What Follow Your Heart does

Follow Your Heart is a Southern California-based plant-based food company founded in 1970 as a natural food store café and now operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Danone North America. The company manufactures and distributes a portfolio of vegan and dairy-free products led by Vegenaise — the original egg-free mayonnaise sold in Original, Avocado Oil, and Soy-Free variants — alongside a dairy-free cheese line (shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar, Parmesan, plus Smoked Gouda, American, and Feta Style Slices/Crumbles), dairy-free salad dressings (Ranch, Organic Caesar), and Dairy-Free Sour Cream. Core technology centers on proprietary egg-free and dairy-free formulations using expeller-pressed oils, soy or pea protein, calcium citrate, coconut oil, and modified potato starch; dairy-free cheeses are engineered to melt at cooking temperatures while remaining stable when served cold.

The company makes money primarily through one-time retail sales of branded packaged goods distributed through the refrigerated sections of natural food stores, major grocery chains, and convenience stores in the United States and Canada, with a store locator supporting national pull-through. It also operates the original Follow Your Heart Market & Café in Canoga Park, CA (founded 1970, still operating) and a Los Angeles café location, plus partnerships with specialty retailers such as BESTIES Vegan Paradise. All products are Non-GMO Project Verified, certified vegan, Kosher Parve, and gluten-free; select products are USDA Organic. Manufacturing is consolidated at the Earth Island facility in Chatsworth, CA, which runs over 2,000 solar panels (covering ~50% of electricity needs), achieved 100% renewable electricity in 2024, and holds Zero Waste Gold certification from GBCI — the first U.S. plant-based food manufacturer to do so. The company is a founding member of the Plant Based Foods Association alongside Daiya, Tofurkey, Upton's, and Miyoko's Kitchen.

Name

Follow Your Heart

Legal name

Follow Your Heart / Earth Island

Website

https://followyourheart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Follow Your Heart is a Southern California plant-based food company, founded in 1970 and now a Danone North America subsidiary, that manufactures and distributes Vegenaise egg-free mayo, dairy-free cheeses, dressings, and sour cream through U.S. and Canadian grocery retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-based packaged foods

NAICS

Mayonnaise, Dressing, and Other Prepared Sauce Manufacturing (311941), Food Manufacturing (311), Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigerated Dips & Spreads (Cream Cheese, Hummus, Salsa, Guacamole) (CRADACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Plant-Based Butter & Spread Alternatives Processing (Margarine-style, Cultured Spreads) (AFAHAJAD)

Keywords

• Plant-based foods
• Vegan mayonnaise
• Dairy-free cheese
• Egg-free condiments
• Vegan salad dressings

Headquarters

HQ city

Canoga Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Plant-Based Food Products: Revenue generated from selling vegan food products including Vegenaise, dairy-free cheeses, salad dressings, and dips through retail grocery stores and the company's Market & Café. Products sold through traditional grocery distribution channels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Follow Your Heart manufactures and sells a line of plant-based food products, including Vegenaise (the original egg-free mayonnaise) in multiple varieties, dairy-free cheeses (shredded, sliced, and crumbles), dairy-free salad dressings, and dairy-free sour cream. Products are sold to consumers through refrigerated sections of retail grocery stores nationwide, specialty vegan retailers, and company-owned Market & Café locations in Southern California. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Danone North America.

Product overview

Follow Your Heart is a plant-based food company founded in 1970 in Southern California, now owned by Danone. The company produces a portfolio of vegan products centered around Vegenaise (the original egg-free mayo in Original, Avocado Oil, and Soy-Free varieties), Dairy-Free Cheese (including Shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar, Parmesan, and Grated Parmesan, plus Slices in Smoked Gouda, American, and Feta Style Crumbles), Dairy-Free Salad Dressings (Ranch and Organic Caesar), and Dairy-Free Sour Cream. All products are certified vegan, non-GMO Project Verified, and Kosher Parve, with many being gluten-free and soy-free. The company emphasizes sustainability with solar-powered manufacturing and Zero Waste Gold certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Earth Island: Manufacturing facility and corporate entity name for Follow Your Heart products
• Vegenaise®
• Follow Your Heart Market & Café

