Chimp Treats has solved the challenge of creating a healthy frozen dessert free of unhealthy additives and high prices.

As an avid runner and passionate vegan, Brooke Hammer wasn’t happy to discover that most frozen dessert products on the market weren’t as healthy as she thought. They tend to use traditional processing methods that require emulsifiers and stabilizers, such as water and sugars, and healthier versions were much more expensive than traditional groceries.

On a mission for an all-natural, vegan-friendly dessert while a student at Trent University, Brooke found a recipe “nicecream”: a frozen, vegan, soft serve dessert, where the only ingredients are fruit. Working in Trent’s Innovation Cluster, she was able to start manufacturing nicecream using specialized equipment that ensured the consistency of soft serve without additives.

“Our equipment and manufacturing process are unique,” says Brooke, who explained that traditional methods require a frozen dessert to be thin in its viscosity so it can make its way through the equipment. “Our technology enables us to incorporate sufficient air into the puréed fruits, without the use of emulsifiers or stabilizers, to achieve a light and creamy consistency to the finished product, much like an ice cream or sorbet. This innovative process also reduces the viscosity of the purées, so it can more easily accept the air we add in”.

When Chimp Treats first approached Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), the company was “stuck in the middle stages and looking to gain traction and sales,” notes Brooke. “Our project goal was to scale up as a company and to bring our nicecream product coast-to-coast in mainstream grocery stores.”

With OCE support, Chimp Treats hired a full-time marketing employee and moved their manufacturing of nicecream to a co-packer to meet increasing demand – all while keeping their price points low, making the dessert accessible to everyone.

The company was able to secure contracts with the Loblaws grocery chain and had their product hitting shelves across Canada in November 2018. With this strong presence in grocery stores across the province and country-wide, Chimp Treats has set its sights on international markets with plans to target Europe, while keeping the manufacturing process local in Ontario. “By the end of 2019, we would like to add four additional staff to our team,” says Brooke.  She’s also excited about her company’s role in inspiring a new line of products for health-conscious consumers.  “As we grow, we’ll see changes in our product category, and not only will healthy food be more accessible, but it will be more affordable and truly natural.”