Rebel Cheese, the dairy-free cheese company based in Austin, TX, is now certified kosher pareve by KSA, Kosher Supervision of America.
The certification ends years of work for founders Kirsten Maitland and Fred Swar, who say customers have been asking when the cheese would be kosher since the company opened. Every ingredient had to be reviewed and approved, and some were replaced before the kitchen itself was prepared. Production stopped for two days. Equipment was cleaned and left untouched for 24 hours ahead of the rabbi’s visit, utensils went into boiling water, the oven ran at 550 degrees for an hour, and the company bought a new smoker and new racks for its cheese cave.
Only cheese produced after certification is kosher. Earlier inventory, made with the same recipes, was discounted in September to sell through. Certified packages carry the KSA symbol, which is rolling out on the company’s labels now.
Rebel Cheese cultures its cheeses from cashew and almond milk and ages them by hand in its Austin facility, a 9,000 square foot production space with its own cheese caves. The company appeared on Shark Tank in December 2023 and made a deal with Mark Cuban. It ships nationwide and runs a retail cheese shop at Essex Market on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
Best sellers include the Cave-Aged Classic Brie, Tomato Herb Fromage and Smoked Cheddar. Seasonal boards for Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are also on sale.
Rebel Cheese Prices
| Cheese | Price |
|---|---|
| Cave-Aged Classic Brie | $21.00 |
| Tomato Herb Fromage | $21.50 |
| Honee Pistachio Chèvre | $21.50 |
| Black Truffle Pecorino | $19.00 |
| Smoked Cheddar | $18.50 |
| Gruyère | $18.50 |
| Pimento Cheese (Spicy) | $14.50 |
Two Free Cheeses with Your First Order
New customers can get two free cheeses with a first order. Sign up for the Rebel Cheese newsletter with both an email address and a phone number, and two free wheels or wedges are added to a first purchase of $50 or more at rebelcheese.com. The company picks the two cheeses. The offer is online only, not valid at the New York City shop, and cannot be combined with other discounts.
Where To Buy
Orders ship nationwide from rebelcheese.com, with reduced shipping on orders of $80 or more. Rebel Cheese is also sold online through Besties Vegan Paradise, Good Eggs and Hello Vegan. In New York, the company operates a shop at Essex Market, 88 Essex Street, Stall 35. Hours are Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The KSA certification covers packaged cheeses carrying the KSA symbol; it is not established for the shop’s prepared food.
Rebel Cheese is headquartered at 9621 N Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Building 1, Austin, TX 78753. Its packaged cheeses are certified kosher pareve by KSA, Kosher Supervision of America.
Find Rebel Cheese on the YeahThatsKosher app: YeahThatsKosher.com/app
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