Reading through over 200 entries submitted to our Design Your Own Flavor contest showed us how much creativity (and eclectic palates) you all have! Common themes arose as we browsed the hundreds of flavors; most notably flavors involving Asian influences, Maple syrup, locally sourced honey, caffeine in many forms, and death by chocolate! While we loved so many of the entries and had a difficult time narrowing down the search, our refining criteria became: What best represents our 5 year journey as a company. Two flavors rose to the top almost immediately.
The eventual runner-up described the ultimate Mitten State summer, in terms of produce! Seeing strawberries emerge in June, blueberries pop in July, and peaches flourish in August; each month of our beloved Michigan summers highlighted by its in-season fruit. Our classic grass-fed dairy base packed with a trifecta of these Michigan fruits — separated — but intermingled and lightly swirled together (Superwoman-style). Michigan Orchard had our mouths watering and our hearts longing for summer harvest to last just a little longer. Jenna’s concept is so simple and yet so divine we knew people would go crazy over her homage to our beautiful state. In the end, we decided it made perfect sense to churn 2nd place in addition to the Grand Prize winner for our 5 Year Anniversary Celebration!
Now onto the moment you’ve all been waiting for – the Grand Prize flavor reveal. Representing our humble beginnings, our early venture into vegan gelato, and our future in the delectable world of chocolates, 1st place went to the flavor that embodied both where we have been and where we are headed. A flavor that could be widely accessible and delicious to many, and just so happens to be dairy-free. V Salt of the Earth starts with a coconut and cashew milk light caramel base with layers of salted caramel sauce and – the kicker – dark chocolate covered potato chips! Cori’s description reminded us that taking humble ingredients and elevating them to a level of salty sweet decadence can create a truly delicious ice cream. Our goal from the beginning has been to create flavors showcasing each individual ingredient, mixing and matching tastes in innovative yet classic ways. Combining salty goodness in the form of potato chips and dipping them in dark chocolate is the perfect yin and yang. Pair that with a vegan version of our classic Salted Caramel sauce all mixed into a coco-nutty base, and you’ve got a winning flavor!
Thanks to all of you who submitted so many wonderfully delicious flavors. Who knows – you might just see a few flavors pop up at our shop inspired by your descriptions! Join us at our 5 Year Anniversary Party to try both winning flavors, V Salt of the Earth and Michigan Orchard, this Thursday, August 30 from 6-10pm. And a big congrats to Cori and Jenna on submitting winning flavors!
Stay sweet,
Love’s Production