Ben & Jerry’s is to reformulate its range of non-dairy ice creams with an oat base.
The nearly 20 existing non-dairy flavours across the brand’s tubs and scoop shops worldwide will switch from their current almond base to a “new and improved” oat base, starting with Ben & Jerry’s bestselling variant Cookies on Cookie Dough.
According to Ben & Jerry’s, the current almond base altered the overall flavour of the ice creams.
By contrast, the new oat base offered a “smoother texture” and allowed “flavours like chocolate, decadent caramel, and rich vanilla to shine as intended”.
Switching to oat also reduced the presence of nut allergens in the ice creams, making them more inclusive for diet sensitivities, Ben & Jerry’s said.
The reformulated tubs will roll into grocery and convenience store freezers in early 2024 (rsp: £4.90/465ml).
A new non-dairy variant is set to launch early next year. It will be the first flavour created specifically with the oat-based recipe in mind.
It comes as Ben & Jerry’s owner Unilever is currently researching precision fermentation technology to create “cow-free dairy” to be used in its ice cream portfolio.
The technology involves encoding animal proteins into micro-organisms such as algae and fermenting them with nutrients and sugar to mimic dairy products.
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