AldenOrganic is among the plant-based frozen dessert brands offering products beyond the typical pint-sized package.
Gaining Market Share
With an evolution in flavor options, formats and formulations taking place over the past decade, accompanied by an increase in shopper education about plant-based products in general, nondairy frozen desserts are being embraced by vegans and dairy eaters alike.
“I think there was kind of a convergence of animal welfare, sustainability and health orientation around eating more plants,” says Deena Jalal, co-founder and head of product at plant-based ice cream producer Sweet Tree Creamery, in the Boston area.
Dave Robinson, director of So Delicious Dairy Free, a division of White Plains, N.Y.-based Danone North America, agrees that today’s consumers are more likely than ever before to reach for plant-based alternatives.
“Now that flexitarian diets are on the rise, consumers are more interested in all aspects of the plant-based food experience, not just specific hero ingredients,” Robinson observes. “They’re seeking out nondairy options that bring high-quality taste, texture and variety to their diet.”
More approachable milk substitutes and identifiable ingredients are also compelling more consumers to pick these products and stick with them, according to Jalal. “I think people are more open-minded and more likely to try it,” she explains, providing a further reason that consumers are becoming long-term adopters of these desserts.
In an effort to ramp up its dairy-like appeal, So Delicious unveiled the Wondermilk line of pints and frozen sundae cones using a mix of these more approachable milk substitutes — including oat, coconut and soy — that promises to be smooth, rich and creamy.
“With our Wondermilk Frozen Desserts, we wanted to ensure the flavors took the spotlight, not the dairy-free ingredients themselves,” Robinson emphasizes. “We also unlocked a uniquely indulgent texture, so pints and cones have a creamy, melty finish that delights the senses.”
He continues: “With Wondermilk, we have set out to reach reluctant dairy lovers and challenge their assumptions about just how good plant-based alternatives can taste, thus helping to close the gap between dairy and plant-based households.”
Ice cream mainstay Ben & Jerry’s, based in South Burlington, Vt., is doubling down on vegan-friendly desserts with the recent introduction of Nondairy Boom Chocolatta and Nondairy Bananas Foster core flavors, while among newcomers to the segment, Cleveland-based Wonderlab’s dairy-free oat and hemp gelatos, known as Doozy Pots, rolled out to grocers nationwide at the end of last year.
Beyond ingredients, many manufacturers are taking plant-based frozen desserts to the next level by moving beyond the typical pint-sized package, including the frozen sundae cones from So Delicious; a dairy- and gluten-free Vanilla Bean Sammie from Eugene, Ore.-based Alden’s Organic; and plant-based, gluten-free oat milk mochi from Phoenix-based Bubbies. For its part, Sweet Tree Creamery is now offering its nondairy ice creams in quart sizes, a move that Jalal says opens up options for families who would like more product but don’t want to spend so much money on small pints.