When it comes to artisan ice cream making, flavors, transparency and authenticity are what matter, according to Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream. The company makes dairy-based and vegan ice creams for its scoop shops, food trucks and retail customers. The company claims it makes the “absolute best vegan ice cream,” and it has a customer following and a taste that backs up that claim, (this editor can attest).
Owners and co-founders Ben and Peter Van Leeuwen, along with Laura O’Neill, started with one ice cream truck on the streets of New York City in 2008 and have grown steadily from there. The company’s goal was to create ice cream using only the highest-quality ingredients and without stabilizers.