Green Business
Jairoop, runs a vegan ice cream brand and a hydroponics product manufacturing company in Chandigarh, aims to work towards creating sustainable and compassionate businesses that work towards building a better future for the planet…
Q: What inspired you to start a vegan ice cream brand?
I turned vegan for the animals, but I realised that is not a reason why everyone else would too. So, I wanted to launch a product that would speak for itself. I truly believe that if good quality food is served, labels hardly matter.
Q: What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Being an FMCG good, ice cream is extremely labour-intensive and also technical to make, so finding a manufacturer and developing a business plan were the trickiest parts. My partner and I worked really hard to find a good manufacturing partner, which did not work out so we decided to do it on our own and also develop the ice cream through trial and error with help from a consultant. It took one whole year of hard labour to build the current product.
Q: What goes into making a vegan ice cream and is it nutritional?
Vegan ice creams can be made from a broad range of plant milks, we use soy, cashew and coconut milks. Given that sugar is still a huge part of making creamy ice creams as carbohydrates are an essential ingredient, vegan ice creams still have zero trans-fat and cholesterol as these are both animal-based derivatives.
Q: Why should we avoid traditional ice creams involving milk and cream?
Animal based products like milk and cream are high in cholesterol and trans fats, with added sugar they become a health risk, especially if consumed in big portions. Even though ice cream will always be a processed food, we can still choose better options by opting for plant-based ones instead.
Q: How did you turn a vegan and what is your advice to those who wish to follow suit- especially when it comes to balancing all nutrients that a human body needs through plant-based products?
I turned vegan for animal rights over a decade ago. The love for dogs turned into love for all animals and I could not turn a blind eye to their suffering anymore, especially farmed animals. I chose to not live in ignorance. For people wanting to go vegan, the only thing to keep in mind is- all nutrition is first created in plants- the calcium and protein in milk and meat, all macros and micros, these are all first created by plants. So why not remove the middleman (animals) and consume plants directly? Except for vitamin B12 and D3, which only come from microorganisms and the sun, so supplementation for these is extremely important for everyone, irrespective of their diets. Everyday three times a day we have the choice to save the world from our plates.
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