Dairy Foods Innovation: Two thoughts to fuel product development and marketing in 2021

 

Photo: Jessica Weiss Levison, founder and CEO, Peekaboo Ice Cream

For the majority of us, this year has been unlike any other. All aspects of life were disrupted and continue to evolve. Our agile nature enabled most of us to pivot and adapt, as best as possible. 

Last night while judging the virtual semi-finals of the Real California Milk Snackcelerator, I concluded that while the dairy industry is already amazing, the two areas where we excel can be summed up with two terms: clean and relationships. 

What we all learned in 2020 is that clean hands and surfaces have never been more important. We also learned the power of strong relationships with family, friends, neighbors and colleagues. Clean and relationships are not something to take for granted. There’s no price tag to put on either. 

For the dairy world, clean and relationships have additional meanings. Communicating these concepts through product innovation and marketing will keep dairy thriving in 2021.  

To mark its 90th anniversary, Anderson Erickson (AE) Dairy, for example, is serving up some nostalgia by bringing back vintage carton designs for its AE French Onion and Party dips. It’s all about connecting with the consumer. It’s one type of relationship where regional dairies excel.

Clean: Think nutrient-dense white canvas that can be consumed as milk or simply converted into delicious foods—butter, cheese, ice cream, whey, yogurt and more—with the help of just a few natural ingredients, stainless steel machinery and a dedicated team. 

Relationship: Think of that dedicated team, from the farmer to the retailer to the customer. 

Clean: Think farm to table transparency, often on a local level.

Relationship: Think of how cows (ruminant animals) contribute to healthy soil through regenerative agriculture practices. 

Clean: Think of how our virtuous nature helps entrepreneurs bring dairy innovations to market to keep dairy foods relevant.

Relationships: Think of how small the dairy industry is and how much we care and look out for each other. 

Last night the four finalists of the California Milk Advisory Board’s (CMAB) Real California Milk Snackcelerator presented to a panel of eight judges, me included. There was an instant connection among all the judges, even though most of us had never met and now were only doing so through a screen. But the fact that we were giving up almost three hours of our evening to help grow the dairy industry was pretty darn impressive. 

Honestly, if felt fabulous to be involved, albeit remotely. The thing about all this remote communicating is that it requires two (or more) agreeable parties to commit to clicking that link and connecting. It’s not like a convention or exposition where you start random conversation with someone at their booth or over a glass of wine and canape. The dairy industry is a relationship-driven business and gives us leverage over so many other food and beverage categories. 

With that said…all four finalists presented delicious concepts with clean ingredient labels. All four were winners in my book. But because there can only be one winner, once all votes were counted, Peekaboo Ice Cream took home the grand prize of $200,000 to bring a 3.6-ounce mini cup of its organic ice cream with hidden vegetables to the snacking category.

Flavors are: Chocolate with Hidden Cauliflower, Cookie Dough with Hidden Zucchini, Cotton Candy with Hidden Beets, Mint Chip with Hidden Spinach, Strawberry with Hidden Carrot, Unicorn Swirl with Hidden Zucchini, and Vanilla with Hidden Zucchini. 

Want to know how Peekaboo tastes? Watch THIS.

Congrats to Jessica Weiss Levison, founder and CEO, and her team!

Peekaboo's mission is to solve the parental dilemma of getting children to consume more vegetables by putting them into a format they can't get enough of: ice cream. As the owner of a popular ice cream scoop shop in Miami, she turned her frozen dairy knowhow into flavorful superpremium ice creams hiding a nutritious, vegetable secret. The products are currently available in pints at select retailers but Levison is looking forward to introducing the single-serve snack line and expanding distribution with Real California Milk at the core. 

“Like many of our fellow startups, we confronted what seemed like insurmountable challenges this year. This win validates our innovation, our mission and our team’s hard work and resilience,” said Levison. “We learned so much from this Snackcelerator experience and cannot wait to launch Peekaboo minis into the market, made with Real California Milk, of course! Much gratitude to everyone involved.” 

It’s all about relationships.

The first runner-up was Yummy Industries for its line of Cheese Bits snack packs. The start-up company received $100,000 towards the same goal. These innovators are producing all-natural, fresh and wood-smoked scamorza and chechil cheeses, conveniently shaped and packaged for snacking fun.

“Being selected as a semi-finalist really was significant for us because we were associated with a tremendous caliber of founders and snack concepts,” said Yummy Co-Founder Stefen Choy. “Throughout this process, the feedback and mentorship sessions have really helped move our business forward significantly. We have changed our strategic plan and even added a broker based on this competition. The bonus of continued support as a runner up is icing on the cake.”

