Say "Cheese"
Inside Peace Cheese, a dairy-free and vegan shop that packs all the favor and fun of standard cheese.
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What sets the Texas Farmers Market at Mueller apart is its diverse selection of local vendors, including businesses that cater to vegan and dairy-free lifestyles. Among the market’s standout vendors is Peace Cheese, a plant-based cheese company. For shoppers searching for dairy alternatives that still deliver the texture and comfort of traditional cheese, Peace Cheese has become a favorite stop.
The business began with founder Sexton’s own experience transitioning to a fully plant-based lifestyle. Before going vegan, Sexton loved dairy cheese and found it to be one of the hardest foods to give up. Many of the vegan cheeses available at the time weren’t high-quality. They did not slice, melt, or shred the way dairy cheese did. Frustrated by the lack of satisfying options, Sexton decided to create a product that could replicate the familiar experience of traditional cheese while remaining completely plant-based.
What started as personal experimentation quickly evolved into something bigger. Sexton spent countless hours researching ingredients and testing recipes, documenting the process through TikTok videos. The online audience steadily grew as viewers followed the journey of trial and error behind the cheese-making experiments. In 2021, a local food truck noticed Sexton’s creations and invited them to host a pop-up shop at a vegan farmers’ market.
STARTING SMALL
For that first event, Sexton prepared batches of cheese and set up a small stand. The response was surprising. By the end of the day, the products had completely sold out. This experience proved there was a strong demand for high-quality vegan cheese in Austin and gave Sexton the confidence to continue building the business.
By 2022, Sexton was balancing work at Counter Culture, one of Austin’s oldest vegan restaurants, while also expanding Peace Cheese through farmers’ markets, grocery stores, and local food trucks. As the business grew, so did Sexton’s connection to the Austin vendor community.
“My first time visiting the Mueller farmers market was in 2020, before I officially started Peace Cheese,” Sexton says. “I loved meeting all the small business owners and trying different products, and thought what a dream it would be to become a vendor here.”
After that first visit, Sexton began vending at smaller pop-ups and art markets before officially joining the farmers’ market scene. Barton Creek Farmers Market in South Austin became Peace Cheese’s first regular market in 2021.
“It took me time to learn,” Sexton explains. “I purchased most of my market equipment from Facebook Marketplace and cobbled together what I could, but I stayed persistent. Over the last five years, I have vended at just about every farmers’ market in the Austin area.”
Despite appearing at markets throughout the city, Sexton says the Texas Farmers Market at Mueller remains a favorite because of its welcoming atmosphere and diverse community. According to Sexton, the market feels vibrant, inclusive, and deeply supportive of local entrepreneurs.
Carmen Gray has lived in Austin since 1992. She is a retired teacher, published author, and freelance writer.