# Potato-Based Cheeses 'Chato' is a Waste-Reducing Plant-Based Cheese Substitute By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2016-10-19 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chato References: [stuff.co.nz](http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/85370732/ever-wondered-if-you-can-you-melt-a-potato-meet-chato-the-cheeselike-food-of-the-future-made-from-potato) & [potatomagic](http://www.potatomagic.com/index.html) 'Chato' is the name of a unique "man-made superfood" product that's been developed by Potato Magic. This [plant-based cheese substitute](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hard-cheese-slices) is described as a product that looks, acts and melts just like real cheese, even though it is made from potatoes. The process of making Chato involves heating a potato to a specific temperature-controlled range, then chilling it to liquefy the substance. What's particularly noteworthy about Chato is that it uses nearly 100% of the potato, which is significant because in other kinds of processing, nearly 25% of the whole potato goes to waste. This [waste-reducing alternative cheese product](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oh-a-potato) is set to disrupt the dairy industry as a viable and ultra-realistic alternative to everything from [cheese and milk](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/labmade-milk-proteins) to custard and ice cream. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.2/10 - Popularity: 46% | Activity: 72% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Plant-based Cheese Substitutes:** The rise of plant-based cheese substitutes like Chato disrupts traditional dairy products and provides a waste-reducing alternative. - **Waste-reducing Food Innovation:** Chato's innovative use of nearly 100% of the potato showcases the potential for waste reduction in food production, creating disruptive solutions. - **Realistic Dairy Alternatives:** Chato's ability to look, act, and melt like real cheese opens up opportunities for realistic and highly appealing dairy alternatives in various food products. ### Who This Affects Most - **Dairy Industry:** Chato's plant-based cheese substitute presents a potential disruption to traditional dairy products, requiring the industry to adapt to changing consumer preferences. - **Food Processing Industry:** The waste-reducing approach of Chato highlights the need for innovative food processing methods that maximize resource utilization and minimize waste. - **Plant-based Food Industry:** Chato's development as a potato-based cheese substitute showcases the potential for plant-based alternatives in the food industry, creating disruptive alternatives to traditional dairy products. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Cruciferous Cheese Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chizou.md) - [Potato-Based Vegan Nuggets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tater-cheezz-nuggets.md) - [Stretching Plant-Based Pizza Cheeses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kmc-potato-starch.md) - [Aged Plant-Based Cheddars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plonts.md) - [Chickpea-Based Cheese Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chickpea-protein-isolate.md) - [Cheesy Dairy-Free Quesos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plantbased-queso.md) - [Plant-Based Mature Cheddar Cheeses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/supreme-cheddarton.md) - [Hybrid Cheese Blocks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hybrid-cheese-blocks.md) - [Fermented Alt Cheeses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vacka.md)