Love Thy

What Love Thy does

Love Thy is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based clean-label food brand founded in 2020 by CEO Amy Ares, specializing in vegan, gluten-free, and certified-organic cheesecakes manufactured at a certified gluten-free and peanut-free facility. Its core product line consists of three cashew-based cheesecake flavors (Plain Jane Vanilla, Death By Choc, Lively Lemon) sold in cases of six 4.5oz tubs at $39 per case, formulated without refined sugars, fillers, starches, gums, dyes, or preservatives. The company also offers a paid in-person Gluten Free Sourdough Course at $129 per attendee, taught by the founder in Loveland, OH.

The business operates a dual-channel go-to-market model. The primary channel is direct-to-consumer e-commerce, where Love Thy ships frozen cheesecakes nationwide with dry ice packaging to 26 U.S. states (other states available via custom shipping quote), with free shipping on orders of three or more cases. The secondary channel is wholesale distribution through a growing network of 8+ restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores across Cincinnati and Dayton, OH, including Juniper Seed, The Cheesecakery, Aladdin's Eatery (chain-wide), Pipkin's Market, Be., and Butter Cafe. The company is privately held, founder-led without disclosed institutional investment, and employs 11-50 people.

The operational economics are shaped by cold-chain logistics: packaging materials alone cost $13.20-$17.20 per order and shipping $15-$30 per order, with the company absorbing a majority of these costs, which compresses unit margins on the price point ($39/case). The 12-month frozen shelf life provides inventory flexibility, but the small SKU portfolio and reliance on founder-led outreach for retail expansion and digital marketing (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook) limit scaling leverage.

Name

Love Thy

Legal name

Love Thy

Website

https://lovethyco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Love Thy is a Cincinnati-based clean-label CPG brand that sells cashew-based, certified-organic, vegan gluten-free cheesecakes direct-to-consumer across 26 U.S. states and through 8+ Ohio retail/restaurant partners, plus a paid gluten-free sourdough course.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-Based Frozen Desserts

NAICS

Frozen Cakes, Pies, and Other Pastries Manufacturing (311813), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Bakery Manufacturing (Gluten-Free, Artisan, Health-Focused) (AFAKAAAG)

Keywords

• Vegan cheesecake desserts
• Plant-based frozen desserts
• Gluten-free bakery products
• Clean label confections
• Organic dairy-free desserts

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati, Ohio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Direct E-Commerce Product Sales: The primary revenue stream is direct online sales of vegan cheesecake tubs to consumers. Products are sold by the case (6 x 4.5oz tubs). Orders are shipped frozen with dry ice packaging nationwide.
2. Wholesale to Retail Partners: Love Thy distributes its cheesecakes through restaurant, cafe, and grocery store partners in Ohio (Cincinnati/Dayton area), generating wholesale revenue from B2B product sales.
3. In-Person Educational Course: Love Thy offers a paid in-person Gluten Free Sourdough Course at $129, taught by the founder Amy Ares in Loveland, OH. This is a secondary revenue stream from professional services/education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Love Thy manufactures and sells certified-organic, vegan, gluten-free cheesecake tubs in three varieties (Plain Jane Vanilla, Death By Choc, Lively Lemon), packaged as 6 x 4.5oz tubs per case. The company uses a proprietary cashew-based formulation free from fillers, starches, gums, refined sugars, dyes, and preservatives, and operates from a certified gluten-free and peanut-free facility. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via the company's e-commerce site with frozen nationwide shipping, and wholesale through Ohio retail and restaurant partners.

