Broomfield, Colorado-based Danone North America and Cold Stone Creamery are collaborating to create a plant-based frozen dessert that will be available at participating Cold Stone Creamery stores nationwide.
Cold Stone Creamery stores have added Silk Chocolate Almondmilk Frozen Dessert, which is dairy-free, vegan and non-GMO, to its permanent menu. The company also is adding to its permanent menu the Cold Stone Creation, Don’t Cry Over Spilled Silk, which is a mix of Silk Chocolate Almondmilk Frozen Dessert, banana, peanut butter and roasted almonds.
The increasing popularity of non-dairy ice cream is part of the growing demand for vegan and plant-based foods of all kinds. The plant-based industry was valued at $5.6 billion in 2020 in the United States and is projected to reach $10.7 billion by 2027, according to a March 2021 Research and Markets report.
“We’re absolutely delighted that Cold Stone Creamery chose to partner with Danone North America and the Silk brand to bring the ice cream parlor’s first-ever plant-based frozen dessert to Cold Stone customers,” said Derek Neeley, VP of Silk and marketing at Danone North America. “Cold Stone’s creativity and leadership in frozen desserts, paired with our expertise in plant-based dairy alternatives and strong track record of delivering great taste and texture, is a powerful combination for bringing a delicious, plant-based dessert collaboration to frozen treat lovers across the country.”
According to a study conducted by Allied Market Research (June 2020), the non-dairy ice cream market was valued at more than $500 million in 2019 and is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 13.7 percent. That study also identified several factors for non-dairy ice cream’s growth, including increasing health awareness and rising numbers of consumers with lactose intolerance.
“Cold Stone is thrilled to share our very first plant-based flavor,” said Sara Schmillen, VP of marketing for Kahala Brands, parent company of Cold Stone Creamery. “We pride ourselves on our high flavor standards and our Silk Chocolate Almondmilk delivers on a true ice cream experience – but not made with any dairy product. We know our guests will agree it was worth the wait.”
Silk offers a broad portfolio of plant-based options, including soy milk, almondmilk, cashew milk, coconut milk, oat milk, dairy-free coffee creamers and dairy-free yogurt alternatives. For more information, visit silk.com/about-us/sustainability.
For more information on Danone and its services, visit danonenorthamerica.com.
