Toronto is finally getting a vegan cheese shop.
Wandering Deli is a vegan cheese company founded by Kira Lancaster. After years of experimenting with making vegan cheese and working in Toronto restaurants, Lancaster’s friends and family asked her to make custom orders. Soon, she kicked off a “secret” vegan cheese club, which earned attention from the local press.
Looking to expand her burgeoning business, Lancaster rented kitchen space at Easy Restaurant in Parkdale. She began attending local farmers markets and her husband, Cailean Lewis, joined the business full time. The two are now preparing to open Wandering Deli’s storefront, which will take over the space they’re currently using at Easy Restaurant. They launched an Indiegogo campaign to fund the shop.
“It’s time for Toronto not only to have an artisan vegan cheese shop, but a small business that truly is something the whole community can celebrate,” the page states.
Wandering Deli now offers more than 40 different types of vegan cheeses, including almond mozzarella, harvati, sunflower cheese, and brie.
Toronto’s First Deli-Style Vegan Cheese Shop
“There are still so many things that have to happen for our corner of this space to be transformed, but it is an incredibly good feeling to know we have the wheels in motion,” the company wrote in a recent Instagram post.
“Help us super charge renovating part of this kitchen in Toronto’s first deli-style vegan cheese shop! We’re raising money through Indiegogo so we can afford a new door, better equipment, and tackle all the nitty-gritty of getting up an running,” it continues.
Vegan Cheese Shops
Wandering Deli will be a first for Toronto, joining the growing ranks of all-vegan cheese shops. In Vancouver, there’s Blue Heron Creamery, which specializes in aged and cultured nut-based cheese.
New York City has Riverdel Fine Foods, which carries artisanal dairy-free cheese brands from around the world as well as its own in-house brand. The Brooklyn-based company recently opened a second location in Manhattan.
The UK’s first vegan cheese shop, La Fauxmagerie, also recently expanded due to increased customer demand. Its new shop is four times the size of the original.
Wandering Deli is currently funding its storefront through Indiegogo. The campaign is raising money for new kitchen equipment to scale up, supplies, and getting the space customer-ready. Its vegan cheese is available at local farmers markets weekly.
