Safeway Launches Own Line of Vegan Cashew Ice Cream

Leading American supermarket chain, Safeway, has released its own private label line of vegan ice cream. The new nondairy ice cream is part of Safeway’s all-natural food line, Open Nature, and is made using cashew milk.

“Everyone’s going dairy-free! @safeway has released their own cashew milk ice cream, so naturally we had to buy a pint!” VegNews posted on its Instagram page.

Safeway first launched Open Nature back in 2011 in its more than 1,300 locations. “Open Nature is a great addition to Safeway’s portfolio of health and wellness brands,” Joe Ennen, senior vice president of consumer brands, said in a statement at the time. He added, “Safeway’s way of providing shoppers access to simple, flavorful food made from all-natural ingredients that is as close to nature as possible.”

Despite Open Nature beginning as a meat-focused line, the chain appears positioned to add more vegan items in the future as demand for vegan food increases.

Across the globe, a shift toward veganism is on the rise. In the U.S., the number of vegans living in the country has increased by six-hundred percent in the last three years alone. Many brands have been joining the market for plant-based foods, with the market for vegan ice cream, in particular, booming in recent years. Dairy-free ice cream is predicted to reach an estimated value of $2.45 billion dollars within the next ten years. Cornetto, Haagen Dazs, and Halo Top are just some of the major frozen dessert brands that have added dairy-free options to their lineups in the past year. Ben & Jerry’s vegan line, also introduced in 2017, has been flourishing too. In January the ice cream giant added two more vegan options to its offerings, making 20% of their products suitable for vegans.

“[The company has] been very pleased with this product line and [the] fans’ response and excitement around the offering,” Nelia Horikawa, Ben & Jerry’s assistant brand manager said.


Image Credit: VegNews