Minus the Moo

Beckon Ice Cream, founded in 2014 by Katy Flannery and Gwen Burlingame, is a Boston-based company addressing the market for premium ice cream for lactose-intolerant consumers. The venture originated from Flannery's personal experience; a lifelong ice cream lover, she became lactose intolerant in high school and was dissatisfied with the non-dairy alternatives available. Leveraging her background as a pediatric ICU nurse and knowledge from health sciences, Flannery developed a method to create authentic dairy ice cream without the lactose. She attended the Penn State Ice Cream Short Course to refine her recipes. She then partnered with her college friend, Gwen Burlingame, who brought a background in marketing from her time at L'Oréal, to bring the product to market.

The company's core product is real dairy ice cream made with milk from Northeast farmer-owned co-ops, cream, eggs, and sugar, with the addition of the lactase enzyme to break down lactose. This process results in a product that maintains the taste and texture of premium ice cream while being digestible for those with lactose intolerance. The product line is notable for its clean label, avoiding gums, corn syrup, or artificial stabilizers. Beckon offers a range of classic flavors and distributes its products, including pints, quarts, and snack cups, through national retailers like Whole Foods Market and Sprouts, as well as via its own e-commerce site.

Initially launched in May 2015 under the name "Minus the Moo," the founders sold their product at local farmers' markets while working full-time jobs. They rebranded to Beckon in 2018, believing the original name was misperceived as just another dairy-free alternative rather than the real dairy product it is. The new name, Beckon, was chosen to invite all consumers back to traditional ice cream. A national launch in Whole Foods Market followed shortly after the rebrand. The company has secured approximately $1.1 million in funding over two rounds, including support from MassChallenge and Golden Seeds.

Keywords: lactose-free ice cream, dairy ice cream, clean label food, consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, premium ice cream, Katy Flannery, Gwen Burlingame, women-owned business, direct-to-consumer food, food-tech, natural ingredients, Minus the Moo, retail food products, specialty foods, Boston startup, CPG brand, e-commerce food, Whole Foods supplier, Sprouts supplier