Graeter’s Debuts Vegan Ice Cream for First Time in 150-Year History

Cincinnati may be home to the famous Skyline Chili, but it looks like the plant-based crowd is about to be well-served, at least on the dessert front, and we couldn’t be more excited. A classic favorite ice cream brand, Graeter's, is coming out with vegan ice cream for the first time in its 150-year history. Established in 1870, Graeter’s Ice Cream has long been a cult favorite in Cincinnati and throughout the midwest, doling out tantalizing ice creams along with candy and baked goods for any sweet tooth that enters their parlors.

Graeter's just announced that they’re debuting their first vegan ice cream in a slew of crowd-pleasing flavors: Chocolate, Oregon Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip, Cookies and Cream, and Black Cherry Chocolate Chip. So how do they pull off creamy, rich perfection sans animal products? Each ice cream is crafted with Perfect Day Foods animal-free dairy protein made from a process utilizing micro-flora fermentation.

“After 150 years of making the most irresistible ice cream you'll ever taste, our family is finally able to bring the same level of indulgence to a vegan, lactose-free dessert,” the announcement on social media read, previewing the packaged pints and a peek inside what’s under each lid in an animated graphic.

Graeter’s new vegan ice cream collection, dubbed “Perfect Indulgence,” officially launches on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26. To order nationwide, head to the graeters.com landing page for the line here.  Fans of the brand were clearly stoked to hear the news, with comments ranging from “I hope black raspberry is the next vegan flavor” to “the best ice cream in Cincinnati!!!! now VEGAN!” See the post on Instagram below.

Along with hungry fans, the company is eagerly anticipating the launch: “The taste of Perfect Indulgence is exactly what our customers have come to expect after 150 years of bringing them irresistibly indulgent ice cream,” said Richard Graeter, fourth-generation family member and president and CEO of Graeter’s Ice Cream in a company press release. “We are excited to finally be able to serve authentic Graeter’s indulgence to guests who prefer an animal-free frozen dessert option or who cannot enjoy our regular ice cream due to lactose intolerance. Until now, we couldn’t put our name on a vegan product because it simply did not live up to our standards. But now, with Perfect Day, we can. Enjoy!”

Needless to say, it’s going to be very hard deciding between a pint of Chocolate or Oregon Strawberry to kick off our official at-home tasting session. Or shall we start with a little Black Cherry Chip... The temps may be dropping if you’re finding yourself on an ice cream kick, be sure to also check out our list of the five best non-dairy ice creams. And we tested them all!