Rebel Cheese Vegan Deli + Wine Shop Garners National Television Attention
Austin's vegan artisan cheese makers appear on ABC’s "Shark Tank" on December 15
Husband and wife team, Kirsten Maitland and Fred Zwar have been dedicated to serving vegan artisan cheeses to happy Austin customers at Rebel Cheese since 2019. The world’s first vegan deli & wine shop just happens to be an adorable and chic cafe located in the Mueller neighborhood. Here you’ll find a wonderful mix of plant-based cheeses — made in-house — along with craft sandwiches and salads, soups, charcuterie boards, cheese plates, desserts, and more. Open for brunch, lunch, dinner and a delightful happy hour, Rebel Cheese has been a hit among vegans and omnivores alike for years.
Having grown up in England, Kirsten Maitland had an affinity for the concept of European cafes. This inspired her to create this unique upscale-vegan wine shop and deli in Austin. Additionally, both Maitland and Zwar are passionate about plantetary change. As noted on their website, “We are Rebels for the animals, the earth, for themselves.” The plant-based cheeses cause 71% fewer of greenhouse gas emissions and use 97% less fresh water as compared to dairy.
Shark Tank Appearance
For the opportunity to extend and grow beyond the Austin market, Maitland and Zwar applied for the popular television show Shark Tank, noting that “We’re always open to furthering our mission to expand our reach and provide artisan cheeses that are also plant-based.”
Their Shark Tank debut is scheduled to air on Friday, December 15 at 7 p.m. CST on the ABC network. Local fans are invited to attend a celebratory watch party at Fast Friends Beer Co. that evening.
Rebel Cheese adds to the list of other local Austin eateries who have appeared on Shark Tank such as Chi’lantro, Project Pollo and BeeSweet Lemonade. With the vegan food market expected to reach $36.3 billion by 2030, it’s a very exciting time for them to be featured on the show.
Co-owner Kirsten Maitland cites that a key to their success is appealing to every customer, regardless of their dietary choices. Maitland also consistently gives credit to Rebel’s amazing crew as well as their incredible customers, stating frequently that there is, “No way they could have done all of this on their own.”
If you’re interested in trying all of the cheeses that the Sharks sample on the show, you can order your own vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free Shark Tank Box featuring Rebel Cave Aged Brie, Tomato Herb Fromage, Honee Pistachio Chèvre, Smoked Cheddar, Ash Chevre, and Pepper Jack.
Making a name for themselves worldwide
Rebel Cheese currently serves over 14,000 customers weekly from their Austin restaurant, and produce over 20,000 pounds of vegan cheese per month from their manufacturing facility. They have been featured in the NY Times, were 2020 winner of Culture Map Austin’s Tastemaker Award, voted “Best Vegan Restaurant” by Veg News, were a nominee for, “Best New Restaurant of the Year” by VegOut, and have been featured in multiple publications worldwide.
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Learn more about Rebel Cheese at rebelcheese.com, where you can also sign up for their Rebel Cheese Club, a subscription for a monthly delivery of their gourmet vegan cheese. Or plan to stop into their shop to sample some of their delicious cuisine. It’s a great spot for lunch with a friend or a perfect happy hour or date night destination.