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Coined by Gen Z to essentially mean wanting an alternative for luxury without the price tag, dupe culture has taken the world by storm, making luxury products more accessible than ever before. But unlike with bags, jewelry, and make-up, no food brand has dared step into that space.
From fashion to food, dairy-free brand Daiya launched Fromage Forgery – a project with the simple goal of spreading the brand’s uncanny cheese dupe to the masses with the help of Lionel Boyce, writer, producer, and actor on the award-winning series “The Bear.”
“When Daiya approached me to be a part of Fromage Forgery, I thought it was super cool that they wanted to be viewed as a brand for everyone rather than just for people with dietary restrictions. That and the fact that they were down to let me put a ponytail wig on were key selling points.”
The Essence of Dupe Culture
According to a recent survey from Morning Consult, nearly one-third of adults, 31%, have intentionally purchased a dupe of a product, with Gen Z and millennials having higher participation rates.
The dupe movement is rooted in making trendy, high-quality products– often even better than the original– available to the masses. Fromage Forgery mirrors that essence, making its dairy-passing, plant-based cheese more accessible to everyone.
“The beauty of contemporary dupe culture is that it opens high-end luxury to the masses. This trend aligns with similar beliefs held at Daiya: that everyone is deserving of a bite of high-quality dairy-free cheese, and nothing should stand in the way,” says John Kelly, chief marketing officer at Daiya.
Daiya’s Dupe Culture on Full Display
Fromage Forgery was born out of the brand’s new platform: “100% Plant-based. Even if you’re not,” which welcomes all cheese-loving consumers to try its products regardless of their dietary preferences, leaving the ‘all or nothing’ approach to plant-based, dairy-free diets behind.
Daiya’s ability to dupe dairy is a result of its new reformulation stemming from a multi-million-dollar investment in fermentation technology.
The new Daiya Oat Cream™ blend is the company’s proprietary cultured ingredient and is now the key component across Daiya’s dairy-free shreds, slices, blocks and sticks – promising consumers an incredible dairy-like melt and deliciously balanced cheesy flavor.
Kelly adds, “It is because of this that we pushed our innovation further than ever, with the creation of our proprietary ingredient, Daiya Oat Cream™ blend, which gives us, in our opinion, the best dairy dupe on the market. The Fromage Forgery campaign puts the spotlight on a product that truly bridges the gap between consumer expectations and dairy-free offerings.”
Boyce took the role of the company’s first Fromage Forgery salesman as an overzealous rookie responsible for pitching people to try Daiya’s newest innovation in its finest form—the humble grilled cheese—to the streets of New York.
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Daiya is also teaming up with Ian Charms – today’s most duped jewelry brand known for its vibrant beaded necklaces worn by celebrities such as Doja Cat and Justin Bieber, to drop a free, limited-edition beaded necklace inspired by Fromage Forgery.
On Tuesday, January 30 at 6 pm EST / 3 pm PST, people will be able to participate in Ian Charms’ first-ever giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 50 free necklaces, typically available only at premium prices. For more information on how to enter, visit Daiya’s Instagram at @DaiyaFoods.
Consumers can expect to see the new products inspired by dupe culture on shelves now across major retailers in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about Fromage Forgery, visit the website.