What Are Chao Cheese Slices?
Chao Original Creamy Cheese Slices are made by Field Roast, a plant-based food company better known for its sausages and roasts. Chao (short for 'chao tofu,' a fermented Taiwanese tofu that inspired the recipe) has developed a loyal following among vegans specifically because it doesn't try to imitate a specific dairy cheese — it has its own distinct, tangy, fermented flavor profile instead.
It retails for around $4.49–$5.49 per 7oz pack of 6-7 slices, sold at Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, and most natural food grocery stores across the US and Canada. It comes in a few varieties, with Original (sometimes labeled Creamy Original) being the flagship and most widely stocked.
We tested it cold on a sandwich, melted in a grilled cheese, and melted on a burger patty, to see where the fermented flavor angle actually pays off.
Chao Cheese Ingredients
The full ingredient list for Original:
- Filtered water
- Coconut oil
- Tapioca starch
- Chao tofu paste (fermented tofu, salt)
- Sea salt
- Vegan natural flavors
- Carrageenan
- Coconut butter
- Cultured dextrose
- Turmeric (for color)
- Vitamin B12
The standout ingredient is chao tofu paste — a genuinely fermented base rather than the more common starch-and-flavoring approach most vegan cheese slices use. That fermentation is what gives it a tangy, slightly funky depth that reads more like real cheese complexity than a flat 'cheese flavor' additive. It also contains carrageenan, a seaweed-derived thickener that some people choose to avoid for digestive reasons, unlike most Daiya or Violife products which have moved away from it. Every ingredient here is verifiable through the spvegan.com ingredient checker — all are vegan.
Is Chao Cheese Vegan?
Yes, Chao Original Creamy Cheese Slices are fully vegan. Despite the name referencing fermented tofu, there is no dairy, egg, or any animal-derived ingredient in the product. It is also gluten-free and free of the top 8 major allergens except coconut, which is not classified as a major allergen by the FDA but is still worth noting for anyone with a coconut sensitivity or tree-nut-adjacent allergy concern.
Chao Cheese Nutrition Facts
Per 1 slice (21g):
| Nutrient | Chao Original | Daiya Cheddar Slices | Violife Cheddar Slices | Real American Cheese Slice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 50 kcal | 45 kcal | 40 kcal | 70 kcal |
| Total Fat | 4g | 3.5g | 3g | 6g |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5g | 3g | 2.5g | 3.5g |
| Protein | 0g | 0g | 0g | 4g |
| Sodium | 240mg | 200mg | 210mg | 320mg |
| Calcium | 0% DV | 0% DV | 10% DV | 15% DV |
Like most coconut-oil-based vegan cheeses, Chao contributes essentially no protein and no calcium unless fortified — this is a flavor product, not a nutritional one. Sodium runs a bit higher than Daiya or Violife per slice, worth noting if you're stacking multiple slices on a sandwich. On the upside, it's still meaningfully lower in sodium and saturated fat than a real American cheese slice.
How Does It Taste and Melt?
Cold, straight from the fridge on a sandwich, Chao's tangy fermented flavor is genuinely distinctive — it doesn't taste like an imitation of any specific dairy cheese, but it works well on its own terms, landing somewhere between a mild cheddar and a soft, tangy alpine-style cheese. This is the biggest thing that separates it from Daiya or Violife, which lean into a more neutral, generic 'cheese' flavor designed to be a direct swap-in.
Melted in a grilled cheese, it softens into a smooth, slightly glossy layer with decent pull, though it doesn't get quite as stretchy as a well-melted mozzarella-style vegan cheese. The tang holds up well under heat and doesn't get lost, which is actually a plus for people who found other vegan cheeses bland once melted.
On a veggie burger, it melts into the patty nicely and the tangy flavor complements a smoky or charred patty especially well. Where it's weaker: eaten cold and alone, straight off the slice, it can taste slightly one-note if you're expecting a sharp, aged cheddar profile — the fermented tang is the whole flavor, and it doesn't have much range beyond that.
How Does It Compare to Other Vegan Cheese Slices?
| Brand | Base | Flavor Profile | Melt Quality | Price per pack | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chao Original | Coconut oil + fermented tofu | Tangy, distinctive | Good, moderate stretch | ~$4.99 | Grilled cheese, burgers, people who want real cheese complexity |
| Daiya Cheddar Slices | Starch + coconut oil | Mild, generic 'cheese' | Moderate | ~$5.49 | Allergy-sensitive households |
| Violife Cheddar Slices | Coconut oil | Mild, slightly tangy | Good | ~$5.99 | Everyday sandwiches, calcium fortification |
| Follow Your Heart American | Coconut oil + starch | Very mild | Moderate | ~$4.49 | Budget-friendly, kid-friendly mild flavor |
Chao stands apart from the pack on flavor complexity — it's the only one in this group not chasing a neutral, inoffensive 'cheese' taste. Violife and Daiya are safer bets for picky eaters or people who want a cheese that disappears into whatever it's on. Chao is the pick for people who actually want to taste the cheese.
Who Should Buy Chao Cheese?
This is the strongest fit for vegans who miss the complexity and tang of real cheese and find other slices bland, and for anyone building a grilled cheese or burger where flavor matters as much as melt. It's also a solid choice for people newly transitioning who want something that doesn't taste like an obvious substitute.
It's a weaker fit for anyone avoiding carrageenan, anyone with a coconut sensitivity, or anyone who specifically wants a neutral, mild cheese flavor for picky eaters or kids — Violife or Follow Your Heart are gentler options there.
Final Verdict
Chao Original Creamy Cheese Slices earn their cult following honestly. The fermented tofu base gives it a genuine flavor identity instead of chasing a generic cheese taste, and it holds that flavor well under heat in a grilled cheese or on a burger.
The carrageenan and higher sodium are worth knowing about, and the tangy flavor won't be for everyone — but for vegans who miss real cheese complexity, this is one of the more satisfying options on the shelf.
Rating: 8.3 out of 10. Docked slightly for carrageenan content and a flavor profile that's more polarizing than mainstream competitors. Strong marks for genuine flavor depth and solid melt performance.
