Ice cream has been a global sensation since it was first conceptualized in China, and brought forth to the Western world by Italy. It is a staple of the summer culture as it is a tasty treat to ease the effects of the heat, as well as a delicious dessert that can be enjoyed by young kids and adults. Ice cream is traditionally made from dairy products that are high in sugar, often leaving an individual with a feeling of heaviness after consumption. Notwithstanding the adverse health effects of ice cream, it continues to grow in popularity in different forms and flavors, with each culture adding their unique twist on this iconic dish.
David Greenfeld is a UC Berkeley graduate and former investment banker. He lived in Italy for two years during his time in the investment banking industry and noticed the widespread cultural appeal of gelato during his time in Milan. He was always a fan of ice cream, but noticed that snacking on brands like Haagen-Dazs and other heavy snacks forced him to crash, making it paramount for his health and well-being to focus on cleaner foods that were plant-based, with less dairy. His idea for Dream Pops was cemented during a trip to Cartagena, Colombia, when he noticed the glaring popularity of pops that were made solely from natural fruit, and other natural ingredients.
Dream Pops are plant-based frozen novelties that have only 2 grams of coconut sugar, and less than 100 calories per pop. The coconut milk is similar in consistency and texture to dairy, without any of the detrimental health effects. Dream Pops are design-driven and come in stunning geometric shapes with an appearance that is only rivaled by their taste. They are created using a patented flash-freezing technology, and are made with superfoods like lion’s mane, matcha, baobab, passion fruit, and raspberry. The pops use only 5-9 ingredients, and the company's mission is to re-invent nostalgic treats that have been built into American culture over the last few decades. Another great element to Dream Pops is that they have a year and a half long shelf-life, something that is especially advantageous during times of the ongoing pandemic. Dream Pops also use 100% plant-based ingredients with a coconut milk base, avoiding all animal based products and alternative sweeteners like stevia or erythritol.
Greenfeld and team have grown Dream Pops to continuous triple digit growth in revenue since the company's inception, as it looks to capture a large portion of the $100-billion-dollar confectionery market dominated by Hershey's, Mars and Ferrero. Greenfeld recently launched Dream Pop Bites, a snackable frozen product with all the same nutritional benefits of the pops, but in more traditional flavors. Such flavors include: Birthday Cake, Peanut Butter, Vanilla Sky, Cookie Dough, and Berry Dreams -- the bites are all coated with a delicious chocolate layer.
Greenfeld is now looking to grow his business outside the freezer, as he seeks to become the “Willy Wonka” of plant-based confection. Greenfeld is looking to parallel the success of companies like Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat, Oatly, Califia, and others offering a healthier and more sustainable alternative to candy, treats, sweets and desserts with his plant-based product suite.
As Dream Pops continues to grow, Greenfeld has not gone unnoticed with his innovative approach to plant-based desserts, and has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 for Food and Drink for the Class of 2020. Dream Pops can be found at over 2,000+ retail locations in the U.S. and Canada. Next time you are craving ice cream, make sure to pick up Dream Pops or Dream Pop Bites at your local retail location.
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