Applegate is progressing its core values of taste, truth and transform with the launch of a new natural cheese line hitting stores this April. These new offerings reflect the brand's mission — Changing The Meat We Eat — by raising standards in cheese sourcing and production, as they have done with meat for 30 years.

"Our mission has been rooted in the idea that food can transform people's lives – from the farmer who grows it to the person who eats it – and this new cheese line exemplifies that idea," said Nicole Glenn, Applegate vice president of marketing. "The uncompromising standards for this new cheese line support a thriving community of farmers, their cows and the land to produce what we like to call clean, crave-able food."

Applegate Naturals Sliced and Shredded Cheese is made with a transparent, traceable milk pool sourced from pasture-raised cows on independent farms in the Midwest. The cows are humanely raised and never administered antibiotics or growth hormones, and the cheese has no added colors or artificial ingredients. Applegate is also proud to officially announce its first-ever Non-GMO Project Verified cheese.

What sets the new Applegate Naturals Cheese apart

• Quality Milk Pool- Unique milk pool source that ensures high quality that leads to better cheese
• Non-GMO Project Verified- To ensure traceability and meet the highest possible standards for GMO avoidance, the new cheese line has been third-party verified by The Non-GMO Project
• Elevated Animal Welfare Standards- Humanely raised cows raised in small herds that are pasture raised and never administered antibiotics or hormones (RBGH or RBST)
• Community Partnerships- Applegate powers and sustains independent, family-owned farms, supporting their traditional farming methods and their communities across America
• New Family Favorites- The new line will offer six sliced varieties, including a proudly not-processed American-Style Colby, and three shredded offerings
• Pure, Simple Ingredients- No artificial ingredients, preservatives, or added colors

The new Applegate cheese collection features sliced offerings that reflect America's favorite varieties, as well as an extension of the brand's cheese line into a new convenient shredded form.  Six new sliced varieties - Medium Cheddar, Provolone, American-Style Colby, Muenster, Pepper Jack, and Mozzarella – will be brought to market this April, with the addition of Swiss slated for 2019.  Three new shredded cheese offerings will feature an Italian Blend, Medium Cheddar, and Mexican Blend. 

Applegate Naturals Sliced and Shredded Cheese will be available at select retailers, such as Hy-Vee, Meijer, Publix, Sprouts, and Whole Foods Market, with a suggested retail price of $4.99 per package. For more information, visit www.applegate.com.