'Cheese Matters': Glengormley entrepreneur's new book explores veganism, diary alternatives and making kind choices
A Glengormley entrepreneur has released a new book blending personal stories and practical insights from 21 years of being vegan.
Alice Shopland penned ‘Cheese Matters: to kind people’ as a love letter to cheese – both plant-based and dairy – and as a heartfelt guide for anyone who cares about animals, people, and the planet.
From the environmental impacts of dairy production to the complexities of pet ownership in a vegan lifestyle, the book explores what it really means to live kindly in today’s world.
Originally from New Zealand, Alice, who has a background in journalism, has lived in the Queen’s Park area of Glengormley since 2023.
She became vegan in 2004 and, two years later, founded her company Angel Food with the aim of making veganism more mainstream.
Making the transition to a vegan diet initially had its challenges. “I used to eat so much dairy cheese so I would have to figure out what do I put in my sandwich, or on my pasta,” said Alice. “At that time there were no vegan cheese alternatives available.”
At first, the business imported vegan cheeses from the UK before the company decided to try making their own.
"There is a market for it and plenty of people who are interested [in veganism] for things like environmental reasons, or food intolerances,” the 60-year-old added. “But New Zealand has a heavy reliance on animal agriculture and in the early days it was hard to get the product onto supermarket shelves.
“I had one guy at a food show tell me I was a traitor for producing vegan cheese. There are other people who do get it [the concept of veganism], but they get very upset at the idea of anyone trying to control what they are eating.
"But I understand that there’s also a lot of emotional associations with food that go beyond our earliest memories, like what our parents fed us because they cared for us.”
Since 2006, Angel Food has become New Zealand’s leading plant-based cheese company, available in most supermarkets around the country as well as fast food icons like Pizza Hut.
Alice, who in recent years relocated to her husband Colin’s native Glengormley, continues her involvement in the business remotely – proof of the possibilities the internet affords.
Living in another small country, less remote but also heavily reliant on animal agriculture, the author says she finds it fascinating to observe the similar economic and environmental challenges both countries face.
Part memoir, part manifesto, ‘Cheese Matters: to kind people’ is for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone who’s curious about making more compassionate choices.
The book was made available online on June 22, 2025, marking the 19th anniversary of Angel Food’s founding.
It can be purchased at https://books.by/queens-park-press
“People often ask me why I care so much about cheese,” said Alice. “This book is my answer. Cheese matters – not just in our diets, but in how we relate to the world around us. It’s about finding joy in food without causing harm.”