Thursday, March 28, 2024

A Kinda way of making ice cream

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The cauliflower formulation has created a creamier, dairy-like texture, with a higher melting stability than competitor products.
Kinda’s Jenni Matheson and Milli Kumar will showcase their three ice cream flavours at Fieldays and will launch single serve tubs in 2023.
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Punters will have the chance to sample ice cream made from cauliflower at business startup Kinda’s stall at this year’s Fieldays.

Founded by Milli Kumar and Jenni Matheson, it will be the first time they have shared their ice cream and brand with the masses.

The pair met at Venture Taranaki’s Powerup Ideas Competition in 2021. A vegan for more than 20 years, Matheson had created vegan ice-cream made from cauliflower in her kitchen at home.

The meeting led the pair to create Kinda. They have three ice cream flavours – strawberry ripple, triple chocolate and mint choc biccie – and will be launching their single serve tubs in 2023.

The cauliflower formulation has created a creamier, dairy-like texture with a higher melting stability than competitor products.

“We at Kinda don’t like food waste, so have partnered with Social Enterprise – Perfectly Imperfect to utilise ‘cosmetically imperfect’ cauliflower and to add value to New Zealand growers,” they said.

Initial research has shown that they are producing 84% less greenhouse gases, utilising 93% less land, 81% less water and 53% less nutrient runoff into the environment, compared to traditional dairy.

They say they are really enjoying the process of planning their launch, which will be in 2023 in partnership with Hell Pizza.

“It requires thinking outside the box when you are a start-up and there is a type of freedom that comes with that. We also enjoy working together as a team, seeing the progress, connecting with other people and the feeling of knowing our energies are going into making the world a better place.

Kumar and Matheson also benefitted from using Waikato-based business support service Soda, saying its LIFT programme was instrumental in their progress.

“We needed some support in financial planning, distribution and our marketing strategy. Through our Soda LIFT mentor, Brianne West from Ethique, we have managed to achieve over and above what we had set out to do.”

While there have been many highlights along their journey, the biggest one was their taste testing event at Massey University in May.

“It was the first time we got to share our ice-cream with others and see the joy and amazement on people’s faces.”

The pair say they are inspired by companies that are leading the way in making a positive impact in the world, by having environmentally friendly processes, treating their staff really well and giving back to the community, such as Ethique, Raglan Food Co & Chia Sisters.

There have also been challenges, and they have become experts at solving problems. 

“If we had to narrow it down, our most challenging area would be packaging and distribution. Packaging and distribution require minimum order quantities that well exceed a company that is starting out.

They hope to be selling their product in the global market in five years’ time.

“We are already researching into potential markets and have started having initial conversations.”

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