By Medha Islam, Alliance Intern, Binghamton University ’28
What if a delicious treat could both excite your taste buds and help our world? I found out it’s possible with vegan ice cream. I tested eight of the most available brands under $10 for a pint and have chosen my favorite four based on taste and eco-practices.
I had a little help from my friends – all four of us have grown up on conventional, top quality ice cream (non-vegan). We’re a tough bunch of ice cream aficionados! I have to confess that I had to nudge my friends to even try them and I was surprised by how good they were.
Many people think cutting out dairy means sacrificing taste, but ice cream companies’ vegan products prove otherwise. Plant-based options deliver a similarly tasty yet different creamy texture with the same bold flavors as traditional ice cream while helping address the environmental impact of dairy farming.
Vegan ice cream is projected to reach $805.3 million in global sales by 2027, according to Allied Market Research. More brands are stepping up to make plant-based delicious.
We are concerned about some of the impacts of dairy farming ‘round here. Here’s why: dairy production accounts for roughly 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Much of this comes from methane released by cows! Not only are we treating these poor cows like birthing machines, breeding them for our own greed, we’re producing greenhouse gases that are 80 times more impactful than carbon from burning fossil fuels.
A University of Oxford study found that producing a liter of cow’s milk generates almost three times the greenhouse gas emissions of producing a liter of plant-based milk, with similar reductions applying to frozen desserts. When multiplied across millions of pints sold annually, the environmental savings can be significant.
Shifting just part of our frozen dessert consumption toward plant-based options could significantly cut methane emissions, reduce water use and support more ethical sourcing!
My Four Top Vegan Ice Cream Choices
Here are my top scoops based on taste and eco-practices:
- Ben & Jerry’s
- Van Leeuwen
- Breyers
- So Delicious
1. Ben & Jerry’s
One of the most recognizable names in the ice cream industry, Ben & Jerry’s, has made a strong entry into the non-dairy category without sacrificing the brand’s creativity and taste. Their non-dairy line includes almond milk and sunflower butter bases which have a lower carbon footprint than conventional dairy. We found B&J’s Non-Dairy “Milk” & Cookies was delicious and addictive.
B&J’s is an independently certified B Corporation with one of the highest ratings for environmental, social and governance practices. They source Fairtrade-certified cocoa, sugar, bananas, and vanilla.
They’ve stated, “Our goal is to have 100% of our packaging be free of petroleum-based plastic. And we want it all to be reusable, compostable, or recyclable by 2025!” However, it’s still unclear whether they’ve actually achieved that goal. The company produces a Social & Environmental Assessment Report each year and you can see an independent assessment of it here.
While these are steps in the right direction, almond farming remains a concern, using around 1.1 gallons of water per almond. Transitioning more of their non-dairy line to oat-based options, which require significantly less water, could help address this issue and further improve their sustainability profile.
2. Van Leeuwen
Van Leeuwen offers a nice selection of vegan delicacies but definitely not as extensive as Ben & Jerry’s. It was especially difficult to find their vegan pints in Long Island but their vegan ice cream sandwiches were one of the best ice cream sandwiches I’ve ever had. My friends agreed.
They should be commended for their use of some organic ingredients including organic coconut cream and cane sugar. Their use of oat and cashew milk as primary bases helps avoid some of the high water and land demands associated with dairy and almonds. By skipping artificial additives and relying on high-quality ingredients, Van Leeuwen demonstrates a commitment to product integrity.
However, while their vegan line is growing, the brand has yet to release a comprehensive sustainability strategy. Without that same transparency that other brands offer, it’s difficult for consumers to assess the environmental footprint of their supply chain.
Clear public goals and commitments, as well as packaging changes such as compostable liners for their paper pints, could enhance their credibility and strengthen environmental practices.
3. Breyers
We absolutely loved Breyers Vegan Vanilla. It had all of the great flavor of their popular conventional vanilla without as many environmental impacts. Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference.
