NadaMoo! frozen dessert scoops (Credit: Emily Watkins)
When I found out I was allergic to dairy, I was devastated. No more lattes, no more caprese salads and–worst of all–no more ice cream.
Until I found NadaMoo! I don’t dare tell people it’s vegan ice cream because there is still a stigma that vegan = no flavor. But this organic, dairy-free, coconut based frozen dessert is far from that stereotype. It’s amazing! And best of all, it’s local to Austin.
I sat down with Daniel Nicholson of NadaMoo! to get the inside scoop (pun intended) and give you a look behind the coconut curtain.
It’s All About the Ingredients
The organic coconut milk base is what gives NadaMoo! the creaminess and similar consistency that you find in “regular” ice cream. Take that and add all natural, all organic, non-GMO ingredients and you get the most amazing dessert that you won’t feel (too) guilty indulging in. As the folks at NadaMoo! say, “non-GMO should taste like OMG!” And I guarantee that NadaMoo! will make you say OMG once or twice.
NadaMoo! is a made up, playful name that marries the word nada, meaning “nothing” in Spanish, and moo, which is the sound a cow makes. You can’t get more creative than that. The name actually reminds me of “I can’t believe it’s not butter.” Except it’s ice cream and I can’t believe it’s not dairy!
Coconut Craze
Pints of NadaMoo!
NadaMoo! is not the new kid on the block. On the contrary, their team members have been trailblazers. Eleven years ago, alternative dairy options were dominated by soy, and the magic of coconut hadn’t hit the mainstream. NadaMoo! was so ahead of its time and competitors Coconut Bliss and So Delicious. Funny enough, So Delicious even recently changed their name from Soy Delicious just to keep up with the coconut craze.
Austin’s leading grocer, Whole Foods, was the first to carry NadaMoo! back in 2005. Having Whole Foods on your side is telling of the quality of the product, in my opinion. But it wasn’t until the cusp of the coconut craze in 2011 when NadaMoo! really started making strides, finally leading them to international markets in 2013. Today, you can find NadaMoo! in grocery stores west of the Mississippi, in Canada and Northern Mexico.
Local Roots
I feel extremely lucky to have so many gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian, organic, locally-sourced food options in Austin. And after chatting with Daniel, I was left strangely proud of the fact that NadaMoo! has been a part of that movement since 2004.
What I also love about the folks at NadaMoo! is they are not only supportive of other local products–such as Tito’s Vodka and Chameleon Cold Brew–they are supportive of organizations that help keep the community vibrant. Organizations such as HAAM, Creative Action and Urban Roots.
Daniel explained he likes partnering with local groups that keep the soul of the city alive through music, diversity and health.
A photo posted by NadaMoo! (@nadamoo) on
Future Endeavors
If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what’s on the horizon. Expansion? Maybe a brick and mortar store? Move flavors? With just seven full-time employees (plus several contractors), NadaMoo! is hard at work on “smart” expansion. They want to stay true to their product and community, so growing at a sustainable pace is important.
They will definitely be heading into grocery stores east of the Mississippi. And while Daniel didn’t say for sure when, a scoop shop might be in their future, which I’m rallying for! Another possible endeavor would be to expand outside of frozen desserts. After all, there are a lot of “health” foods out there which could use a little dairy-free, GMO-free, soy-free, crap-free make over.
So if you haven’t yet tried NadaMoo!, head to your local grocer and buy it, like yesterday. And I dare you not to sing this song while you eat it!
@jpino9 wants to know:
What’s your favorite NadaMoo! flavor?
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