Parmela Creamery

What Parmela Creamery does

Parmela Creamery is a US-based plant-based cheese manufacturer founded in 2014 and headquartered in Fontana, California. The company produces vegan cheese products made from whole cashew milk, with a portfolio split across two formats — Slices (Sharp Cheddar, Mild Cheddar, Creamy American, Fiery Jack) and Shreds (Sharp Cheddar, Mild Cheddar, Mozzarella, Fiery Jack). Its technical differentiation rests on traditional culturing and aging methods adapted from master cheesemakers: aging windows range from 15 days (Creamy American) to 60 days (Sharp Cheddar), with Mozzarella described as fresh cultured. The company positions its products as authentic-tasting dairy alternatives for health-conscious consumers, vegans, vegetarians, athletes, and consumers with dairy sensitivities.

The business model is rooted in conventional US grocery distribution: products are sold through retail grocery stores nationwide, and the company website functions primarily as a marketing and store-locator asset rather than a direct e-commerce storefront. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Revenue is described as generated through plant-based cheese product sales across Slices and Shreds. No DTC e-commerce channel, foodservice partnerships, broker relationships, or exclusive retail arrangements are disclosed in the source material.

Ownership and capital structure are narrowly founder-driven. Ry Salomone (CEO & Co-Founder) and Parker Salomone (CMO & Co-Founder) lead the company. The only disclosed external capital event is a single $1.25 million seed round in 2019 from 25madison; no subsequent funding rounds, institutional investors, parent companies, M&A activity, or partnerships are recorded. Headcount is reported at 251–500 employees, which is unusually high relative to the disclosed funding profile and revenue signals. No revenue, patents, trademarks, awards, regulatory actions, or compliance certifications are disclosed.

Name

Parmela Creamery

Legal name

Parmela Creamery

Website

https://parmelacreamery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grated, Shredded & Sliced Cheese Manufacturing (Value-Added Cuts) (AFAHABAF), Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB)

Keywords

• Plant-based cheese
• Vegan dairy alternatives
• Dairy-free aged cheese
• Cultured cashew cheese
• Plant-based slices shreds

Headquarters

HQ city

Fontana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Plant-Based Cheese Product Sales: Parmela Creamery generates revenue through the sale of its plant-based cheese products including slices and shreds, distributed through retail grocery stores. Products include Sharp Cheddar, Mild Cheddar, Creamy American, Fiery Jack, and Mozzarella varieties.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Parmela Creamery manufactures and sells plant-based, dairy-free cheese products made from whole cashew milk. Its product line consists of two formats, Slices and Shreds, offered across multiple varieties including Sharp Cheddar, Mild Cheddar, Creamy American, Fiery Jack, and Mozzarella. Each variety is produced through traditional culturing and aging processes, with aging periods calibrated by cheese type to develop rich, creamy, and authentic flavors comparable to conventional dairy cheese.

Product overview

Parmela Creamery is a plant-based cheese company offering a unified portfolio of vegan, cultured, and aged cheese products made from whole cashew milk. The product line consists of two main categories: Slices (Sharp Cheddar, Mild Cheddar, Creamy American, and Fiery Jack) and Shreds (Sharp Cheddar, Mild Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Fiery Jack). All products undergo traditional culturing and aging processes, with aging periods ranging from 15 to 60 days depending on the variety. The company positions itself as preserving authentic cheesemaking traditions while delivering plant-based alternatives with bold, deep, and decadent flavors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sharp Cheddar Slices Plant-based sharp cheddar cheese slices cultured and aged 60 days using traditional cheesemaking methods with a whole cashew milk base, delivering a deep and sharp flavor profile for individual consumers seeking dairy-free cheese alternatives.
• Mild Cheddar Slices Plant-based mild cheddar cheese slices aged 30 days for mellow flavor and smooth texture, designed for hot dogs, grilled cheese, and casual applications by individual consumers seeking dairy-free alternatives.
• Creamy American Slices Plant-based creamy American cheese slices aged 15 days for creamy richness, targeted at grilled cheese sandwiches and vegan omelettes for individual consumers seeking dairy-free cheese alternatives.
• Fiery Jack Slices Plant-based spicy cheese slices aged 30 days that balance spice with natural creaminess, targeted at burritos and burgers for individual consumers seeking dairy-free cheese with a spicy flavor profile.
• Sharp Cheddar Shreds Plant-based sharp cheddar shredded cheese aged 60 days with a deep and sharp flavor, suitable for nachos, tacos, and other shredded-cheese dishes for individual consumers seeking dairy-free alternatives.
• Mild Cheddar Shreds Plant-based mild cheddar shredded cheese aged 30 days with mellow flavor and smooth texture, recommended for loaded baked potatoes and mac 'n' cheese for individual consumers seeking dairy-free alternatives.
• Mozzarella Shreds Plant-based mozzarella shredded cheese that is fresh cultured, featuring the mellowest and creamiest profile and intended for pasta and pizza applications for individual consumers seeking dairy-free alternatives.
• Fiery Jack Shreds Plant-based spicy shredded cheese aged 30 days with bold spice, positioned as a topping for nachos or hearty chili for individual consumers seeking dairy-free cheese alternatives.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Field Roast (Maple Leaf Foods): Plant-based cheese and meat brand, owned by Maple Leaf Foods, offering Chao sliced and shredded plant-based cheeses. Directly competes on retail sliced/shredded cheese SKUs against Parmela.
• Kite Hill: Plant-based cheese and dairy brand offering soft cheeses, aged cheeses, ricotta, and cream cheese made from almond and oat bases. Comparable premium positioning and clean-label ethos, though broader category coverage than Parmela.
• Follow Your Heart: Long-standing plant-based cheese brand offering slices, shreds, and blocks across dairy and vegan categories. Directly comparable on retail presence, product format, and target health-conscious consumer.
• Violife: Major plant-based cheese brand owned by Upfield offering slices, shreds, and blocks across cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan varieties. Direct competitor for retail shelf space in the same product formats as Parmela.
• Miyoko's Creamery: Direct competitor in cultured, aged plant-based cheese using traditional dairy-free methods (originally cashew-based, now expanded). Closest peer on aging process, premium positioning, and clean-label story in plant-based cheese.
• Daiya Foods: Plant-based cheese pioneer offering slices, shreds, blocks, and cream cheese, plus broader plant-based pizza and meals. Competes with Parmela across virtually all sliced/shredded SKUs in the same retail channels.

Broad incumbents

• Tillamook: Premium dairy brand that has expanded into plant-based cheese slices. Comparable as a brand-driven retail cheese player with strong consumer loyalty that is now moving into Parmela's niche.
• Bel Group (The Laughing Cow / Babybel): Global dairy and processed-cheese incumbent that has launched plant-based cheese lines (Laughing Cow Plant Based, Babybel Plant Based). Represents the threat of large dairy incumbents entering Parmela's category with distribution and marketing scale.

Emerging players

• Tofutti Brands: Long-standing dairy-free cheese and dessert brand offering soy-based slices, shreds, and cream cheese. Comparable as a legacy plant-based cheese brand competing for the same health-conscious consumer, though with older formulation approach.
• Spero Foods: Plant-based cheese brand using sunflower seeds and other nut-free bases to produce slices, shreds, and cream cheese. Relevant peer illustrating the nut-free competitive pressure on Parmela's cashew-dependent formula.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/parmela-creamery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Parmela Creamery