After 169 years, Ghirardelli is finally serving up scoops of vegan ice cream.
The gourmet chocolate and ice cream chain launched vegan vanilla ice cream by plant-based frozen dessert brand Coconut Bliss.
The organic, coconut milk-based ice cream features only a handful of ingredients, including Madagascan vanilla bean.
The Oregon-based ice cream company makes a variety of frozen treats available in pints, bars, sandwiches, soft serves, and cups.
Coconut Bliss takes steps to be more environmentally-friendly. In addition to being dairy-free, it powers its office with renewable energy. In 2019, it launched its own plant-based packaging. “For most plastic, the source of carbon is petroleum, we wanted to move our packaging to more renewable materials,” Megan Miller, Coconut Bliss’ sustainability manager, said in a statement.
In lieu of petroleum-based resin, the company’s pint packing primarily derived from sugar cane husks.
Vegan Ice Cream
Studies show the global dairy-free ice cream industry is booming. According to a Grand View Research report, the vegan ice cream market could be worth $1.2 billion by 2025.
Ghirardelli is the latest dessert company to offer vegan ice cream in response to the growing consumer demand.
Earlier this year, Dairy Queen launched vegan ice cream bars nationwide. The Non-Dairy Dilly Bars are a twist on the chain’s classic Dilly Bars. They feature a coconut cream base and a chocolate-flavored coating.
Popular ice cream brands Baskin-Robbins and Ben & Jerry’s have also increased their dairy-free ice cream offerings in shops as of late.
The former launched its first-ever oat milk-based ice cream in April. It released the limited-edition flavor—Non-Dairy Strawberry Streusel—at its scoop shops. The vegan flavor features strawberry, cinnamon granola, and crumbly streusel in a creamy oat milk base.
Vermont-based ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s launched its first four plant-based flavors in 2016. Since then, it has steadily increased its non-dairy flavors, which include almond milk and sunflower butter bases. Its latest flavor, Karamel Sutra Core, marks its 17th dairy-free flavor. It also always has several dairy-free options available in its brick-and-mortar locations.
