Purezza are set to open a vegan cheese factory, after securing funding from investors. The vegan pizzeria, who has two restaurants – one location in Brighton and another in London –, announced the plans after securing funding at an investing event.
They have secured £35,000 funding from Bran Investments in the pitch competition called Pitch + Plant, which was run by London-based events company Vevolution. The Pitch + Plant event was open exclusively to companies who market vegan services and products.
Purezza revealed their Mozzarella 2.0 concept, which is an alternative mozzarella that is free from common allergens, such as soya, nuts and gluten. The product is made from all natural ingredients, whereas other vegan cheeses are made using chemical-based additives and preservatives, such as titanium dioxide, lactic acid and modified starch. The cheese will also be free from palm oil.
Purezza claim that the cheese will be a considerably more ethical alternative to dairy cheeses, healthier and an environmentally friendly product. The cheese will be cholesterol free, as many plant-based products are, and will contain a fraction of the amount of saturated fat of dairy cheese.
The vegan restaurant is famous for manufacturing the cheeses for their vegan pizzas, with rice milk base used for the cheese. Purezza will be supplying their growing restaurant chain and other businesses, as well as selling the cheeses to customers.
Co-founder and co-owner of Purezza, Tim Barclay, said: “This investment is extremely exciting for us, and sets the wheels in motion for where we want to take the business. We’ll be continuing to raise funds for the factory in coming weeks, and look forward to distributing our mozzarella to stores and restaurants in the near future.
“We’re currently seeking further investment and welcome any interested parties. We look forward to expanding Purezza and changing the world for the better.”