The Reason HumanCo's Coconut Bliss Is Losing Its Vegan Status
Vegans, flexitarians, and lactose intolerant people alike can vouch for the increase in plant-based products in grocery stores over the past couple of years. Oat milk is around every corner, alternative yogurt abounds, and those with a sweet tooth are no longer pigeonholed into exclusively buying fruit bars. These days, dairy-free ice cream options are much more varied than they used to be, and one brand in particular has established itself as a pillar of the not-ice-cream-ice-cream game: HumanCo's Coconut Bliss. With flavors like Chocolate Peanut Butter, Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate, and Golden Banana Brownie Swirl, one could argue they've led the way for other plant-based ice cream lines from companies like Ben & Jerry's and Van Leeuwen.
Interestingly enough, HumanCo's founder and CEO Jason Karp isn't bent on maintaining his brand's 17-year history as a purely vegan ice cream purveyor. Karp is keen on giving the people what they want, and according to Food Dive, the people want milk in their ice cream again. "More than 97% of all ice cream sold in the U.S. is dairy-based," he told the outlet, and with that demand comes a fresh supply of sustainably-produced dairy treats from Coconut Bliss — and a name change.
Coconut Bliss adds a Cosmic twist to its long-running brand
If you love Coconut Bliss' plant-based legacy flavors, you'll be glad to know that they're not going anywhere. Rather, HumanCo has applied its environmentally conscious practices to a new line of dairy ice cream that satisfies a market demand for sustainably-sourced selection that not many dairy brands meet (via Food Dive). The new flavors include Twisted Cookie Dough, Strawberry Lemon Shortbread, Peanut Butter Blitz, Hazelnut Fudge Crunch, and more, each made with 100% organic, sustainably-sourced, and grass-fed milk. In line with this shift, the brand has changed its name from Coconut Bliss to Cosmic Bliss. "The word 'cosmic' is a nod to our out-of-this-world creaminess and taste coupled with all of the intention and mindfulness with which we source our ingredients," reads an explanation on the brand's website.
It's a bold move in a time when plant-based goods are a hot commodity, but Karp told Food Dive that the rebrand is his company's way of attempting to satisfy more customers. He said, "We believe that it was a better strategy to try to provide a better solution for the 97% than to try to force everybody into a one-size-fits-all kind of mentality." If you're someone who avoids cow's milk ice cream solely for environmental and animal-rights reasons, a pint of Cosmic Bliss might be the sustainable dairy treat you've been waiting for.