Product overview

Love Thy is a clean label brand offering vegan gluten-free cheesecakes made with certified organic ingredients. Their core product line consists of three cheesecake flavors: Plain Jane Vanilla, Death By Choc, and Lively Lemon, each sold in 6 x 4.5oz tubs per case. The cheesecakes are manufactured at a certified gluten-free and peanut-free facility, and are soy-free, dairy-free, paleo, and preservative-free. In addition to their cheesecake products, they offer a Gluten Free Sourdough Course as an educational add-on. Products are available online with shipping to 26 states and retail availability at partner locations in the Cincinnati, Dayton, and surrounding Ohio areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plain Jane Vanilla Cheesecake Tubs Cashew-based vegan cheesecake in vanilla flavor, sold as a case of 6 x 4.5oz tubs. Made with certified organic ingredients including real vanilla bean powder. Targeted at vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and paleo consumers seeking a creamy, clean-label indulgence.
• Death By Choc Cheesecake Tubs Decadent chocolate vegan cheesecake sold as a case of 6 x 4.5oz tubs. Made with cashew nuts, cacao butter, raw cacao powder, cacao nibs, and other certified organic ingredients. Targeted at vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and paleo consumers seeking a rich chocolate dessert.
• Lively Lemon Cheesecake Tubs Fresh, zesty lemon vegan cheesecake sold as a case of 6 x 4.5oz tubs. Made with cashew nuts, raw blue agave, lemon juice, and other certified organic ingredients. Targeted at vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and paleo consumers seeking a tangy lemon dessert.
• Gluten Free Sourdough Course A 2-hour in-person gluten-free sourdough baking class held in Loveland, OH and taught by founder Amy Ares. Includes a sourdough starter, feeding flour, a first bag of ingredients, a recipe card, and bonus tips. Limited to 8 participants per session. Targeted at home bakers seeking gluten-free sourdough instruction.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12-month shelf life when frozen from manufacturer date
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Forager Project: Plant-based food brand producing dairy-free yogurts, creamers, and desserts from cashew, oat, and other plant bases. Comparable to Love Thy through the use of cashew-based formulations in premium, clean-label, plant-based dessert applications.
• Booja-Booja: Organic, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free premium dessert brand (ice cream, truffles, cheesecakes). Direct overlap with Love Thy on certifications, ingredient quality, and small-batch premium frozen dessert positioning.
• NadaMoo: Plant-based frozen dessert brand specializing in coconut milk-based ice cream with nationwide distribution. Comparable as a small-batch, premium plant-based frozen dessert brand targeting similar vegan and health-conscious consumers via DTC and retail.
• So Delicious Dairy Free: Leading plant-based frozen dessert brand offering dairy-free, vegan ice cream, frozen desserts, and creamers. Directly comparable to Love Thy as a competing plant-based frozen dessert manufacturer with national distribution in grocery and natural-food retail.
• Cosmic Bliss: Organic, plant-based frozen dessert brand using coconut and cashew bases. Comparable to Love Thy through overlapping clean-label, organic, plant-based positioning and a similar small-batch, premium brand identity.
• Tofutti Brands: Long-standing dairy-free frozen dessert and cheese-alternative brand. Comparable as a manufacturer of vegan frozen desserts and dairy-free specialty products sold in grocery and foodservice channels serving lactose-intolerant and vegan consumers.
• Mr. Dewar's Cashew Creamery: Plant-based ice cream brand built specifically around cashew milk bases. Closely comparable to Love Thy in product technology (cashew-based clean-label formulation) and target consumer (vegan, dairy-free, premium dessert buyers).
• Hail Merry: Premium plant-based, gluten-free dessert brand offering cheesecakes, tarts, and snacks. Highly comparable to Love Thy as a direct competitor in the clean-label, gluten-free, plant-based cheesecake niche with a similar premium price positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Van Leeuwen Ice Cream: Premium ice cream brand (dairy + vegan line) with national grocery distribution and scoop-shop presence. Comparable to Love Thy as a premium-priced frozen dessert brand targeting the same natural and specialty grocery shelf space, though Van Leeuwen is far larger and dairy-first.

Emerging players

• Eclipse Foods: Plant-based ice cream startup using proprietary dairy-free technology and securing foodservice and retail partnerships. Comparable to Love Thy as an emerging plant-based frozen dessert brand with scaling ambitions and a focus on foodservice channel development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lovethydesserts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/love-thy
• Instagraminstagram.com/love_thy_dessert
• TikToktiktok.com/@love_thy_dessert

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Love Thy