Dairy-free frozen dessert Klimon expands reach

When founder and CEO Alex Cotraviwat was toying with a name for his plant-based dairy-free ice cream brand, the ingredient he wanted to avoid came to mind — milk. 

Klimon, “no milk” spelled backwards, launched five of its plant-based frozen dessert pints at select Walmart locations in June 2022. 

Now, the company is expanding its retail presence after striking a deal with 7-Eleven on Sept. 2. 

The distribution deal will introduce the company’s pints and novelties first in nearly 400 stores in Southern California, with plans for a subsequent nationwide roll-out shortly after. 

“The KLIMON motto is ‘No Dairy. No Difference.’” said Cotraviwat in a statement. “We are meeting a need for people who want plant-based options, but our product is so creamy and delicious any ice cream lover on-the-go will be satisfied with the treats available at 7-Eleven.”

The products in the deal with 7-Eleven include individually wrapped Klimon Dairy Free Ultra Creamy Ice Cream Sandwiches in Goldie Luxe (vanilla) and Churro Chata (horchata) flavors as well as the pints in four flavors: Cherry Bomb, Choco PB Cup, Banana Ooh Na Na, and Ooey Gooey, which features salted chocolate with walnuts, marshmallows and a caramel swirl. 

The gradual shift of consumers from dairy-based to non-dairy-based frozen products is propelling the product demand. 

The global non-dairy frozen dessert market  was valued at $5.4 billion in 2021 and is expected to continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.7% during the years of 2022 through 2030, according to data from Grand View Research. 

In August, the company also struck a deal with competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi, which highlighted the growing trend toward plant-based products in the United States. Over the summer, Kobayashi’s competitor Joey Chestnut caused controversy in the competitive eating world regarding his own deal with plant-based meat maker Impossible Foods.