Swedish oat milk brand Oatly announced that its oat-based cream cheese was available nationally across the U.S. for the first time.