Sheesy arancini balls

Source: Bute Island Foods

The NPD will roll into Tesco on 12 September (rsp: £4/200g)

Cheese alternative brand Sheese is claiming a category first with its vegan take on arancini.

The brand has debuted packs of eight soya-free “deliciously gooey, tomato and mozzarella flavour rice balls”.

They will roll into the plant-based section of Tesco chillers on 12 September (rsp: £4/200g).

Sheese owner Bute Island Foods marketing director Nigel White said the brand had responded “to what our customers want on their plates”.

White added: “With more and more people wanting to try alternatives to dairy, as well as the growing number of people in the UK who follow a plant-based diet, we decided to bring a unique, truly delicious and exciting new product to UK shoppers.”

It comes after Sheese last year splashed over half a million pounds on a new look, new flavours and a marketing push in a bid to lure a wider range of shoppers to cheese alternatives.

Sheese certainly isn’t the only brand hoping to capitalise on the growing demand for cheese alternatives.

Rival Nurishh recently added two new cheese alternative products: Plant Based Garlic & Herbs Spread and Gran Vegiano.

Meanwhile, plant-based cheese startup Honestly Tasty last month secured a six-figure backing from specialist investment firm Veg Capital to accelerate its NPD pipeline.