Products and services

• Vegenaise Original The original egg-free sandwich spread, marketed as 'Better than Mayo.' Made with expeller-pressed canola and safflower oils, soy protein, and brown rice syrup. For consumers seeking a real mayonnaise taste without eggs, dairy, or cholesterol.
• Vegenaise Avocado Oil Egg-free mayonnaise made with expeller-pressed avocado oil, offering a creamy taste. Soy-free and gluten-free. For consumers wanting a plant-based mayo alternative using avocado oil.
• Vegenaise Soy-Free Soy-free version of the original Vegenaise, smooth, creamy, and egg-free. Made with pea protein instead of soy. For consumers with soy allergies or sensitivities.
• Dairy-Free Mozzarella Style Shreds Shredded dairy-free cheese that melts for pizzas, mac and cheese, and quesadillas. Made with coconut oil and potato starch. For consumers seeking dairy-free cheese that performs like dairy mozzarella.
• Dairy-Free Cheddar Style Shreds Dairy-free cheddar style shredded cheese for nachos, melted applications, and cooking. Can be enjoyed cold or heated. For consumers substituting dairy cheddar in plant-based cooking.
• Dairy-Free Parmesan Style Shredded Dairy-free parmesan style shredded cheese for pizza, pasta, and roasted vegetables. Made with Rainforest Alliance Certified palm oil. For consumers seeking dairy-free parmesan alternatives.
• Dairy-Free Parmesan Style Grated Grated dairy-free parmesan style cheese alternative made with modified potato starch and organic palm fruit oil. For consumers wanting a grated parmesan alternative.
• Dairy-Free Smoked Gouda Style Slices Hickory-smoked gouda style cheese slices for paninis and mac and cheese. Good source of calcium, soy-free. For consumers wanting a smoked cheese alternative.
• Dairy-Free American Style Slices Classic American style cheese with mild flavor and creamy texture. Soy-free. For consumers wanting dairy-free American-style cheese slices.
• Dairy-Free Feta Style Crumbles Rich and creamy feta style crumbles for Mediterranean salads, spanakopita, and roasted vegetables. For consumers wanting dairy-free feta alternatives.
• Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing Creamy ranch dressing without dairy or eggs. Made with Vegenaise and enriched with omega-3 fatty acids from hemp and flaxseed oils. For consumers wanting a plant-based ranch dressing.
• Organic Vegan Caesar Dressing Creamy, rich Caesar dressing made fresh in small batches. Entirely vegan with no eggs, dairy, or anchovies. USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified. For consumers wanting a plant-based Caesar dressing.
• Dairy-Free Sour Cream Thick and lusciously creamy dairy-free sour cream alternative made with coconut cream. Ideal for burritos, dips, and baked potatoes. For consumers wanting a plant-based sour cream alternative.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products generate over 300,000 kWH of green energy per year from solar panels
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BESTIES Vegan ParadisecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019BESTIES Vegan Paradise is a vegan convenience store in East Hollywood, Los Angeles. They are part of the Local Love program and carry Follow Your Heart products including Vegenaise, Dressings, Yogurts, and Cheeses. They were among the first stores to carry new products like Dairy-Free Sour Cream and Cream Cheese.
• Green Business Certification IncorporatedminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 20 June 2017Green Business Certification Incorporated worked with Follow Your Heart to achieve Zero Waste Certification at Gold Level at their Earth Island facility, diverting over 97% of waste from landfills.
• US Green Building CouncilminorOthers · 20 June 2017US Green Building Council representative Stephanie Barger attended the Zero Waste Certification celebration at Earth Island facility.
• Sustainable Business Council of Los AngelesminorOthers · 20 June 2017Sustainable Business Council of Los Angeles representative Molly Lavik participated in the Zero Waste Certification celebration and partnership efforts.
• Plant Based Foods AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollow Your Heart is a founding member of the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), a non-profit that lobbies for fair policies for plant-based foods, educates consumers, and works to eliminate policies that place plant-based products at an economic disadvantage. Founding member brands include Follow Your Heart, Daiya, Tofurky, Upton's, and Miyoko's Kitchen.
• Mercy For AnimalsminorOthersMercy For Animals visited the Earth Island facility for a tour and documented Follow Your Heart's production processes and company history. Collaborative relationship focused on animal welfare advocacy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sir Kensington's: Premium condiment brand best known for its mayo, mustard, and ketchup. Sir Kensington's competes directly with Follow Your Heart's Vegenaise in the premium egg-free / specialty mayo segment and is now part of Unilever's portfolio.
• Chosen Foods: Avocado oil-based mayo and dressing brand that directly competes with Follow Your Heart's Vegenaise line, particularly the Avocado Oil Vegenaise variant. Both brands target health-conscious consumers seeking better-for-you condiments.
• Daiya Foods: Plant-based dairy alternatives company offering dairy-free cheese, dressings, and pizzas. Daiya is a fellow founding member of the Plant Based Foods Association and competes directly with Follow Your Heart in dairy-free shredded cheese and slices.
• Miyoko's Creamery: Cultured plant-based cheese and butter brand using traditional creamery techniques. Miyoko's competes directly with Follow Your Heart in premium dairy-free cheese slices and specialty cheese categories.
• Violife: Plant-based cheese brand owned by Upfield offering dairy-free slices, shreds, and blocks. Violife competes with Follow Your Heart across the entire dairy-free cheese category in U.S. grocery channels.

Broad incumbents

• Primal Kitchen: Primal Kitchen (owned by Kraft Heinz) offers a broad portfolio of better-for-you condiments including mayo, dressings, and sauces. It competes with Follow Your Heart's Vegenaise and dressing lines at the premium natural channel level with significantly greater marketing firepower.
• Califia Farms: Plant-based beverage, creamier, and dairy-free brand owned by Sun Eagle Holdings. Califia Farms overlaps with Follow Your Heart in the broader plant-based dairy alternative space and competes for the same health-conscious consumer.

Emerging players

• JUST Egg: Plant-based egg alternative brand from Eat JUST. While not a direct competitor today, JUST Egg overlaps with Follow Your Heart's mission of replacing animal-based staples and could expand into adjacent condiment categories.
• Good Karma Foods: Plant-based dairy alternative brand offering flaxmilk-based yogurts, creamers, and sour cream. Good Karma competes with Follow Your Heart's dairy-free sour cream line and overlaps in the refrigerated plant-based dairy set.

Regional players

• Tofurky: Plant-based protein brand known for deli slices, tempeh, and holiday roasts. Tofurky is a fellow Plant Based Foods Association founding member with similar natural foods channel positioning, though it focuses on meat alternatives rather than Follow Your Heart's condiment/cheese focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FollowYourHeart
• Facebookfacebook.com/FYHProducts
• Instagraminstagram.com/followyourheart

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Follow Your Heart