HAYWARD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 27, 2026--
Kite Hill, a leader in dairy-free foods, today announced the launch of its Kite Hill Protein Cream Cheese Alternative, a first-of-its-kind dairy-free innovation bringing protein to a traditionally low-protein category. Now available at Whole Foods Market nationwide, the product delivers 4g of protein per 2 tbsp serving—double that of traditional dairy cream cheese*—along with 0g sugar and 0g saturated fat. Gram for gram, it also delivers more protein than typical dairy cottage cheese.**
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Made from almond milk and soy, the Protein Cream Cheese Alternative is fermented and cultured, just like dairy, delivering a smooth, spreadable texture and familiar taste.
“Consumers have always turned to dairy for protein, but that benefit has been missing from dairy-free options, especially in cream cheese,” said Connie Sintuvat, VP of Marketing at Kite Hill. “We saw an opportunity to bring protein into a format people already love, without sacrificing taste or texture.”
Redefining Dairy-Free Through Protein Innovation
The launch expands Kite Hill’s high-protein portfolio and reinforces its mission to deliver dairy-free for dairy lovers.
Kite Hill is known for its protein-leading Greek Unsweetened Yogurt and continues expanding into accessible formats. New Greek Style Yogurt flavors, Vanilla Cinnamon and Raspberry, each deliver 11g of protein per single-serve cup.
Meeting Growing Demand for High-Protein, Dairy-Free Options
As demand for protein rises, Kite Hill’s innovations deliver nutrition and taste with protein levels competitive with traditional dairy, using fermentation and culturing to replicate the dairy experience.
Availability
Kite Hill Protein Cream Cheese Alternative is now available at Whole Foods Market nationwide, with expanded distribution rolling out. Products are also available at retailers including Kroger, Sprouts, and Publix.
For more information, visit www.kite-hill.com.
About Kite Hill
Since 2014, Kite Hill has reimagined dairy-free eating with a lineup of plant-based foods made from high-quality ingredients. Founded by chef Tal Ronnen, Kite Hill crafts almond milk-based products using traditional techniques.
* Contains 4g protein per 2 tbsp serving vs. 2g protein per 2 tbsp serving in the leading brand of dairy cream cheese.
** Based on protein per 100g: Kite Hill Protein Cream Cheese (12.1g) vs. USDA FoodData Central reference values for cottage cheese, including low-fat and full-fat varieties (FDC), accessed Jan 2026.
Kite Hill Brings Protein to Cream Cheese with Launch of First-of-Its-Kind Dairy-Free Innovation
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s slate of fiery progressives swept establishment-backed Democrats in the state's congressional primaries on Tuesday, ousting two sitting congressmen in a resounding show of force for the democratic socialist leader of America’s largest city, who is fighting to reshape the Democratic Party in New York and beyond.
U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who leads the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and is in his fifth term, was defeated by Mamdani’s most polarizing pick, Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist who once helped organize pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.
U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman, a two-term incumbent, was beaten by the Mamdani-backed former city Comptroller Brad Lander, a fixture among New York progressives who has often shown sympathy to the democratic socialist movement. And another Mamdani ally, democratic socialist state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, defeated the handpicked successor of retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez.
Tuesday's primaries represented a major political gamble for the 34-year-old mayor, whose strength is surging, and a potential headache for Democratic leaders, who fear that Mamdani and his loyalists may push the party too far left ahead of November's midterm elections — when voters across the nation will decide which party controls Congress for the last two years of Trump’s final term.
The sweep also sends an undeniable message to establishment Democrats in Washington, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who campaigned against Mamdani’s candidates and lost. Mamdani and his slate were openly fighting for dramatic change on key issues, Israel's war in Gaza and affordability chief among them.
The mayor ping ponged across the city to celebrate his allies’ victories, declaring that his election had helped ignite a new era.
“A year ago, it was not the end of a political movement. It was the beginning,” a smiling Mamdani charged at Valdez's celebration party in Brooklyn, reflecting on his mayoral victory last year, as the crowd chanted, “DSA! DSA!”
Later, at Avila Chevalier's celebration in Manhattan, he added: “We are showing there is a new path for politics in our city and in our country."
In Washington, Jeffries downplayed the influence of the Mamdani-backed candidates before polls closed on Tuesday.
“We have agreed to strongly disagree,” Jeffries said of Mamdani on Capitol Hill. “There are 215 members of the House Democratic caucus. A handful of primaries that go in one direction or the other, in a given state or two, aren’t going to reshape who we are as House Democrats.”
Meanwhile, Democrat Jack Schlossberg, the 33-year-old grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, failed in his bid to write his own chapter in Camelot lore as he competed in a crowded field for a seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler. Mamdani made no endorsement in that hotly contested race.
