Ice cream will always be the Kiwi special treat, ingrained in our immense dairy culture and tastebuds. Even with dietary restrictions and allergies, the love for the creamy dessert will always be celebrated.
Rebecca Chubb, co-owner of Little Liberty Creamery based in the Taranaki, has made this tastefully possible for ice cream enthusiasts who suffer from dairy intolerances with entirely plant-based, vegan, organic, and luxuriously textured ice cream that one could mistake for its full milk counterpart.
Chubb and best friend Peita took over the business from the original owners, Chester and Melissa, who were motivated by their allergy and dietary restrictions when they had children. The same goes for how Chubb discovered the decadent taste of creamery when she was experiencing severe intolerances herself and became a loyal customer.
“When my youngest daughter could not enjoy the frozen treats that her sisters could, that made it my goal to ensure that there would always be something of equal or better quality available for her,” explained Chubb. “So when the opportunity arose to take over the business, I took some ice cream around to Peita (who had never tried it before but was amazed after just one bite!), and she was sold so we both jumped at the opportunity to continue the product journey.”
The co-owners are not only passionate about their plant-based-friendly product but giving Little Liberty exciting flavours that you would expect with ordinary dairy ice cream as well as innovative taste profiles that set them apart. These include flavours such as candy cane, almond mocha, and brown sugar vanilla.
Chubb’s invention of flavours is spontaneous and experimental, trialling different combinations at home with her kids until there is a rounding winner and thus, a taste is born.
“Driving down the road the other day, I saw a frappe poster and went, oh, I could make that into an ice cream if I put this with this, and then that would be swirled in with that, oh that would be perfect then it gets written down while the nitty gritty stuff happens.”
For Chubb, the only downfall would be the unpredictability of weather that has plagued the nation recently. However, their future endeavours in wholesale can encourage ice cream to be more prevalent in the comfort of one’s home.
