Miyoko's Vegan Ice Cream Is Back at Frankie & Jo's

Nearly seven in 10 Americans keep ice cream stocked in their freezer at all times, and vegan pioneer Miyoko Schinner is helping dairy-free Americans stock their fridges with their favorite vegan dessert. Miyoko's Creamery just announced that it will extend its partnership with Seattle-based brand Frankie & Jo's to debut its limited edition vegan ice cream for the second season in a row. Starting December 1, Americans nationwide can try Miyoko's Butter Toffee & Chocolate ice cream, again!

Ice cream lovers will be able to find the vegan flavor at the three Seattle-based Frankie & Jo's storefronts throughout December. For consumers outside of the Seattle area, the dairy-free pints can be ordered on the vegan ice cream brand's website and delivered directly to doorsteps nationwide.

This re-release follows the two brands' previous collaboration last fall. Frankie & Jo reached out to Miyoko's when it decided to create a candy bar ice cream. The brand decided to create its creamy caramel base and mixed in butter toffee bars dipped in dairy-free dark chocolate.

“After testing other vegan butters for a chocolate-covered toffee inclusion in our ice cream, we decided that Miyoko’s Creamery made the perfect version that was up to our standards,” Kari Brunson, Frankie & Jo’s CEO and co-owner, told VegNews. “We reached out to see if they were interested in partnering with us, and Miyoko herself was able to taste the ice cream and give it her stamp of approval, and our partnership was born."

Frankie & Jo's creates its vegan ice cream with cashew and coconut milk bases. Other flavors include Supercookies & Cream, Jamocha Chaga Fudge, and Brown Sugar Vanilla. The flavors are available for national shipping year-round.

Miyoko Schinner is Crafting a Vegan Empire

Schinner's eponymous vegan brand aims to provide specialty vegan alternatives for all dairy products. Currently, the brand offers plant-based cheese, butter, and spread that replicate the taste and texture of traditional dairy products. More importantly, Schinner's vegan alternatives feature the same usability as dairy, allowing consumers to bake and cook with the plant-based products.

Miyoko’s Creamery and upcycling company Renewal Mill recently announced that they will partner o further minimize food waste in the plant-based sector. The companies co-developed a new vegan cookie using Renewal Mill’s upcycled okara flour –– the byproduct of soy milk production –– and leftover vegan butter from Miyoko’s Creamery production runs. The brands released two cookie flavors including Salted Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip. Consumers can purchase these cookies for $2.99 from Renewal Mill’s website.

Fighting for Plant-Based Rights

Miyoko's Creamery experienced backlash from dairy and animal agriculture giants since 2014 due to its use of "dairy" and "cheese" labels. The brand faced a lawsuit from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, attempting to limit the company's use of animal-related labels from its products. Miyoko's subsequently won the lawsuit last August, setting a new protective precedent for plant-based brands nationwide.

To help support farmers that feel threatened by plant-based growth, Schinner teamed up with Mercy for Animals and Animal Outlook to develop a toolkit designed to help farmers transition away from industrial animal agriculture and grow crops instead. The Farmer Toolkit will help farms move away from animal agriculture – a sector that often overlooks the needs of farmers.

For more plant-based happenings, check out The Beet's News articles.