Day: March 6, 2022

by Jennifer Perez, Press Pass.ion

20 Years of Family Owned,Vegan Ionnovation

ION Chicago, IL – Chicago Vegan Foods, which introduced Dandies, the first internationally available vegan and gelatin-free marshmallow, is turning 20 years old this year. Family owned and self-funded, the vegan food company continues to innovate in the plant-based category with its takes on classic comfort foods.

With their beginnings traced back to the ‘90s animal rights movement, founders Ryan Howard and Dan Ziegler started Chicago Vegan Foods in 2001 to channel their activism into a business that could help bring awareness to animal rights and create alternatives to products that were harmful to animals and the environment. The company got its start making Temptation Vegan Frozen Dessert (which evolved to include Temptation Vegan Soft Serve) and Teese Vegan Cheese. In 2010, their flagship product, Dandies Marshmallows, launched into stores. With a taste and texture indistinguishable from conventional marshmallows, Dandies have become the go-to ingredient for baked goods, campfire s’mores, and hot cocoa. Made with no artificial flavors or colors, no corn syrup, no gelatin, and free from gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, corn, peanuts and tree nuts, these vegan marshmallows are also a better-for-you and allergy-friendly version of the classic confection. Today, Dandies is a top-selling item in the U.S. natural channel and sold at conventional and natural grocers across the U.S. and Canada, plus select retailers in the U.K. as of summer 2020. Dandies are a popular item for foodservice and industrial applications as well. Propelled by the success of Dandies, Chicago Vegan Foods has experienced 40x growth over the past 10 years. An expansion into a 40,000 square foot SQF certified facility in 2018 allowed the company to meet growing demand with increased capacity, automated production, and customized, state-of-the-art equipment. The company is currently ramping up for a new line of plant-based product offerings in new categories launching under the Dandies brand for 2022.

Chicago Vegan Foods brings maple iongredients to flavor forefront

ION Chicago, IL – Chicago Vegan Foods is expanding its flagship lineup of popular, plant-based marshmallows to include a delicious new flavor addition: Maple! Made with better-for-you ingredients and perfectly flavored with real maple syrup, Dandies Maple Marshmallows make for a delicious snacking treat, are a versatile baking ingredient (think maple-flavored crisp rice treats), and can be used to top a cup of coffee or hot cocoa! Like the brand’s original, top-selling vanilla marshmallows, Dandies Maple Marshmallows contain no artificial flavors or colors, no corn syrup, no gelatin, and no gluten. Produced in the company’s dedicated vegan and nut-free facility, the treats are also free of the common allergens wheat, dairy, eggs, corn, peanuts, and tree nuts, along with being vegetarian friendly, certified kosher and Non-GMO Project Verified. Shared Dan Reed, “The delicate sweetness and fluffy texture of our maple flavored plant-based marshmallows is appealing to a range of health-conscious consumers craving a creative, uniquely flavored sweet snack they can feel good about.” Packaged in convenient, 5oz snack-size bags that have a shelf life of seven months, Dandies Maple Flavored Marshmallows are available for retailers nationwide to carry for an SRP of $3.69. Contact [email protected] for information about retail displays containing 10 units and 40-unit shippers. Dandies are also available for foodservice and industrial customers.