Is Follow Your Heart Vegan?
Vegan
Not certifiedFollow Your Heart makes a fully plant-based product line including Vegenaise (egg-free mayo), shredded and sliced dairy-free cheeses, cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and salad dressings. Every product in the lineup is free from dairy, eggs, honey, and all other animal-derived ingredients. The cheeses are built on coconut oil and plant starches; the Vegenaise uses expeller-pressed oils with soy or pea protein as the emulsifier; even the Honey Mustard dressing replaces honey with a blend of agave, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup. This is a brand that started as a vegan lunch counter in 1970 and has never strayed from that identity.
The catch: Danone, one of the world's largest dairy companies, acquired Follow Your Heart (Earth Island) in 2021. The formulations have not changed and all products remain vegan, but some vegans prefer not to financially support a parent company that sells conventional dairy at scale.
Category
Condiments
Verdict
Vegan
Brand
Follow Your Heart
Cheese line: all varieties (cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, feta, American slices, parmesan) use water, coconut oil, potato or tapioca starch, plant proteins, and natural flavors. No casein, no whey, no lactose.
Vegenaise original uses soy protein as the emulsifier; the soy-free version swaps in pea protein; the avocado oil version uses avocado oil plus pea protein. All skip eggs entirely.
The salad dressings labeled "Vegan Honey Mustard" use a proprietary vegan honey alternative made from brown rice syrup, agave, and maple syrup, not bee honey. The VeganEgg product (an egg replacer made from algal flour) has been discontinued as of around 2023-2024, so do not list it as a current product.
Products are manufactured at an Earth Island facility in Chatsworth, California and are Non-GMO verified. Cross-contamination risk is low given the dedicated plant-based facility.
The Danone ownership angle is the main concern for strict ethical vegans; the ingredients themselves are clean.
Vegan alternatives
- ✓ Miyoko's Creamery (vegan cheese and butter, independent, cashew-based)
- ✓ Kite Hill (almond-based cream cheese and ricotta, independent)
- ✓ Hellmann's Vegan Mayo (widely available egg-free mayo, though Unilever parent)
- ✓ Violife (vegan cheese, coconut oil based, widely available)
- ✓ Just Mayo by JUST Inc. (egg-free mayo, mung bean protein)
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Looking to make your own? Browse our vegan swaps.
Other condiments
Frequently asked
Is Follow Your Heart Vegan?
Follow Your Heart makes a fully plant-based product line including Vegenaise (egg-free mayo), shredded and sliced dairy-free cheeses, cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and salad dressings. Every product in the lineup is free from dairy, eggs, honey, and all other animal-derived ingredients. The cheeses are built on coconut oil and plant starches; the Vegenaise uses expeller-pressed oils with soy or pea protein as the emulsifier; even the Honey Mustard dressing replaces honey with a blend of agave, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup. This is a brand that started as a vegan lunch counter in 1970 and has never strayed from that identity.
What is the catch with Follow Your Heart?
Danone, one of the world's largest dairy companies, acquired Follow Your Heart (Earth Island) in 2021. The formulations have not changed and all products remain vegan, but some vegans prefer not to financially support a parent company that sells conventional dairy at scale.
What can I use instead of Follow Your Heart?
Vegan options include Miyoko's Creamery (vegan cheese and butter, independent, cashew-based), Kite Hill (almond-based cream cheese and ricotta, independent), Hellmann's Vegan Mayo (widely available egg-free mayo, though Unilever parent), Violife (vegan cheese, coconut oil based, widely available).
Is Follow Your Heart certified vegan?
Follow Your Heart does not carry a third-party vegan certification, so the verdict here is based on its current ingredient list and manufacturer information.
Sources
Last verified June 20, 2026. See how we verify. Always confirm on the current product label, since recipes change. Product photo via Open Food Facts.
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