I tried plant-based 'cheese' from a startup that claims it's the future of dairy

There are a wealth of vegan substitutes on the market for those of us who are either allergic or have ethical issues with the dairy industry.

Unfortunately, most of them taste terrible.

But what if you didn't have to choose between ethical sourcing and taste?

Kite Hill is a Silicon Valley-based startup that makes plant-based "cheeses" and other products that it claims are healthy, good for the environment, and above all, taste good.

Founded by vegan celebrity chef Tal Ronnen, French cheesemaker Monte Casino, and Stanford biochemist Dr. Pat Brown, the startup is backed by venture capitalist firm Kholsa Ventures - which also invests in "Just Mayo" producer Hampton Creek and the online grocery service Instacart.

There's a growing shift toward plant-based food, but one of the biggest obstacles is the lack of tasty options on the market, says Kite Hill CEO Matthew Sade.

"Kite Hill is trying to really offer, for the first time, great-tasting plant-based dairy products," Sade told Business Insider.

I decided to try Kite Hill's almond-milk-based "cheese" to see if it really is worth the hype. Here's how it went: