Oso Cremoso, a 100% vegan ice cream brand, has recently become available exclusively at Main Squeeze in downtown Columbia, Missouri. The brand is the first of its kind to become available in central Missouri.
So, what makes this ice cream vegan? All flavors created by Oso Cremoso are dairy-free and nut-based, crafted with a “secret formula” of coconut and oat milk so that the ice cream base remains creamy, but doesn’t have a strong coconut flavor.Â
“Most vegan ice creams have a nut milk base like almond or cashew, but oat is becoming popular as well. There are brands of coconut milk ice cream, but I always found the coconut taste overpowering.” said Leigh Lockhart, founder and crafter of Oso Cremoso and the owner of Main Squeeze.
Flavors that include mix-ins, like Rockiest Road, Cookie Monster, and Tiger Stripe, among others, remain vegan even with various toppings. Cookie Monster, for example, is created with vegan stroopwafels and given its blue appearance from blue butterfly pea powder, a superfood. Further, the caramel swirled in Tiger Stripe is created by Lockhart herself by substituting dairy butter for vegan butter.
As of right now, there are no additional toppings available that are not already mixed into the ice cream. However, customers can look forward to additional toppings becoming available in the future (along with kombucha floats and milkshakes!).
Currently at Main Squeeze, there are 10 flavors of ice cream to choose from, the “big hitters” according to Lockhart, and two flavors out of the ten are gluten free! Customers have the option between purchasing scoops for $4.50, or a pint for $8.
With 30 years racked up in the plant-based food business, Lockhart held on to her love of ice cream and dreamed of creating a vegan-friendly ice cream business. As a vegan herself, she has beliefs surrounding the treatment of animals, especially in the dairy industry, and knew that if she ever went forward with her ice cream business that it would have to be plant-based. Lockhart also hopes to appeal to those who enjoy supporting local agriculture and businesses, as she plans to incorporate local produce from her own garden and local farms.
“Ice cream is refreshing, limitless in its flavors, and you want to eat it to celebrate and when you’re sad; It’s the perfect food. Fight me.” she said.Â
Next spring, she hopes to have an ice cream trailer ready to “hit the streets” and become available to a wider audience. As for future endeavors, Lockhart shared that Clover’s Natural Market has expressed interest in carrying Oso Cremoso in store.
“There are lots of plant-based ice creams on the market for sure, but there is not a local or regional brand in Central Missouri,” said Lockhart. “Not gonna lie, I like being the first.”