Millennials are obsessed with avocados, right? And, millennials love plant-based foods, correct? Now that we're all in agreement, we have some news: There's a non-dairy ice cream company out there that makes its frozen treats out of avocados. We'll let that sink in.
This morning, we came across an vegan ice cream brand called Cado thanks to a Instagram photo shared by @snackbetch. As good millennials, the avocado and the non-dairy classification on the ice cream pints' labels immediately piqued our interest, so we reached out to one of Cado's co-founders Meghan Dowd to find out more.
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Dowd told Refinery29 via email that Cado is indeed vegan. Unlike many other dairy-free ice creams, however, Cado is made from avocado, so it contains no nuts or soy, making it a good non-dairy option for those with allergies — or, those who just really, really like avocados.
According to Dowd, Cado's avocado base is made by pureeing ripened avocados. When the base is complete, other organic ingredients are added to create the different flavors. "We keep the ingredients list very simple," says Dowd. Right now, Cado is available in Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Lemon Sorbet. Additionally, Dowd revealed that the company has plans to introduce a few new flavors: Cherry Amaretto, Java Chip, Vanilla, and Salted Caramel.
Despite not adding a complex mix of ingredients, the finished frozen desserts apparently don't taste like avocados. "We love that when people try Cado, they have no idea it's made from avocados," Dowd explains. It's true that millennials love the green fruit, but let's be honest, we don't really want our mint chocolate chip ice cream to have a vegetal aftertaste. Since avocados have proven time and again that they make an excellent brownie batter or chocolate pudding, it's not all that surprising that they work as a neutral, creamy base for ice cream, too.
Though making ice cream out of the creamiest fruit around should be a no-brainer, the innovative idea for Cado is unlike anything we've seen before. Dowd, who started the company with her brother Jack and her mother Deb in 2015, says the idea was born from a few other culinary experiments. "Avocados, because of the quality of the fat and creaminess, had found their way into our smoothies and pies, and so using them to craft ice cream was a natural next step," says Dowd. "When crafting our first batches of what would become Cado, we had a light bulb moment. The avocado-base offers more nutrition and a superior fat, doesn't compete with the flavor, has a really creamy quality, just like ice cream... Everybody should be eating this, we thought! It was a great marriage of two things we loved: ice cream and avocados."
Cado is available nationwide at Whole Foods Market, Fresh Market, and other grocery chains and local retailers. So, millennials, go forth and rush your freezer aisles.
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