It’s all about relationships.

The two other finalists were:

Petit Pot, which developed an indulgent, clean-label refrigerated chocolate mousse dessert made with organic ingredients and sold in two packs of glass jars. 

Sach Foods Organic Paneer, which plans to make a snack-size bar of its flavored artisanal paneer cheese. 

“This was a tough decision, all four of these finalists presented products that fit the needs of our current consumer and each with their own unique take on snacking. Peekaboo just had a slight edge because of its unique concept marrying two things that normally don’t go together like ice cream and vegetables and then executing the producer perfectly in terms of creative flavor combinations,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB. “Not only are we excited to grow the dairy snack portfolio offered with Real California Milk by helping to expand distribution for Peekaboo ice creams, we look forward to continuing our relationship with all of our finalists and semi-finalists to see what they are able to achieve.”

Fred Schonenberg, CEO and Founder of VentureFuel, managers of the event, said, “Innovation is the ultimate growth accelerator for any business or category and this competition continues to deliver a flywheel of new ideas, new products and new ways to think about dairy from a consumer perspective. When my family begged me for more samples between the semi-finals and finals, I knew we had chosen four winners all, of which can make an impact on-shelf. Peekaboo’s cotton-candy with beets flavor dominated the pre-judge chatter as one of the most delicious and unique desserts the judges had ever tasted, meanwhile Cheese-Bits was the product everyone was snacking on behind the scenes. They are making premium cheese easy to snack on and introducing new styles and flavors that will stand out.”

To watch the taped event, link HERE. (There were some technical difficulties with background noise near the beginning. Don’t let that deter you from watching. There’s a lot to learn from others. It’s all about relationships.) 

Ready to expand your expertise? Link HERE to some quick-bite videos on ingredient solutions, consumer insights and helpful applications advice to keep dairy foods relevant. 

got a great new product idea?  

Five years after launching its initial Accelerator program, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) is gearing up for its 2021 program with the announcement of a new name, DFA CoLab Accelerator, and continued focus on helping accelerate and grow ag-tech and dairy food product companies. With the latter, DFA has worked with a number of startups including Cheddies, an all-natural, protein- packed cheddar cheese cracker; RifRaf ricotta cups, a first-of-its-kind ricotta cheese snack cup; and Wheyward Spirit, a new clear liquor that takes excess whey from dairy and turns it into a smoother, better-tasting and more sustainable farm-to-flask spirit.

“As we start thinking about recruiting companies for our fifth year program, what’s really exciting is that we continue to work with many of our past participants, which is the end goal, to hopefully help and partner with them in some way,” says Doug Dresslaer, director of innovation at DFA. “On the food front, the sky is really the limit as long as one of the main ingredients is dairy. This last year, we had several entrepreneurs who had developed products using dairy by-products like whey, which is really exciting because these types of innovative products go beyond the traditional dairy case, which is helping drive industry growth.” 

For the 2021 program, DFA is looking for early-stage food product companies that are dairy-focused or dairy-based, including products using milk, cheese, butter, whey or other milk-based ingredients. The DFA CoLab Accelerator includes: a 90-day immersive program, with both in-person and virtual training and mentorship from April 2021 to June 2021; access to top executives at DFA, with each startup having a senior-level DFA contact relevant to their business area; educational sessions on a variety of topics important for startup growth, including finance, business development, distribution and supply chain, product development, brand building, sales and marketing, packaging and pricing; and additional workshops that focus on areas such as leadership development, team building and creating company culture. 

For more details and the 2021 application, link HERE.

Dairy Foods Innovation 2021: Focus on Snacks

 

Photo source: California Milk Advisory Board

Hold on tight, it’s Friday the 13th! It’s the second one of 2020. The first was in March. We all know what followed. On that note…

Let’s never forget that “Dairy is Defined by Bipartisanship,” the title of a statement issued this week by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). The NMPF writes:

It’s no secret that farmers overall tend to be conservative politically. But unlike commodities in which production tends to cluster in deep-red states, dairy has always developed not far from urban areas, due to the perishable nature of its much-needed products. In the 21st century, that’s naturally encouraged a bipartisan approach to problem-solving. Even the most conservative dairy farmer has an interest in working with someone who’s more liberal, given how many of those farmers live in deep blue (shout out to California and New York) or profoundly purple (hello, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, and let’s not forget Arizona) states…In the end, dairy farmers produce a commodity, one among numerous other commodities jostling in the policy arena. But the most valuable commodity in America today may be the ability to bridge partisan divides: That’s always been important, but it may be becoming existential. Dairy, in its own way and for its own reasons, is well-positioned to be part of today’s necessary policy solutions, and it’s all because of that word that keeps coming up: bipartisan.

