BUSINESS - WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Fresh Start Fauxmage Photos: LaVie in Pictures
F resh Start Fauxmage, an exciting new local artisanal vegan cheese company, is exactly that- a fresh start- for owner Julain Molnar. After many years working in theatre and the arts, Molnar craved something different, both in her life and on her palette, and noticed a lack of quality vegan cheeses available on the Island. “The latest figures put lactose-intolerance in 75% of the world’s population. So many folks are looking for a delicious, healthy alternative,” says Molnar. Having spent much of her life eating plant-based herself, Molnar realizes the importance of quality cheese alternatives. “It is like the difference between Kraft Slices, and Cow’s award-winning cheddar,” she laughs.
This, along with inspiration from friends abroad learning to craft the product, eventually led her to establish Fresh Start Fauxmage, PEI’s first artisanal vegan cheese. What makes her product different from the grocery store versions? Simply put: quality. “In other, larger centres, there are several fresh, high-quality vegan cheese choices,” says Molnar. “In the Maritimes, you can’t buy such a thing in most stores, and people are looking for something with a richer texture and better taste that you can only get from excellent ingredients.” Molnar’s approach to vegan cheese is like no other available here. By using nuts (as opposed to vegetable oils) and processed vegetarian proteins such as soy or pea, the results are richer, denser, and more flavourful than the grocery store
alternatives. And while her ingredients are more expensive, the results are worth it. “Nuts reward both the maker and the eater with something close to the comfort and luxury of real cheese,” she says. With flavours such as Smoked Gouda Style, Monk’s Cheddar, Chili Lime, and Dark Chocolate, along with her specialty seasonal flavours, Molnar stays busy trying to keep up with the demand. “The response has been overwhelming,” says Molnar of her new endeavor. “From the first day I walked into the Riverview Market and they said 'yes!,' I have had open doors and encouragement from all angles. The public can’t seem to get enough of it, the retailers know that it will sell, and it will bring a new demographic into their stores, and both the business community and government agencies have been nothing but supportive. I am overwhelmed with gratitude, and feel very lucky.”
With Fresh Start Fauxmage now available at approximately 20 locations, including several in Nova Scotia, Molnar can see her hard work and passion paying off, and hopes to be available across Eastern Canada in the near future. But she’ll always be certain to remember her roots: “I am so grateful to all of the wonderful people who have supported and inspired me. Special mention goes out to the folks at Bio Food Tech, Food Island Partnership, The Riverview Country Market and Café, The Charlottetown Farmers’ Market, The Startup Zone, and my dear David.”
Fresh Start Fauxmage Riverview Country Market and Cafe/ Charlottetown Farmers' Market 902.978.0448 www.freshstartfauxmage.ca
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