This Ice Cream Company Is Going 100% Vegan

As consumers become more concerned with sustainability and ethical food production, the dairy industry faces more criticism worldwide. The Urgent Company – the consumer packaged goods brand from the food-tech company Perfect Day – just announced that it acquired the ice cream brand Coolhaus. The announcement marks the first time that the company has acquired another company, planning to introduce Perfect Day’s signature animal-free whey protein into Coolhaus’ products to make them all completely dairy-free in the future.

The Urgent Company’s products use Perfect Day’s microflora-based animal-free whey, providing a cellular indistinguishable ingredient to animal-based proteins. Perfect Day uses a yeast-based microflora to replicate animal-based protein cells using a precision fermentation process. The Urgent Company will then incorporate the animal-free protein into an existing product line for the first time.

“Bringing together our social and climate missions is deeply personal,” General Manager and co-founder of TUC Paul Kollesoff said in a statement. “We know the work we do now will determine if our children can continue to enjoy the food we eat and the planet we inhabit for years to come.”

Natasha Case and Freya Estreller launched Coolhaus in 2009 with the central mission to empower BIPOC, the LGBTQ community, and women. While the company initially only feature dairy-based pints, the product selection has since expanded into dairy-free options. Coolhaus revealed 13 new vegan items in 2019, including pints and ice cream cookie sandwiches. The brand is currently distributed at more than 6,000 retailers including Walmart, Whole Foods Market, Kroger, and more.

Coolhaus’ founders revealed that by joining The Urgent Company they will significantly reduce the company's negative impacts on the environment. The animal-free whey protein produces up to 97 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to animal-based dairy production, according to a life-cycle assessment conducted by Perfect Day.

“We created Coolhaus to make better products for everybody. Our ability to lead with purpose and move the dial for consumers becomes even stronger by joining The Urgent Company,” Case said. “For us, this is about the long game. The integration of Perfect Day protein into our line of beloved dairy ice cream and novelties is going to elevate our product into the next generation of foods making a difference for our families and our planet.”

The global dairy alternative market is expanding rapidly, ranging from the more typical nut, grain, or soy-based milk products to Perfect Day’s newer animal-free whey. The dairy alternative market is projected to reach $52 billion by 2028, according to a report from Grand View Research. Perfect Day’s new whey protein aims both undercut the dairy industry and innovated the alternative dairy sector.

Perfect Day launched in 2014 when vegan entrepreneurs Ryan Pandya and Perumal Gandhi decided to find a way to make dairy production obsolete through a sustainable method. The company has currently secured $750 million in funding from investors including Leonardo DiCaprio.

“A full-fledged response to climate change must bring innovation to all aspects of our daily lives – including to the foods we consume,” DiCaprio said. “Perfect Day’s forward-looking vision offers a new model for reducing the impact that our diets have on the planet. I’m pleased to be part of their advisory council and work together to support our shared urgent environmental mission.”

The Urgent Company’s first ice cream brand Brave Robot has showcased the animal-free whey since its launch last year. The company recently announced that it officially sold 1 million pints, claiming it helped save one million miles worth of greenhouse gas emissions. Coolhaus will join Brave Robot as two of the only ice cream brands to feature the proprietary animal-free whey protein, with Perfect Day intending on future expansion.