Magnum launches vegan ice cream in Australia

Magnum has finally launched vegan ice cream in Australia.

The wait is over for premium vegan icecream. This pea protein non-dairy vegan ice cream coated with dairy free chocolate  is available for sale in the UK, Europe and Australia.

It signals a shift in consumer tastes – many global food critics are saying the future of icecream is vegan, and this is seriously decadent.

At a no-expense spared party at Fonda Restaurant in Bondi last night, Magnum launched two flavours – non-dairy classic and Magnum non-dairy vegan almond (the latter is the one I prefer). 

The chocolate coating is rich and made from 70 percent Belgian cocoa sourced from sustainably-grown rainforest alliance cocoa beans as well as coconut oil.

Unilever describe it as a “velvety plant-based product” that provides a creamy experience without the need for dairy.  And that was my experience road testing both flavours for the first time.

Unilever says it was never marketed as ice cream but as iced confection, (as in Australia only products with cream or milk can be called ice cream).

The non-dairy products have been certified  Vegan by Vegan Action.

Other brands who have gone vegan:

But vegan icecream is not new to the food industry. Cornetto has vegan ice cream cones, which use soy -based ice cream, hazelnuts and retain the cheeky non-diary chocolate at the bottom of the cone. 

In the USA, Ben & Jerry’s launched vegan almond milk ice cream bar in 2016. The healthier iecream line was very successful amongst consumers.

The UK has its own Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy flavour, Cocconutterly Caramel’d.

Bondi Beauty Founder Renae Leith-Manos at the Magnum Vegan lunch in Bondi last night.

The cult supermarket healthy brand Halo (read more about Halo here),  introduced non-diary in 2017, and continues to release new vegan flavours.

Bondi Beauty Founder Renae Leith-Manos at the Magnum Vegan lunch in Bondi last night.

What about the Dairy Industry?

A study by Global Market Insights in 2018 predicts sales of vegan ice-cream products will surpass $1 billion by 2024.  Dairy Industry Experts warn this signals a huge problem for the Australian dairy industry.

A spokesman for Australian dairy farmers speaking to The Guardian said “(Magnum) made a very commercial decision to introduce a vegan addition to their Magnum product line to satisfy a very vocal community..it is misleading to call the product icecream.”

(Read Sam Wood’s story on pros and cons of giving up dairy here).

One thing is for sure, it make socialising for vegans easier – as they can now join in the fun with their friends and enjoy a vegan Magnum ice cream treat rather than miss out because they don’t eat dairy.

Experts say the vegan trend is being pushed ahead by multiple consumer objectives. These include sustainability, with vegan supporters saying livestock in Australia contribute to global warming as well as significant water wastage.

There are multiple  health reasons people want to give up dairy, and other consumers are concerned about animal welfare.

For more about Magnum Vegan and allergy information, click here.

Avatar photo
Renae Leith-Manos

Editor and Founder of Bondi Beauty

Renae Leith-Manos loves fitness, new beauty products, long chats and long flights. She is at her best when traveling the world writing about luxury hotels and Michelin Star restaurants (www.renaesworld.com.au). She has had a colourful media career as a journalist inmagazines and newspapers, in Australia and Asia. She spends her time writing, cooking, consulting to new businesses, running and working out.

No Comments Yet

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Verified by MonsterInsights