We congratulate President-elect Biden and the incoming members of the 117th Congress. There’s a lot of work to do in this country in the next few months and years, from legislating to healing. Dairy is ready to do its part, and much more, if that’s what the nation needs.

To read the entire statement, link HERE.

Here’s something exciting that happened this week. The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) held its semi-finals for the Real California Milk Snackcelerator, narrowing down 16 entrees to the final four. This is the second event of its kind by the California dairy industry. This one was designed to inspire ideas integrate the values of fluid milk and dairy ingredients into snacks in order to better compete in the booming global snack food market. To read more about the competition and the 16 finalists, link HERE.

The four finalists are: 

• Peekaboo Ice Cream is the first and only organic ice cream with the added nutritional benefits of vegetables.
• Petit Pot developed a new indulgent chocolate dessert made with organic, local ingredients. 
• Sach Foods Organic Paneer is a line of flavored artisanal paneer cheese. 
• Yummy Industries Cheese Bits are all-natural, fresh and wood-smoked scamorza and chechil cheeses, conveniently shaped and packaged for snacking fun.

These four innovators were selected during a two-day virtual pitch event judged by a group of snack experts from Conagra, SnackRiot, Hershey’s, Bristol Farms, General Mills, Unilever, Mondelēz, Rosa Brothers, RangeMe, Acreage Holdings, Better Food Ventures and Trail Mix Ventures. A virtual fan vote, through Perksy, which provides market research for the mobile generation, also was factored into the final decision. 

The four finalists will compete during a live event this Thursday, November 19. Each founder will be presenting to a field of judges from the CPG, retail, venture capital and food science world. That latter category includes me. 

“This field of finalists represent the innovation we’re seeing in better-for-you snacking today--highly flavorful, portable options with added benefits. And consumers agree. Through the Persky platform, 2,000 consumers were introduced to these products during the semi-finals and voted on which they would be most interested in buying. Those scores were factored into the final judging and will be included on the 19th,” says John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB. “Any of these four products will make a perfect partner for our real milk and dairy ingredients, which offer incredible functionality plus flavor and a host of naturally occurring nutrients. And, as the leading dairy state, our family dairy farms can provide a consistent, sustainable source of milk to fuel production of whichever product ultimately wins.” 

To watch the live Real California Milk Snackcelerator final judging, RSVP HERE. 

Need some inspiration? Link HERE to a presentation I developed for the contest.  

Snacking is a huge opportunity for dairy foods innovators. To reach today’s snacker, there are a number of considerations, according to the second annual State of Snacking 2020 global consumer trends study by Mondelez International. 

“As the global leader in snacking, we are continually obsessing over how, when and why people snack,” wrote Dirk Van de Put, chairman and CEO of Mondelēz International. “Our insights guide our growth strategy, inform our purpose to empower people to snack right, and form the basis for the vast knowledge estate that we’ve amassed on the important and ever-changing role snacking plays in our everyday lives.

“And in a year like 2020, our instinct to learn from people and to put our consumer at the heart of everything we do, has proven more important than ever,” he wrote. “Even in the face of worldwide uncertainty with COVID-19 reshaping our rituals and routines, snacking is a growing behavior with the potential to provide comfort, connection and community, while also providing the moments of respite, reward and relief as consumers look to balance nutrition and emotional well-being.”

Photo source: California Milk Advisory Board

The company’s mission is to lead the future of snacking, with the right snack, for the right moment, made the right way. I encourage dairy foods innovators to make this their mission, too. 

The research shows that snacks offer bite-sized moments of satisfaction and relief amidst uncertainty. For people everywhere, snacking has been a lifeline this year. The majority plan to continue eating snacks instead of meals in the future, saying snacking will be part of their “new normal” after the pandemic ends.

This survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Mondelēz from October 6 to 20, 2020, among 6,292 global adults ages 18 and older. The research spanned 12 markets, including the United States (n=506), Canada (n=503), Mexico (n=540), Brazil (n=530), France (n=519), Germany (n=520), United Kingdom (n=500), Russia (n=504), China (n=550), India (n=555), Indonesia (n=555) and Australia (n=510). Other key groups analyzed include: Gen Z/centennials ages 18 to 23 (n=945), millennials ages 24 to 39 (n=2,222), Gen Xers ages 40 to 55 (n=1,646), Boomers ages 56 to 74 (n=1348) and the Silent Generation ages 75+ (n=130). Data from 2019 references a similar study conducted from September 16 - 24, 2019, among 6,068 global adults.

The survey shows that nine in 10 global adults (88%) say they are snacking more (46%) or the same (42%) during the pandemic than before it, with millennials and those who are working from home right now being especially likely to say they prefer snacks over meals (70% and 67%, respectively). Ultimately, two-thirds believe “the current pandemic will have a long-term impact on how we consume snacks as a society” (65%).

Photo source: California Milk Advisory Board

Comfort is the number-one driver of snacking this year, as more than half have been buying nostalgic snack brands from childhood (53%) and snacks that bring back good memories (59%) during the pandemic. Two-thirds say snack time is one of the few moments of peace (64%) and bright spots in their day (63%), including three-quarters of parents who are working from home. 

More than half of global adults have relied on snacks for nourishment during the pandemic (54%), attesting that snacks have been nourishing to their body, mind and soul during these strange times (64%). A majority are also more mindful snacking at home, saying they are more focused on the snacks they eat these days (57%), and that they have more control over the portions they eat because they are snacking at home more often (66%).

The majority of those surveyed believe companies (81%) should do more to make snacks healthier for consumers. That should get you motivated!

What makes a snack healthier? Here are the top-three attributes based on a compilation of various consumer studies. 

• Not too much sugar and preferably less processed sugar, e.g., honey, fruit juice, etc.
• Quality protein, e.g., whey or plant blends for a complete amino acid profile
• Smarter carbohydrates, e.g., fiber, low-glycemic, sustained energy, etc.

Need help on reducing sugar in yogurt snacks? Link HERE.

Photo source: California Milk Advisory Board

got a great new product idea?  

Five years after launching its initial Accelerator program, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) is gearing up for its 2021 program with the announcement of a new name, DFA CoLab Accelerator, and continued focus on helping accelerate and grow ag-tech and dairy food product companies. With the latter, DFA has worked with a number of startups including Cheddies, an all-natural, protein- packed cheddar cheese cracker; RifRaf ricotta cups, a first-of-its-kind ricotta cheese snack cup; and Wheyward Spirit, a new clear liquor that takes excess whey from dairy and turns it into a smoother, better-tasting and more sustainable farm-to-flask spirit.

“As we start thinking about recruiting companies for our fifth year program, what’s really exciting is that we continue to work with many of our past participants, which is the end goal, to hopefully help and partner with them in some way,” says Doug Dresslaer, director of innovation at DFA. “On the food front, the sky is really the limit as long as one of the main ingredients is dairy. This last year, we had several entrepreneurs who had developed products using dairy by-products like whey, which is really exciting because these types of innovative products go beyond the traditional dairy case, which is helping drive industry growth.” 

For the 2021 program, DFA is looking for early-stage food product companies that are dairy-focused or dairy-based, including products using milk, cheese, butter, whey or other milk-based ingredients. The DFA CoLab Accelerator includes: a 90-day immersive program, with both in-person and virtual training and mentorship from April 2021 to June 2021; access to top executives at DFA, with each startup having a senior-level DFA contact relevant to their business area; educational sessions on a variety of topics important for startup growth, including finance, business development, distribution and supply chain, product development, brand building, sales and marketing, packaging and pricing; and additional workshops that focus on areas such as leadership development, team building and creating company culture. 

For more details and the 2021 application, link HERE.

And again, you have been warned! It’s Friday the 13th! The last one gave us the pandemic. 

Ice Cream Matters: Because we all could use a little comfort during these uncertain times.

 

Need to smile? Watch this 30-second VIDEO on the only way to eat ice cream.

Last night I finished a pint of Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip ice cream in an effort to avoid election, pandemic and yes, even Bachelorette, headlines. Through engagement in an extended family text group and with some friends on Facebook, I learned, I was not alone. Many folks were eating ice cream last night and felt very strongly about their flavor preferences and brands. (Pictured below are my sisters digging in.)

Ice cream matters! Pierre’s Ice Cream Company is making it matter more. 

