First Commercialized Almond Milk-Based Vegan Cheese Brand to Expand Headquarters in Fairfax County

Fairfax County, Virginia (January 17, 2023) – Earlier today, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that Armored Fresh, the U.S. subsidiary of Armored Fresh Inc., a South Korean leading food tech company, will invest $125,000 to expand its headquarters in Fairfax County. The company will bolster marketing and sales staff support to scale up its presence in the United States. Fairfax County and Virginia successfully competed with several other states for the project, which will create 27 new jobs. 

“Armored Fresh is very excited to bring great-tasting, zero-dairy cheese that everyone can enjoy. Based on almond milk, our cheese comes super close to matching the taste and texture that people expect in cheese. We’ve received many epic responses from people after tasting our cheese,” said Andrew Yu, CEO of Armored Fresh. “Northern Virginia and Fairfax County has a rich history in dairy and is advancing in tech innovation. We’re glad to make Fairfax County our home and be part of the vibrant business and innovation community.”

Established in 2021 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Armored Fresh is the first company in the world to commercialize almond milk-based cheeses in various forms. 

“I am thrilled to see an innovator like Armored Fresh expand its Fairfax County headquarters, creating jobs and growing its business capacity,” said Jeffrey C. McKay, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “Their environmentally sustainable approach to healthy food is an example of the type of forward-thinking companies that make their home here, and I especially appreciate the expansion of our economic ties with South Korea.”

The company’s products include sliced American style, shredded mozzarella, cheese cubes, and spreadable cream cheeses in a variety of flavors. Three things that distinguish Armored Fresh from other plant-based cheese brands are superior taste, nutrition, and its scalability. As a result of the expansion in Fairfax County, the company will serve the U.S. market through online sales on its website (armoredfresh.com) and in brick-and-mortar stores in New York City, then in other cities and states.

“We are honored to have Armored Fresh continue to call Fairfax County home,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA). “Armored Fresh’s growth speaks volumes about the diversity of business sectors that thrive here as part of our world-class innovation ecosystem while making an impact on a national and global scale.”

Fairfax County Economic Development Authority worked with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership to secure the project for Fairfax County and Virginia and will support Armored Fresh’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs to support employee recruitment and training activities. As a business incentive supporting economic development, VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies. VJIP is state-funded, demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for citizens.

“It is gratifying to support the growth of an international company like Armored Fresh, whose success further strengthens Virginia’s standing as a prime global business destination,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “The company is advancing food technology with its vegan cheese products, and we are proud that this industry innovation is happening right here in the Commonwealth.”