Follow Your Heart, Canoga Park, Calif., said it introduced a dairy-free crumbled feta cheese alternative. The product is the first-to-market crumbled feta cheese alternative to hit retail shelves.

According to Follow Your Heart, the feta alternative is coconut oil-based, allergen-free, non-GMO and vegan. It is also free from dairy, soy, casein, gluten, lactose and preservatives. The “cheese” is available in a 6-ounce package at Albertsons and Vons stores in Southern California and at Sprouts stores nationally, with more retailers to be added. It has a four-month shelf life.

Follow Your Hearts said the cheese alternative tastes as creamy and tangy as the real thing and can be used in salads and Greek favorites such as spanakopita. Its crumbled format adds ease to cooking and meal prepping.

“When we founded the company in the 1970s, I was unaware of what we would accomplish and how much the plant-based market would grow,” said CEO and Co-founder Bob Goldberg. “We’re excited whenever we launch a new product, but to be able to be the first to introduce a crumbled feta cheese alternative is a direct result of our team’s commitment to innovation in the plant-based space. Cheese alternatives are a major focus for us, and we will continue to grow in this category.”