KLIMON's Churro Chata dairy-free ice cream sandwich was named a 2026 Food and Beverage Innovation (FABI) Favorite by the National Restaurant Association Show, and PeaMilk (a combination of water and pea protein) is the primary ingredient in this creamy, horchata-flavored frozen dessert sandwich. "We're watching a fundamental shift in food culture," said Alex Cotraviwat, Founder and CEO of Klimon. "Desserts and beverages are no longer the add-on. They're becoming the reason people show up. The new expectation is indulgence without compromise. Cleaner ingredients, dairy-free options, and a premium experience that actually delivers."
KLIMON is set to showcase the award-winning, cinnamon-spiced, dairy-free Churro Chata frozen dessert sandwich, as well as its entire dairy-free product lineup, at the upcoming National Restaurant Association Show.
What's Driving This Trend
- Dairy-free Indulgence
- Rising consumer demand for decadence without dairy creates room for premium plant-based desserts that rival traditional ice cream in flavor and texture.
- Plant-protein Bases
- Pea-protein and other water-forward plant proteins are redefining base formulations, enabling creamy mouthfeel while delivering cleaner-label ingredient narratives.
- Dessert-as-destination
- With desserts becoming the primary reason for visits, experiential and signature frozen novelties are shifting dining traffic patterns and menu strategies.
Who This Affects Most
- Food Manufacturing
- Novel ingredient sourcing and processing techniques for pea-protein-based bases can upend production lines and create new categories of dairy-free frozen confections.
- Foodservice and Restaurants
- Operator emphasis on show-stopping, shareable desserts is altering menu engineering and customer flow dynamics within casual and specialty dining venues.
- Packaging and Cold-chain
- Evolving formats for premium frozen novelties and the need for extended shelf-stability introduce opportunities for innovative insulation, portioning, and distribution solutions.
