Ben & Jerry’s just launched a vegan version of its popular Phish Food ice cream.
The non-dairy dessert includes chocolate ice cream with marshmallow, caramel swirls, and fudge fish, just like the original. Certified vegan, halal, and gluten-free, the plant-based ice cream combines an almond milk base with coconut oil and soy protein.
Ben & Jerry’s first launched Phish Food in 1997 in partnership with the popular American rock band Phish — fellow Vermontians and the flavor’s namesake. The original ice cream debuted at a benefit concert in Burlington, and both the dairy-based and plant-based versions support Phish’s non-profit organization the WaterWheel Foundation.
“A while back, we created Phish Food ice cream with our neighbors in Vermont. Now there’s Phish Food Non-Dairy, too; like the original, this vegan version supports the charitable efforts of the WaterWheel Foundation,” said the band in a statement.
One-hundred percent of the royalties from Phish Food ice cream are donated to the WaterWheel Foundation’s Lake Champlain project. This oversees the environmental wellbeing of a lake on the border between Vermont, Quebec, and New York. But the WaterWheel Foundation also supports a variety of other initiatives and nonprofits.
“The WaterWheel Foundation chooses non-profits from a large sphere of needs,” said Phish General Manager, Beth Montouri-Rowles. “Including social services, primarily those benefitting women and children; environmental, with a focus on clean water and land conservation with public access; as well as food banks, urban gardening and the like.”
Ben & Jerry’s vegan ice cream
Ben & Jerry’s now stocks 16 different dairy-free flavors in the U.S. and six in the UK. American customers can also get three sunflower-based varieties — Crème Brûlée Cookie, “Milk” & Cookies, and Mint Chocolate Cookie — which are suitable for those with both nut and dairy allergies.
“Plant-based eating is one of the biggest trends in the world and ice cream lovers everywhere have shouted for non-dairy/vegan options that rise to the levels of Ben & Jerry’s euphoric awesomeness,” CEO Matthew McCarthy said in a statement.
Some new plant-based flavors, such as “Save Our Swirled” in the UK and “Unfudge Our Future” in Australia, also specifically call on governments to build a climate-resilient and sustainable economy. Ben & Jerry’s works closely with both the Climate Council and the Climate Coalition to raise awareness of the climate crisis.