The company recently rolled out Heroes Ice Cream Pints to recognize all heroes--everyone who has adapted, struggled, sacrificed and persevered during these challenging times--and to raise money for local food banks. The lineup features three flavors: Hearts for Heroes (black raspberry ice cream with raspberry filled chocolaty hearts), Super Stars (vanilla ice cream with peanut butter filled chocolaty stars and peanut butter swirl) and Virtual Hugs (caramel ice cream with sea salt caramel truffles). Pierre’s is donating $1 of every pint purchased to local food programs and the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

Coolhaus Ice Cream has partnered with Mondelez International’s Ritz Crackers brand to create Crackers & Cream, because we all could use ice cream while going a little crackers. The limited-edition flavor features peanut butter ice cream marbled with a crispy Ritz Cracker swirl and sells for $12 a pint.

That’s right $12 per pint. And guess what? It’s worth it! 

For the four-week period ended October 4, 2020, retail ice cream/sherbet volume sales were up 8%, according to IRI, for Dairy Management Inc., and courtesy of Midwest Dairy. Year-to-date growth was +9.4%. This is impressive for a category that has been down or flat for more than two decades. This changed with the pandemic. 

What’s more impressive is that the number of ice cream/sherbet buyers is up 2.3% for the 52-weeks ended October 4, 2020, vs. a year ago and the total purchase per buyer has grown 7.6%. 

More than 83% of households have already purchased ice cream/sherbet this year, which is up 1.2%. That’s at an average rate of 37.1 pints (+7.6%) per buyer, as compared to 34.5 pints the previous 52-week period. And we are paying a lot more for ice cream these days. But that’s not stopping us from turning to this staple comfort food during these uncertain times. 

While volume is measured in pints—16 ounces—the ice cream is being purchased in all types of package sizes. However, pint containers continue to grow in popularity. 

Here’s why. 

Pints are a powerful package size in the world of ice cream. By definition, pints hold 16 fluid ounces of product; however, for economics, some “pint” packs contain a little less. Regardless of how much is inside, pints cost more--often a lot more—on a per-ounce-base than larger-sized ice cream containers. Such smaller-sized containers, though more expensive, invite consumers to try something new. There’s less product, and thus less risk of waste in case you don’t like it.

For aspiring global travelers, Marco Sweets & Spices, a New York-based craft ice cream start-up, is rolling out culinary-inspired ice cream flavors rooted in a love for travel. The initial launch comes in five flavors that celebrate diverse, global ingredients. The company was founded to pay homage to beloved flavors from around the world and transport them from plate to pint.

Crafted with epicureans in mind, each variety of Marco ice cream skillfully layers flavors, including fragrant spices sourced from Brooklyn Spice Company, bringing dimension and depth to every bite. Launch varieties are: Aztec Chocolate (rich chocolate with cinnamon, ancho chile and chile de arbol), Ginger Dreamsicle (tart orange and sweet cream with a hint of spicy, bright ginger and rounded out with floral cardamom), Spicy PB Caramel (peanut butter base accented with ribbons of salted caramel and a touch of heat from chile de arbol and Aleppo pepper), Thai Coco-Lime (creamy coconut and tangy lime with a subtle smokey heat from gochugaru chili powder) and Vanilla Chai (traditional vanilla with the comforting flavors of a cup of chai, including cinnamon, ginger, fennel, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and fragrant Madagascar vanilla). Marco pints are available online in the consumers’ choice of four varieties for $50 or five for $55.

Marco is committed to supporting farmers worldwide. The company is donating 1% of every sale to One Acre Fund, a Kenya-based nonprofit organization that provides smallholder farmers with asset-based financing and agriculture training services to reduce hunger and poverty.

The Food Shop has introduced Gallivant Mawa Ice Cream. Mawa ice cream is made with milk and mawa, which are South Asian milk solids. Mawa is prepared by slow cooking full-fat milk for many hours, reducing it to one-fifth its volume by removing moisture. The solids have rich, silky caramelized notes, which when used in the manufacture of ice cream, results in a “creamier than gelato” frozen dessert, according to Snehee Chaplot, founder and CEO.

Chaplot created nine flavors for the initial rollout. They are: African Chocolate, Chinese Black Sesame, Guatemalan Cardamom, Indian Mango, Japanese Matcha, Madagascar Vanilla, Persian Pistachio, Thai Coconut and Vietnamese Coffee.

Since August 2019, the company has been selling its frozen desserts in Texas and nationwide direct-to-consumers via its website. In Houston, the company’s headquarters, delivery is free. In September 2020, the brand launched into select retail grocery stores in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Washington State, as the first phase of its long-term strategy to become a national brand.

