Our Story
Aotearoa’s Vegan Cheese Pioneers
Since 2006, the Angel Food team have been striving to make plant-based food mainstream. Starting as a small exporter of vegan products lead by local activist and foodie Alice Shopland, we’ve since grown our own small team to develop and produce dairy-free cheese alternatives right here in Aotearoa.
In 2014, we launched our very own dairy-free mozzarella alternative — the first commercial vegan cheese to be made on New Zealand soil. Today, we have a great range of plant-based and allergy-friendly cheese products suitable for just about any diet.
Alice Shopland and her husband Colin Woods. Photo credit: Sheryl Burson
We know how important the flavour, texture and comfort of cheese is to most kiwis, so we want to make plant-based diets more accessible by keeping our favourite dishes on the menu. Kiwis across the country are loving it, with our dairy-free cheese now available at hundreds of stores nationwide, and in countless iconic NZ eateries like Hell Pizza, Lord of the Fries and Zambrero.
The impact of our dietary choices is now widely recognised – for human health, the environment, social justice, and for the animals. But making conscious choices doesn’t have to mean missing out on comforts like good cheese. To join us in our mission to make ethical eating easier, pick up a pack of Angel Food dairy-free cheese next time you’re in the supermarket.
Media mentions
Meet the Founder of Angel Food - Alice Shopland, in this article by Emma Rawson for NZ Life & Leisure Magazine.
Nov/Dec 2019 - NZ Life & Leisure Magazine - Vegan Cheese Brand Angel Food Crowd-Funded $385,000 in Nine Days
Aug 2019 - The Everyday Vegan Mum Podcast - Chats About Cheese!
July 2019 - The Hits - Laura, Sam & Toni - 3 things you may have missed! It’s Vegan Cheese Month
June 2019 - Healthy Food Guide - How To Cheese Vegan Cheese Alternatives
May 2019 - NZ Herald - Trial & Error - Vegan Cheese: Does it taste like the real thing?
NBR - Kiwi Food Manufacturers Gear up for Rise of Veganism
NBR - Alternative Proteins - More Opportunity than Economic Threat?
Our People
Alice Shopland, Founder and Managing Director, manages the day to day operations of the business whilst making big plans for its future.
Alice founded Angel Food in 2006 to help make vegan food mainstream. Before that, she was a freelance writer for numerous magazines, an amateur foodie and an activist for various causes, especially animal-related causes.
Between them, Alice and her husband Colin have 5 adult children, and 6 grandchildren, in Aotearoa, Australia and Scotland. She loves growing veggies, op-shopping for interesting clothes, and listening to The Archers on BBC Radio.
Alice believes that animals are here with us, not for us.
She loves seeing Angel Food achieving its aim of making vegan food more accessible and more desirable. She’s grown the business from very humble beginnings to significant distribution throughout Aotearoa - and she’s excited about leading the business through its next phase of growth.
Helen Fletcher, Financial Controller, manages the finance side of Angel Food including financial planning & analysis, cashflow, and payroll.
Helen is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce conjoint degree. Here and abroad, she has held senior accounting roles in industries including retail, telecommunication, distribution/3PL, and not-for-profit.
This proud and busy mum of two vegan boys, likes to find time to enjoy food and search for vintage toys (for herself). She also runs her own accountancy business and supports several vegan charities including the Vegan Society and NZAVS.
Helen believes that compassion without action is just observation. She believes that we all have a responsibility to look after the planet and be kind to those who share the planet with us – not just fellow humans but all species.
Helen is thrilled to be part of a game-changing vegan business because her work is now aligned with her ethics. It makes her happy to see people switch from the ‘dark side’ of animal products to the ‘light side’ of cruelty-free food.
Nico Refiti, Business Development Manager, looks after our customers and explores new business opportunities in Aotearoa and abroad for Angel Food.
Before joining Angel Food in late 2020, Nico was working as an Account Manager for Ozone Coffee Roasters and was on the board of the New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association from 2017-2020. Nico was heavily involved in barista competitions and events as a competitor, judge and organiser. Nico placed 2nd in the New Zealand Barista Championships 2018 and represented New Zealand the Fushan Cup in China.
Nico has a Bachelor of Creative Technology and is currently working towards his MBA at AUT.
Nico loves cooking at home and entertaining guests at dinner parties or an evening playing board games.
He has two boys, Orion and Lui.
Nico enjoys working alongside his customers to find the best product or creative solution for their needs.
Evita Groet-Pairama, Logistics and Admin Coordinator, manages freight and logistics within Angel Food, as well as handling customer communications, queries, and feedback. Evita makes sure Angel Food’s delicious dairy-free products get to where they need to be.
Evita was an aspiring health professional prior to her career at Angel Food - with a health science degree - and working within the public health sector. Evita has been a passionate vegan well before her position at Angel Food.
Evita is a loving mother of two, loves living in the country and enjoying wild west coast beaches. She is a very keen baker and home-cook, and loves spending time with her family and friends.
Evita believes if you can be anything, be kind.
Evita loves being a part of a pioneer company within Aotearoa’s vegan industry. She finds it very satisfying knowing that she has played a part in getting Angel Food on the shelves in so many shops and on the menu in so many eateries. She loves the way Angel Food has become such a staple in many diets throughout Aotearoa.
Nitika Shah, Digital Marketing Assistant, supports Angel Food's social media channels, email communications and website updates.
She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours from The University of Auckland.
Nitika is an avid reader and also paints in her spare time. She enjoys quality time with her partner and her puppy, and spends time during weekends decorating her home.
Nitika doesn't believe in forcing outcomes, instead she focuses on not falling complacent to her challenges.
She enjoys contributing towards a sustainable future, focussing her digital marketing outputs from a customer perspective and helping elevate Angel Food as a forward-thinking brand.
Justin Maher is Angel Food’s Production Coordinator & Food Technologist. His main roles involve new product development, quality assurance, and production scheduling.
Justin graduated from Massey in 2014 with honours in Food Technology. He has since worked in NPD and QA in NZ and the UK, in categories including mayonnaise, sauces, functional ingredients & chilled ready meals.
Justin enjoys music, socialising with mates and seeking out new adventures. He had an absolute blast living in London and is longing for borders to reopen, and continue to explore this amazing world of ours.
His favourite quote: “Treat others as you wish to be treated.”
Justin was astounded by a recent UN report, noting that the single most influential action an individual can take to reduce carbon emissions, is cut down on meat and dairy. As a Food Technologist he has the opportunity to make a real difference by continually improving plant-based products, building market awareness and driving customer satisfaction.
Avalon Hewitt, part-time Admin Assistant, supports Evita with our daily admin tasks.
Avalon joined the team in March 2021 and brings with her five years of administration experience.
She is currently working on her Masters degree in Music Therapy and enjoys playing the guitar and singing.
A favourite quote that she’s heard is “Nothing tastes as good as being vegan feels.”
Avalon is very proud to be working at Angel Food and she is excited to see that more and more kiwis are hopping on the plant-based train!
