Couple caters to lactose intolerant with dairy-free ice cream brand

Alternatives to dairy are becoming more popular, especially among people who are lactose intolerant. And because dairy products are key ingredients in many foods, people are looking for ways to replicate it so people who have dairy allergies or have chosen to be vegan won't have to miss out on their favourite dishes.

Jovon and Ren Browne, owners of Milk and Honey, located at Royal Palm Plaza, Maraval, said their dairy-free ice cream brand does just that. Why did they name a dairy-free brand Milk and Honey? Well, Ren said this is because it refers to the land of milk and honey mentioned in the Bible which was described as a place of abundance, good food. good fortune and good living.

The couple, affectionately called Milk and Honey because of their different, yet equally captivating personalities, said they started off making sorbets from seasonal fruits until Ren's best friend, who is lactose intolerant wanted to try their product. Jovon came up with a dairy-free recipe and they started making for their friends and family who encouraged them to starting selling it.

“We would sell from our gallery to people on the streets on the weekends, and then we attended a pop-up market at Estate 101 and the response was crazy. We had people saying, ‘This is the best ice cream ever, can we get this in the grocery?’”

Along with those sorbets, Ren and Jovon added some non-traditional dairy-free ice cream flavours to their menu.

“We started off with cookies and cream, and then we had stracciatella which is vanilla with chocolate in it,” she told Sunday Newsday.

Before getting a spot at Royal Palm Plaza, they were based at Flavourama Food Court, Barbados Road, Port of Spain, but found it a bit challenging since they were limited in time and space.

“We needed to be there during the week, people wanted to come for ice cream earlier in the day and we decided to take the plunge and open our store front.”

From there the couple’s range of flavours expanded with the help of customers, as they (customers) were given the opportunity to tell Ren or Jovon which flavours they wanted to see added to the menu.

“We have 12 to 14 flavours and during the various (fruits) seasons, we rotate about three seasonal flavours,” she said.

“All of these are dairy-free, egg-free and no animal by-products.”

Jovon walked Sunday Newsday through his process of making the ice cream, listing the ingredients to give customers full transparency.

“We use almond and oat milk and coconut cream. All flavours get coconut cream, but some flavours get either almond milk or coconut cream.”

He said this was also to cater to those with nut allergies.

“It’s really basic, the almond milk or oat, coconut cream, salt, sugar, vanilla essence and cellulose gum.”

All of the vanilla-based flavour are made with oat milk – pralines and cream, cookies and cream, salted caramel, chai and cookie dough – while almond milk is used in the rest of the flavours. The ice cream takes at least a day to make because it takes between 30 to 35 minutes to churn one flavour with a basic home ice cream maker.

“We’re looking at getting a commercial ice cream maker which will give us eight litres of ice cream in half hour whereas right now, we make four litres in 35 minutes.”

He said they frequently have to replenish chocolate brownie, salted caramel, strawberry fields, cookie dough along with many other flavours on a regular basis.

“Those four, we have to have all the time.”

The number of customers on a daily basis varies, but he and Ren share an inside joke about when customers choose to come in.

“We will get ten customers five minutes till closing time. We close at 8 pm and all 7.45 pm, we see people speeding up the incline to get ice cream,” he chuckled.

They offer their ice creams in biodegradable cups, waffle cones freshly made in store or in pints. The prices vary depending on if the customers choose to have them in store or on the go. Although there a two seat in store now, They hope to make the indoor space smaller and offer people the option of outdoor seating. They said having the intimate setting helps them improve on their products and services because they are able to deal with complaints first-hand and change what needs to be changed, troubleshoot and even learn about their customers. Milk and Honey welcomes customers from 12-8 pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays and from 3-9 pm on Sundays.