JULIENNE BRUNO: dairy-free cheese without sacrificing pleasure

In recent years, consumers – including many beyond the vegan community – have experimented with plant-based cheeses. Flexitarians are driven not just by curiosity, but by concerns for personal health and environmental sustainability. A single kilogram of traditional cheese requires approximately 5,605 litres of water and generates 24 kg of CO₂-equivalent emissions – largely from methane produced by cows (1).

Despite growing openness to plant-based products, repeat purchases remain limited compared to traditional meat and dairy (2). JULIENNE BRUNO’s founders wanted to understand why. Through conversations with chefs, restaurants, and retail buyers across Europe, they consistently heard the same message: the eating experience often falls short. Consumers were underwhelmed by the taste and texture of existing vegan cheeses.

“Don’t imitate, create. Don’t compare, enjoy.” These words were scrawled on a whiteboard on the first day of development in 2021. From the outset, the London-based startup set its sights on creating plant-based products that feel premium and taste exceptional – driven by culinary craft as much as by ingredients.

Inspired by Italian gastronomy, the team developed a line of dairy-free products – including Burrella (burrata-inspired) and Superstraccia (stracciatella-inspired) – that deliver on taste, texture, and versatility. Made from soya and coconut, these products are shaped through a fusion of fermentation science and gastronomy. They first hit UK supermarket shelves in 2022 and they are now available at leading retailers such as Ocado, Harrods, and Whole Foods Market.

Participation in EIT Food’s Fast Track to Market programme provided an important boost. With €267,900 in funding, the team invested in market research, local personnel, and targeted marketing – accelerating their expansion and helping secure national listings in Switzerland and Ireland. This collaborative ethos has been with JULIENNE BRUNO since the beginning. To ensure their creations resonated with real-world consumers, the startup partnered with chefs, restaurateurs, and early adopters – organising tasting sessions with national buyers and in-store demos to gather hands-on feedback.

Today, the JULIENNE BRUNO core team has expanded to 14 people and the products appear in more than a thousand hospitality venues, including Michelin-starred restaurants and esteemed establishments like Gauthier Soho, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Soho House, and Pizza Pilgrims. The products have won multiple awards – including the Great Taste award and Nourish Award – and they have featured in lifestyle publications such as GQ and Marie Claire.

Looking ahead, JULIENNE BRUNO is thinking big. They plan to launch in Spain and Italy by late 2025, before expanding into other European markets. With projected year-on-year growth of 141%, their long-term vision is clear: to make plant-based food the most desirable and accessible option – globally.

Their impact is multifaceted. By complementing traditional dairy, the company helps reduce emissions, conserve water, and protect land. It also creates new jobs in food tech and manufacturing, while making it easier for consumers to embrace sustainable eating without compromising on health or pleasure.

JULIENNE BRUNO is at the forefront of a cultural shift in how we eat. Like other plant-based pioneers, they face challenges – from educating consumers to navigating regulatory frameworks. But with a collaborative, innovation-driven approach, they’re well positioned to grow while keeping sustainability at the heart of their mission.

Learn about the latest opportunities, research and innovations shaping the food industry.

1. Science: Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. DOI: 10.1126/science.aaq0216
2. HealthFerm: Plant-Based Fermented Foods. European Consumer Attitudes and Preferences. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.12542743