Here’s something else that the pint package does. It helps ice cream manufacturers overcome formulation challenges associated with adding lots of inclusions, especially variegates and fruit sauces that impact freezing temperature and product integrity over shelf life. This is something Ben & Jerry’s taught the ice cream industry when the brand started packing in chunks, chips, swirls and all types of flavorful ingredients that could cause the aerated ice cream mixture to collapse in a larger-sized container that would go in and out of the home freezer for multiple eating occasions. Pints also allow for unique formulations, such as layers and cores of delicious inclusions.

Häagen-Dazs, a brand of Vevey, Switzerland-based Nestlé, recently added Ruby Cacao Crackle Pistachio Sweet Cream to its multi-texture Trio Crispy Layers line. Ruby cacao combines intense berry fruitiness with fresh, sour notes and a hint of cacao rawness to deliver a sensorial delight unlike anything else, according to the company.

Pints also assist with portion control, sort of. At least you know you will stop at the pint. If calories, protein or fat content are important, pints help. This is particularly true for the growing number of consumers following the keto diet, which is approximately 70% fat, 20% protein, and 5% each simple carbohydrates and non-starchy vegetables. It is a weight-loss regime rather than a long-term lifestyle eating approach, as it does not provide the body with adequate, balanced nutrition. However, foods labeled keto friendly also appeal to consumers who are limiting sugar and carbohydrate intake.

About a year ago, Beyond Better Foods introduced the Enlightened Keto Collection of ice cream pints and bars. The no-added-sugar pint flavors are: Butter Pecan, Chocolate Glazed Donut, Coffee and Cream, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate Chunk, Peanut Butter Fudge and Red Velvet. One serving of any variety contains less than 1 gram of sugar and 1 gram of total net carbs. To achieve this, the products are sweetened with monk fruit and erythritol, like the brand’s original lineup, and rely on soluble corn fiber, which delivers 2 grams of fiber per half-cup serving. A half-cup serving of the pints contains 170 to 200 calories, 16 to 18 grams of fat and 2 to 4 grams of protein, depending on flavor. To achieve the higher fat levels, the formulation relies on cream and egg yolks.

The company recently added two limited-edition seasonal flavors as part of its Keto Fall Collection. In collaboration with Delish, the company now offers Peppermint Brownie (red and green peppermint ice cream with gluten-free brownie dough and chocolate chips) and Pumpkin Cheesecake (pumpkin cheesecake ice cream with a cream cheese swirl). 

Real Good Foods Company, a manufacturer of low-carb, high-protein frozen foods, including the first chicken crust frozen pizza, is making its debut in the dessert category with Real Good Ice Cream. The superpremium product with 16% butterfat is positioned as a better-for-you treat. It is sweetened with allulose and contains the prebiotic fiber inulin, which helps keep calories and added sugars down. A two-thirds cup serving contains 170 to 200 calories, 4 to 6 grams of sugar, 4 to 5 grams of protein and 19 to 21 grams of carbohydrates. The product is debuting in eight varieties. They are: Almond Charcoal, Cake Batter, Chocolate, Mocha Java Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Salted Caramel and Tanzanian Vanilla.

Z0cal introduces namesake ice cream with only 15 calories per serving. The company uses high-quality ingredients, such as whole milk and the rare sugar allulose, to create ultra-low-calorie frozen desserts that contain no sucrose or sugar alcohols, no fat and no cholesterol. The ultra-low-calorie ice cream comes in Banana Cream, Cookies and Cream, Cotton Candy, Double Chocolate, Mint Chip, Rum Raisin, Strawberry, Vanilla Bean and Waffle Cone Caramel varieties. An entire pint contains from 60 to 80 calories and retails for a suggested $6.49.

Ice cream will likely help many of us get through the winter and the pandemic. Holiday-themed products may lift spirits. 

Velvet Ice Cream has brought back all of its holiday flavors so that there’s something for everyone. This includes Apple Pie Cobbler, Peppermint Stick, Pumpkin Pie and Pure Cinnamon.

And Perry’s has introduced limited-edition Friendsgiving, a new tradition with your chosen family. Available in 1.5 quarts, Friendsgiving is almond ice cream with blackberry swirls and sugar cookie dough pieces. 

Now I need to run to the store and stock up for the weekend. I purchased a stand-alone freezer for the winter. Samples welcomed! Stay well and sane, and especially safe! Ice cream helps. Ice cream matters.