Baskin Robbins Reveals The Inside Story On Their Foray Into An Exclusive Range Of Vegan Ice Creams

The growth of veganism in India and the number of people adopting it either as a lifestyle choice or for genuine health reasons has been growing remarkably. In the 90’s, when Baskin Robbins first came to India, they offered a 100% vegetarian range. Now they’ve sought to go above and beyond so as to please discerning patrons. Two years ago, Baskin Robbins launched vegan and dairy-free flavours in the US and subsequently expanded it to Australia, Canada and a few other markets. Now, they’re bringing some thrilling offerings for our very own desi palate!

As ice-creams go vegan, here’s what you can expect to savour

Sinful Mississippi Mud and the rich Alphonso Mango have been introduced as their first dairy-free flavours in India. When asked to elaborate on these selections, Mohit Khattar, CEO, Graviss Foods Pvt. Ltd. (Baskin Robbins) says, “We wanted to offer at least one chocolate and one fruit based flavour as our initial offering. The obvious choice to be offered in dairy free avataars were therefore our two best sellers that have stood the test of time – viz Mississippi Mud and Alphonso Mango.

Mohit Khattar, CEO, Graviss Foods Pvt. Ltd. (Baskin Robbins)

How were such exciting flavours were conceptualised?

Baskin Robbins has been synonymous with diversity in flavours over the years. But let’s take a look at how these flavours came into being. “While developing these dairy free flavours for our vegan consumers, we were pretty sure that our consumers should not see this as a compromise. The end product experience had to be as creamy, as flavourful and as enjoyable in every bite, as any full dairy product,” quips Khattar. It appears this has remained the guiding principle that sets Baskin Robbins apart.

When quizzed about what was the defining factor for releasing these flavours now, he says, “We were brainstorming earlier this year (in the midst of the pandemic) about our new offering and had shortlisted vegan products. We had actually targeted a mid-October release but in trying to get the flavours pitch perfect, we got delayed a little and ended up introducing these in late November.

The creative process of developing new and exciting dairy-free flavours

The chef tells us that they seek inspirations from various kinds of desserts that people are consuming at the moment while creating a trendy new flavour. Once a flavour is decided to be pursued, the product development and R&D team identifies the source of flavour, actual ingredients, and other mandatory elements to ensure an optimum blend of texture, flavour and taste!

The dairy-free flavours - Alphonso Mango and Mississippi Mud

Would dairy-free ice-cream be more expensive?

Experts reveal that dairy-free products are actually more expensive to make than the comparative dairy versions. We notice that the dairy-free Alphonso Mango has a higher price than the dairy version. Yet the vegan range by Baskin Robbins manages to be quite affordable.

They are surprisingly palatable for non-vegans!

Initial market reviews reveal that a test audience found the products incredibly creamy and unexpectedly delicious! When it comes to the flavour palate, surprisingly even some non vegans have liked the products in general. When asked how other consumers embraced it Khattar says, “Well, to be honest we have been overwhelmed with the response and love that these dairy free flavours have received. Consumers are loving the creaminess, texture and overall taste.

“Feedback across the country including from large cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi as well as smaller cities like Rajkot, Madurai and Trivandrum, etc. has been positive. We have heard rave reviews from nutritionists and lay consumers alike. Hence, our R&D team is waiting to bring many new flavours for both discerning non vegans and vegan consumers!” he concludes.

What’s next for this ever evolving brand?

Baskin Robbins has been a leading and much loved brand across the globe with operations across over 100 countries, banking over 1500 flavours. They equate these flavours with joy and happiness. Hence it is heartening to hear that going forward they seek to bring happiness to consumers – both old and new. The future is bright and exciting!

As trends in the foodservice industry veer towards online, Baskin Robbins has a game-plan to cope. Khattar adds, “Both online as well as offline will continue to play an important role in our distribution approach. As a brand we have over 700 parlours across 200 cities as well as online presence across aggregator platforms and on popular marketplace sites. We are also present across leading Modern Trade stores (supermarkets, hyper markets, leading chemists) etc.”.

Rising Demand for Plant-Based Foods Post-Pandemic

When probed whether the pandemic would compel meat-lovers to reconsider their food choices, he says, “I am not sure if it is the pandemic itself that might force people to alter their food choices. I believe that those adopting plant based diets do it for reasons that are more dear to their heart and health; and those reasons are more permanent in nature. It is something they believe in. The number of such consumers across the country would only grow stronger with time.”

Mr. Khattar says, “Veganism as a movement will only strengthen and gather steam as I see it. Baskin Robbins in some ways will lead other mainstream brands to take a closer look at the needs of the vegan consumer in India.”

Well, if you’re considering making better food choices with plant-based products that are cruelty-free, then veganism is for you and ice-creams are a great place to start!

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