Building boldly, staying true: How Margaret Coons grew Nuts For Cheese into a standout brand

From midnight kitchens to international shelves, the founder of Nuts For Cheese reflects on her journey, resilience, and what’s next in plant-based innovation.

When Margaret Coons launched Nuts For Cheese nearly a decade ago, she didn’t have a business plan, a marketing team, or even proper packaging. What she did have was passion, grit, and a chef’s instinct for creating something people truly wanted.

“I’ve always been super passionate about food,” says Margaret. “I went vegetarian at 12, and dabbled in veganism throughout my teenage years. At the time, there just weren’t any high-quality dairy-free alternatives available — especially in Canada.”

That unmet need led her to experiment with fermented cashew-based cheese while working at London, Ontario’s only vegan restaurant. “I got a job there as a line cook during my undergrad at Western,” she says. “Eventually I was a chef, creating menu items — including some early versions of the cheese that started it all.”

What began as a small farmers’ market venture in 2015 has grown into one of Canada’s most recognizable plant-based cheese brands. Now sold across North America and backed by institutional investment, Nuts For Cheese is proof that mission-driven food brands can scale — and stay connected to your beginnings. 

Starting scrappy, scaling smart

Like many founders, Margaret wore every hat in the early days. “I was making cheese at night in the restaurant kitchen, printing labels at Staples, and wrapping everything in Saran wrap,” she recalls. “I’d finish a restaurant shift, go home to gather supplies, then come back and rent the space overnight to prepare for the farmers’ market.”

That hustle caught the attention of local retailers and restaurants — and Margaret started building from there. “People began asking me to carry my product, and I had no idea how to do any of it,” she says with a laugh. “I was Googling CFIA regulations, printing nutritional panels, figuring out invoicing, learning about zoning and payroll — all while scaling recipes and buying commercial equipment.”

Her first major investment was an industrial mixer. “It felt huge at the time,” she says. “But we needed special electrical setup and infrastructure the facility didn’t have. Every step came with new challenges.”

Finding structure without losing focus

For the first seven years, Nuts For Cheese was bootstrapped. Instead of outside capital, Margaret relied on pitch competitions and support from innovation hubs like Innovation Factory in Hamilton and the Small Business Centre in London.

One turning point came with a local televised Hamilton pitch competition, where she won $60,000 in funding and professional services. “That included branding, accounting, legal help — all incredibly helpful in getting us started,” Margaret says, also noting that the experience solidified the importance of building a community as an entrepreneur.

When Nuts For Cheese eventually brought on venture capital, including a partnership with a Calgary-based investment firm, Margaret says it added both structure and support.

“I didn’t have a board before. Now we meet regularly, and get a lot of feedback and guidance,” she says. “It’s formalized things in a positive way. The people we’ve brought on are really aligned with our values and vision.”

Weathering uncertainty and navigating growth

From pandemic disruptions to inflation and global shipping constraints, running a manufacturing business hasn’t been easy. Still, Margaret sees challenges as a catalyst.

“Someone once told me: never let a good crisis go to waste,” she says. “When COVID hit, we were just starting to explore the U.S. market. I flew down to a major trade show, and it was cancelled as my plane landed. But I was already there, so I posted on LinkedIn and set up meetings anyway — and that’s how we landed our first U.S. retailer.”

Today, Nuts For Cheese is available in all 50 U.S. states and distributed through 36 warehouses — a feat Margaret attributes to starting regional and building awareness before going national.

“There’s a temptation to launch into big chains, but it’s expensive and hard to support if you’re unknown,” she says. “We started in California, then moved to the Northeast and Midwest. It allowed us to scale sustainably.”

Structure, support, and the value of partnership

As the business evolved, so did its financial reporting requirements. What began as a bootstrapped venture eventually needed more rigour — and that’s where Margaret says MNP became a vital partner.

“MNP has been a really great partner for us, and I feel really grateful for the relationship,” she says. “It was a big step to go from being a growing business that wasn’t institutionally backed to one that had venture capital and needed to move into review engagements and annual audits. We’d never done that before.”

With a small internal finance team, Nuts For Cheese leaned on the firm’s expertise to build structure and systems. “We have a director of finance who’s amazing and manages more than any regular human possibly could,” says Coons. “And our CFO works closely with MNP too. The collaboration between our teams really helped us move from where we were to where we are now.”

That support extended beyond reporting. “One thing that’s been really cool about working with MNP is they’ve challenged our internal policies and helped us put new ones in place,” she says. “It’s allowed us to look at why we do things the way we do — and where we can improve.”

In the early days, Coons says, cashflow was something they had to stay hyper focused on. “When you’re just starting out, you’re taking your best guess at how things should be done,” she says. “It’s incredibly helpful to have the perspective of a team that’s seen how other organizations do it — and can help guide you through it.”

Staying grounded while driving innovation

Margaret still leads product development at Nuts For Cheese. “All of our wedges are my original recipes,” she says. “Now we’ve expanded into butters, cream cheeses, and most recently, probiotic cheese dips.”

Innovation, she says, is always guided by the company’s food values: organic, fermented, and made with clean, simple ingredients. “We don’t use gums, fillers, artificial flavours, or preservatives. That’s core to who we are.”

It’s also what’s helped the brand stand out in an increasingly crowded market. “When I started in 2015, people barely knew what dairy-free cheese was. Now, it’s everywhere — but a lot of products are overprocessed or low quality,” she says. “We’ve stayed competitive by staying committed to quality and flavour.”

Changing the landscape — and championing women in it

Margaret Coons understands not only the importance of representation but also the value of community. As a solo founder in a male-dominated industry, she’s made it a priority to support others along the way.

“Grocery and CPG is typically very male dominated,” she says. “There are still a lot of opportunities for women to have a seat at the table — and to access mentorship, funding, and community.”

She believes that amplifying underrepresented voices is essential, but so is grassroots support. “Support women-owned brands. Encourage grocery stores and retailers to carry them. That matters.”

Beyond advocacy, Coons is actively involved in mentoring other founders. “I do quite a bit of mentorship for early-stage businesses,” she says. “Especially if you’re a solo founder, it can be a lonely and isolating experience. You need people in your corner.”

Whether it’s friends, fellow entrepreneurs, or trusted advisors, she says, having a network makes all the difference. “I feel really fortunate to have amazing mentors. And I think finding your people — people who get it — is huge. It helps you keep going.”