# Horchata-Flavored Frozen Novelties The Churro Chata Dairy-Free Ice Cream Sandwich is Award-Winning By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2026-04-07 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dairyfree-ice-cream-sandwich References: [prnewswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/klimon-wins-2026-fabi-favorite-award-for-innovative-dairy-free-ice-cream-sandwich-302730039.html) & [klimon](https://klimon.com/products/novelties/churro-chata)  [KLIMON's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tacotarian-x-klimon) Churro Chata dairy-free ice cream sandwich was named a 2026 [Food and Beverage](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alvalle-gazpacho) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/horchata-inspired-beverages). "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. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.6/10 - Popularity: 60% | Activity: 68% | Freshness: 71% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### 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. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Frozen Toaster Pastry Treats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/poptarts-and-chain.md) - [Seasonal Cookie-Centric Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sugar-cookie-1.md) - [Frozen Snack Cake Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/little-debbie-ice-cream-sandwiches.md) - [Lemonade-Infused Ice Cream Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/summer-shandwich.md) - [Waffle-Inspired Ice Cream Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eggo-ice-cream-sandwiches.md) - [Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lotus-biscoff.md) - [Cookie Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cookie-butter-cheesecake.md) - [Nutty Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nut-rolled-ice-cream-cookie-sandwiches.md) - [Frozen Dessert Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cookie-dough-ice-cream-sandwich.md)