In what may seem to be a major development in the U.S. dairy industry, McConnell’s Dairy has introduced a non-dairy version of ice-cream with pea protein as a base constituent. Reportedly, the launch of this new product, which the company has branded as “frozen dessert”, is aimed at fulfilling the changing preferences of consumers for dairy products.
Authentic sources cite that the ice-cream is currently sold in Bristol Farms & Gelson’s. McConnell is likely to introduce the plant-based dairy-free product in specialty stores over the next few months. The new product will apparently be available in five flavors, including toasted coconut almond chip, eureka lemon & marionberries, dark chocolate chip, Turkish coffee, and cookies & cream with each costing nearly USD 7.5.
McConnell’s product launch comes along the heels of deteriorating dairy sales. As per a report compiled by an esteemed research firm, sales of dairy milk in the U.S. will witness a constant decline in the next two years. Estimates reportedly claim that U.S. dairy sales are likely to fall by 11% till 2020.
Industry experts have attributed the decline in dairy sales to the rising awareness among consumers regarding the disadvantages of consuming cow’s milk, considered unhealthy for humans. In contrast to the decline in the dairy milk sales, the revenue generated from plant milk sales seems to be rising by the day. As per estimates, the revenue from the plant milk market is forecast to exceed USD 34 billion by 2024.
Michael Palmer, the CEO of McConnell, has supported the use of pea protein over the ever-ubiquitous almond or coconut. He states that in a category where there is less scope for innovation, the company firmly believes in introducing new products, and not just aping others to increase its market share. Palmer further adds that the non-dairy version of ice-cream contains less fat, sugar, and cholesterol as compared to its traditional counterparts.