Meet Margaret Coons

We recently connected with Margaret Coons and have shared our conversation below.

Margaret , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

Food preparation and production has been a long-time passion of mine. Having been a vegetarian since the age of 12, and vegan since the age of 19, creating delicious, whole food alternatives to more conventionally available food products was a hobby that turned into a career. I didn’t grow up in a vegetarian family. So, I started to cook for myself at a pretty young age and got really interested in making vegetarian and vegan dishes.

I attended Huron University College at the University of Western Ontario and pursued a degree in English Language and Literature. After completing my undergraduate degree, I shifted my focus to preparing plant-based foods and sharing my passion for vegan cooking with others.

At the time, there weren’t a ton of products available for vegetarians or vegans in the market, and while the lack of products was obvious, the demand for vegan and dairy-free options has increasingly grown over time. This was when I combined my passion for food and the art of culinary experiences with my commitment to my dietary choices to create Nuts For Cheese™.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am the Founder & CEO of Nuts For Cheese. At Nuts For Cheese™, we craft delicious and organic dairy-free, cashew-based cheeses. In 2015, I began experimenting to create creamy, vegan cheeses using nuts and seeds while I was working as a chef at a vegan restaurant. After introducing a popular vegan cheese board to the menu, I started to sell my cheeses at a local farmer’s market and grew a local fan base of both non-dairy and dairy cheese lovers. Nuts For Cheese™ took off from there!

We just surpassed 9 years in business and are now available at more than 4,000 retail locations across Canada and the US with over 30 full-time employees operating out of a 25,000 sq. ft facility. Our complete line of 100% dairy-free, fermented cashew-based cheeses are made with clean, simple ingredients and packed with gut healthy probiotics in a certified BRC facility without the use of any starches, gums, fillers, or artificial flavors. For individuals with dietary allergies, restrictions, and preferences, our products offer a truly delicious and better-for-you option.

I am proud to say that Nuts For Cheese™ is one of the key brands driving growth within the plant-based cheese category and I feel so grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way. This started out as just a simple hobby – to create a delicious vegan cheese for myself and friends – which eventually grew into what Nuts For Cheese™ is today. I always like to say that starting this brand was a happy accident. I don’t think I knew what I was getting into and I’m glad I didn’t because it’s been an Un-Brie-Lievable journey!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I would say resilience, hard work, and leadership were three qualities that were most impactful in my journey to building the Nuts For Cheese™ brand. I didn’t have a business plan when I started the company. I worked in the restaurant industry, so having no business background came with some unexpected challenges. I stayed scrappy and took a pretty grassroots approach. My passion for crafting dairy-free cheese allowed me to adapt, learn from mistakes, and keep one foot in front of the other. I knew that I was a hard worker and that I put 150% into everything I do. After long days at the restaurant job, I’d go home, grab my cashews, and bring them back to the restaurant kitchen, where I’d be making my cheeses until 4am. It just goes to show that passion and determination can lead to incredible accomplishments. Stay resilient, work hard, lead by example, and stay true to your passions!

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

I have a dedicated team of cheesemakers and a great group of advisors that keep me going. I’m also constantly rewarded by the many customers who thank us for crafting dairy-free products that make them feel good, but on the longer days, it’s the strength, skill, and support my team provides. We have an extraordinarily dedicated group behind the scenes that are a source of laughter and friendship, and in an increasingly complex environment, they carry me and the company forward every day! Developing a community of people that support you and believe in what you’re doing is powerful and will help boost you up for success.

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Nuts For Cheese™

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