Establishment Democrats celebrated the victory of state Assembly member Micah Lasher, a longtime government hand backed by Democratic leaders, who prevailed in a field that also included anti-Trump activist George Conway and assembly member Alex Bores, whose proposals to regulate artificial intelligence triggered tech industry blowback.
Mamdani, whose first six months in office have drawn praise from establishment Democrats and even President Donald Trump, had made a big push to promote the three congressional candidates who challenged Democrats supported by the party's leadership.
Two of Mamdani’s congressional slate identify as democratic socialists, while Lander has allied himself with the movement in the past.
In his celebration speech on Tuesday, Lander vowed to abolish the federal bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, described Israel’s war in Gaza as “genocide” and referred to “Trump’s fascism.” He has been especially outspoken against Trump’s immigration crackdown and was acquitted earlier this month on charges related to a protest inside a building housing an immigration court .
All three of Mamdani’s candidates have promised to “abolish ICE,” condemned the “genocide” in Israel and vowed to “tax the rich” if elected.
Avila Chevalier, 32, was in her first race for political office in facing a longtime member of the House. Espaillat, 71, was the first Dominican American elected to Congress and has been representing his district in upper Manhattan and the Bronx for nearly a decade.
Avila Chevalier cast herself as an outsider. Espaillat’s allies called Avila Chevalier unfit for office, pointing out a history of inflammatory and profane social media posts when she was in her 20s.
Around an hour before polls closed, she was standing on a street corner in Harlem campaigning with controversial streamer Hasan Piker. Later, with Mamdani at her side at her Manhattan celebration, said slammed the “Democratic machine” for discounting her supporters.
“Today we make it clear -- the politics of the past ends today,” she said. “No longer will we accept a politics that throws scraps at us and acts as if we should be grateful for them.”
In East Harlem, 47-year-old voter Sara Hyler said she flip-flopped several times between Avila Chevalier and Espaillat in the lead up to Election Day, but eventually cast her ballot for Avila Chevalier after learning about heavy support for the incumbent by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
“It was the breaking point, my last straw,” she said of the donations to Espaillat by the lobbying group, also known as AIPAC.
Hyler said it was important to elect a new crop of progressive Democrats who aren’t beholden to AIPAC and the Israeli government. “As much as I support Israel, I don’t think we should be paying for them,” Hyler said.
The war in Gaza was a dividing line between Goldman and Lander, both of whom are Jewish. Lander assailed Goldman for not being tough enough on Israel over its military action against Palestinians. Goldman has consistently criticized Israel's government and condemned settler violence but has stopped short of describing the conflict as a genocide, which Lander has done.
Mamdani had backed Valdez over Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, in the race to succeed Velazquez in a district covering parts of Brooklyn and Queens. Though Reynoso won Velazquez's endorsement, he failed to earn the mayor's backing.
In northern New York state, a Trump acolyte with no previous political experience prevailed over a conservative state lawmaker in the Republican primary for a seat soon to be vacated by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Anthony Constantino, head of the custom sticker company Sticker Mule, won the GOP nod in New York's 21st Congressional District, overcoming New York state Assembly Member Robert Smullen for the nomination.
Constantino had showcased his enthusiasm for the president by putting a massive “Vote For Trump” sign atop one of his company buildings. He also released a hip-hop album titled “Thank You President Trump," and commissioned a statue of Trump and gave it to the president in Florida. Trump has endorsed him.
Smullen, who had strong support from local Republicans, had argued that Constantino's antics, which include regular bashing of the state GOP, make him unfit to serve in the House.
Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz, Jake Offenhartz and Larry Neumeister in New York contributed.
Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier speaks to her supporters during an election night watch party Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, celebrates with Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier during an election night watch party Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier speaks during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of New York's primary election, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
Democratic congressional candidate Claire Valdez speaks during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of New York's primary election, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
Supporters of Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander celebrate a win during an election night watch party Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander, center, arrives to greet supporters with his wife Meg Barnette, second from left, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, second from right, for an election night watch party Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
FILE - Micah Lasher, center, democratic candidate in New York's 12th Congressional District, speaks during "NY-12 for Congress: Candidate Forum" at 92NY, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura,File)
Democratic congressional candidate Jack Schlossberg speaks during an election night watch party Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
A voter casts a ballot during New York’s primary election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
A person campaigns for Democratic Congressional Candidate Jack Schlossberg during New York's primary election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
A voter casts a ballot during New York’s primary election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., takes part in the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, Sunday, June 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
Democratic congressional candidates, Claire Valdez, Brad Lander, and Darializa Avila Chevalier gesture on stage with Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of New York's primary election, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
FILE - A voter completes their ballot at a voting site, in New York, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
