Founders Ben and Jerry created their first ice cream flavors as a dairy product (Hoover, 2017). Even as the company grew, it was acquired by Unilever, and it expanded its product lines, Ben and Jerry’s has consistently produced frozen, dairy-based goods (Hoovers, 2017). Creating a nondairy product presents unique challenges from research and development stage through to batch production. Interviews with Ben and Jerry's food scientist or “flavor guru,” Kirsten Schimoler indicate that it took nearly three years and extensive trial and error to find a replacement for dairy milk and produce ice cream that would meet the company’s quality standards (Neimark, 2017).
The same challenges that Schimoler found at the research and development stage …show more content…
While the process is still new, it may make sense to utilize charts at work stations. Strong training in how to create almond milk and what to do if something is off about the batch will enable better production and less waste. All supplies for producing the almond milk component of the new product should be kept in a single area to make this process as efficient and precise and possible. Once the almond milk base is produced, the vegan ice cream requires the same equipment as regular ice cream but lower temperatures and freeze …show more content…
Ben and Jerry’s almond milk should be produced on site to ensure quality and save on costs. Once the almond milk base is produced, the ice cream requires the same equipment as regular ice cream (Niemark, 2017). Ben and Jerry’s floor layout is designed for ice cream production, it makes sense to utilize it for the vegan ice cream too. The machines would not be producing vegan ice cream and regular ice cream at the same time as freezing temperature and times are different with the non-dairy ice cream (Neimark, 2017). This means that existing staff that works with dairy milk could simply be trained to work with the almond milk base. Workers would need to thoroughly clean equipment between regular ice cream and vegan. However, a quick call to Ben and Jerry’s factory on July 20, 2017 verified that they already do this between flavors. This means the existing process could stay much the same. Workers can program equipment for the shorter freeze times and required temperatures that are unique to almond-milk based ice cream. Packaging, food safety practices and quality assurance practices can also remain the same as with regular ice cream
The same challenges that Schimoler found at the research and development stage …show more content…
While the process is still new, it may make sense to utilize charts at work stations. Strong training in how to create almond milk and what to do if something is off about the batch will enable better production and less waste. All supplies for producing the almond milk component of the new product should be kept in a single area to make this process as efficient and precise and possible. Once the almond milk base is produced, the vegan ice cream requires the same equipment as regular ice cream but lower temperatures and freeze …show more content…
Ben and Jerry’s almond milk should be produced on site to ensure quality and save on costs. Once the almond milk base is produced, the ice cream requires the same equipment as regular ice cream (Niemark, 2017). Ben and Jerry’s floor layout is designed for ice cream production, it makes sense to utilize it for the vegan ice cream too. The machines would not be producing vegan ice cream and regular ice cream at the same time as freezing temperature and times are different with the non-dairy ice cream (Neimark, 2017). This means that existing staff that works with dairy milk could simply be trained to work with the almond milk base. Workers would need to thoroughly clean equipment between regular ice cream and vegan. However, a quick call to Ben and Jerry’s factory on July 20, 2017 verified that they already do this between flavors. This means the existing process could stay much the same. Workers can program equipment for the shorter freeze times and required temperatures that are unique to almond-milk based ice cream. Packaging, food safety practices and quality assurance practices can also remain the same as with regular ice cream