70-Year-Old Dairy Farm Debuts Its First Vegan Line

McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, a 70-year-old producer of dairy-based desserts, debuted last week its first line of vegan ice cream. The flavors—Dark Chocolate Chip, Toasted Coconut Almond Chip, classic Cookies & Cream, Turkish Coffee, and Eureka Lemon & Marionberries—were created after a nearly year-long process and, according to the company, “are made from a proprietary blend of 100-percent micronized pea protein.” Available this spring, the plant-based ice creams are lower in fat and sugar than its dairy-based counterparts, and are also free of cholesterol and genetically modified organisms. “People who crave great ice cream want to taste great ice cream, whether it’s dairy-based or not,” Michael Palmer, McConnell’s co-owner and CEO, said. “The last thing we want to have to do is apologize for giving customers a lesser experience. They shouldn’t have to settle.”