Ice cream chain Cold Stone Creamery announced the company’s Silk-crafted vegan ice cream is now available across the USA.
The Silk Chocolate Almondmilk Frozen Dessert is Cold Stone’s first plant-based ice cream option and will feature in the Don’t Cry Over Spilled Silk Creation, made with Silk Chocolate Almondmilk Dessert, Banana, Peanut Butter and Roasted Almonds.
Known for its signature “Creations” – where customers choose a combination of ice cream and mixed-in toppings – Cold Stone’s dairy-free menu was previously limited to a range of sorbet flavors.
The collaboration with Silk, which is owned by Danone North America, will allow customers who choose dairy-free ice cream to take part in the full Cold Stone experience by adding in treats like apple pie, fruit, nuts, Oreos, pretzels and rainbow sprinkles.
“Cold Stone is delighted to share our very first plant-based flavor,” said Sara Schmillen, vice president of marketing for Kahala Brands, the parent company of Cold Stone Creamery. “We pride ourselves on our high flavor standards. It was important for us to innovate with an equally high quality and well-respected brand like Danone and their Silk Almondmilk product. As a result our new Silk Chocolate Almondmilk Frozen Dessert delivers on a true ice cream experience – but not made with any dairy product. Plant-based has never tasted so good. We know our guests will agree!”
More ice cream shops move towards plant-based
Cold Stone Creamery is the latest major ice cream chain to incorporate dairy-free selections. In 2019, Baskin-Robbins, which owns 8,000 shops in 55 countries, added non-dairy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Chocolate Extreme flavors to their stores, followed by oatmilk-based Strawberry Streusel and Salted Fudge Bar last year.
If successful, Cold Stone’s partnership with Silk may lead to additional dairy-free creations for ice cream fans.
“We’re absolutely thrilled that Cold Stone Creamery chose to work 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, vice president of marketing for Silk, 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.”