Breyers, a long-established household name, has the scale and distribution to make vegan ice cream widely accessible. Their almond milk-based plant-based line offers consumers a lower-carbon alternative to their dairy ice cream at an affordable price.
However, the majority of Breyers’ products are still dairy-based and packaging is barely even recyclable. Large-scale brands like Breyers have an outsized potential to influence the market and yet they still have a long way to go.
The shift to oat milk and more sustainable packaging would be a good next move. While taste is often the deciding factor for consumers, I want to highlight a brand’s sustainability commitment, especially when the taste differences are almost negligible.
4. So Delicious
Environmental commitment is where So Delicious stands out. Though it may not top my personal taste rankings, it does for others. Don’t believe me? Here’s a direct quote from my friend during our taste testing:
“Normally vegan chocolate, you don’t have that cream, but this one, they take advantage of that by adding that hint of oreo without having it overpower the chocolate. It makes it so you don’t even need that creamy nature of regular milk and they do it perfectly – the chocolate and the oreo taste compliment each other and it focuses on what makes vegan chocolate so special – it’s just so delicious.”
What’s the flavor he’s oh so boasting about? It’s their chocolate cookies n cream.
So Delicious has cultivated a strong reputation for environmental responsibility. The company is a certified B Corporation, which means it meets rigorous social, environmental and governance standards. This reflects a significant commitment for me.
It sources non-GMO plant-based organic ingredients and utilizes packaging certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Offering a wide variety of bases like coconut, cashew, almond, and oat milk which helps reduce reliance on any single crop, spreading environmental risk and supporting diverse agricultural systems.
Additionally, So Delicious donates part of its revenue toward environmental and social causes. For consumers who prioritize sustainability and sweetness density, So Delicious is a strong choice!
Plant-Based Frozen Desserts Have Progress to Make
The plant-based frozen dessert market is not without its faults. Many non-dairy products rely on nut-based milks, which can carry high water usage, and some plant-based packaging still involves plastic linings that complicate recycling.
As we become more aware, the pressure’s on brands to address these challenges: shift their supply chain to organic, regenerative farmers and transition to compostable or recyclable packaging. Furthermore, this article did not go into the significant questions of their overall environmental footprint in terms of water, waste and energy, nor about their treatment of employees or governance.
The truth is that even these brands with a greater environmental commitment have room for significant improvement. And they all need much greater transparency to win trust from those of us who are discerning consumers committed to taste and sustainability.
Your Choices Can Make a Big Impact and Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
For those who want to make more climate-conscious choices, it’s worth remembering that switching even part of your ice cream purchases to vegan options can have a measurable impact. Even if you’re not vegan yourself, this is a perfect time for those who have lactose intolerance or concern about their heart health. I gave the rest of my So Delicious pint to my friend so she could share it with her lactose intolerant mother. Her mom loved it!
Choosing plant-based options not only supports more ethical production practices but also sends a clear signal to the market that consumers value sustainability and inclusivity alongside taste .
As brands like Ben & Jerry’s, Van Leeuwen, Breyers and So Delicious continue to innovate, they show that delicious frozen desserts and environmental responsibility can coexist.
Companies Need to Promote Vegan Ice Cream and Commit to Sustainability and Accessibility
Here are three keys to success: EVERY brand must better promote their vegan options, make them more accessible and commit to sustainability.
For example, Ben & Jerry’s can continue its creative, fun and playful promotion of its brand, but if it does not incorporate a focus on vegan options and make them fully available, those options will never be seen or tasted and they will sell so poorly their vegan ice cream will barely exist.
With demand for plant-based ice cream projected to grow steadily over the next decade, there has never been a better time for companies to invest in sustainability and for consumers to taste the difference.
So being mindful of both flavor and footprint can allow us to enjoy our favorite treats without ignoring their impact on the planet.
Moral of the story: These may be the favorites for me and my friends, but companies need to go further and demonstrate their passion and actual commitment to sustainability and accessibility. I’d love to hear what your favorites are and why, and if these choices are even available to you. Check out our forthcoming vegan ice cream poll to cast your vote(s) so we can hear you and your friends think.