General Mills : Bold Cultr introduces an animal-free, cream cheese alternative

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Nov 16, 2021 • By Amanda Best

Bold Cultris launching and testing its first product at BoldCultrFoods.comand in select Hy-Vee locations in Minnesota.

Bold Cultris one of the world's first next generation cheese alternatives, made with proteins created through precision fermentation - instead of animals.

Its first product - a cream cheese alternative, plain flavor - is aimed at consumers looking for cheese alternatives that have the same satisfying taste and texture of dairy, but without the animal.

Two additional flavors of cream cheese alternatives are currently in development, as well as cheese alternative slices and shreds.

"The innovations coming out of our G-Works teams are an example of General Mills truly thinking differently about how we innovate. It starts with solving real consumer problems, developing breakthrough solutions - and then fueling those brands using the scale and capabilities of General Mills to accelerate their growth," says Doug Martin, Chief Disruptive Growth Officer. "This first product from Bold Cultr is proof positive that we're finding new ways to test and learn outside of our core portfolio and in a whitespace of the food industry. I'm proud of the entrepreneurial spirit behind the Bold Cultr team, who took a big idea and is making it a reality."

Bold Cultr was started by three co-founders, Drake Ellingboe, Laura Engstrom and Illeme Amegatcher, on a mission to revolutionize animal products starting with cheese, to deliver the next generation of dairy.

Many consumers are continuing to welcome the shift to dairy alternatives for lifestyle and environmental reasons.

"With the rise of plant-based and flexitarian diets, there is a need for a cheese alternative that has the same taste, texture and functionality as dairy cheese," says Laura Engstrom, Bold Cultr co-founder. "Many of the consumers we talked to want to be 100% dairy-free but cheese is holding them back - the alternatives aren't doing what consumers want them to. We're excited to reimagine what cheese can be and tackle this consumer problem head on." 

Bold Cultr is made from milk proteins using precision fermentation - not animals. It's made by handing off a protein blueprint to microflora that then produce a functionally identical protein to that of a cow - but made without the cow. Since the protein functions just like milk proteins, Bold Cultr uses time-tested techniques to blend and ferment to tasty perfection, just like cheesemakers have done for centuries.

The protein used in Bold Cultr products is functionally identical to animal milk proteins, which means that it should not be consumed by people with milk allergies.

"The innovation behind Bold Cultr is truly bold. New food technology is enabling us to reimagine animal-free versions of conventional dairy products," says Drake Ellingboe, Bold Cultr co-founder. "There's been a lot of anticipation from consumers and retailers, and we're excited to get our first product out there to cheese-lovers looking for a better alternative option."

Bold Cultr will be testing and learning with early partners in foodservice, and plans to expand its retail and digital footprints in the coming months. Rise Bagel Co., a Minneapolis-based artisan bagel shop, will serve Bold Cultr's next gen cream cheese alternative beginning in January.

Stay tuned for more news from the brand, including new flavor releases and product lines, by following Bold Cultr on Facebook @Bold Cultr Foodsand on Instagram @boldcultrfoods.

Amanda Best is an associate in Corporate Communications at General Mills, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She manages the company intranet and website, and contributes to "A Taste of General Mills" and the company's various social media sites. She began her career at General Mills in 2020. More posts by this author