Next event: EARTH DAY 2025 FEST on April 17 at Union Square
Very Cool Ice Cream is a Brooklyn-based, plant-based ice cream brand focused on crafting excellent vegan ice cream—creamy, rich, and unapologetically indulgent—with zero dairy ingredients. Rooted in Asian traditions and inspired by the flavors we grew up with, our scoops highlight ingredients that feel personal, nostalgic, and bold. We’re here to make ice cream that’s better—for people, for animals, and for our community.
we create ice cream inspired by the the rich diversity of cuisines across asia. learning and continuing cultural techniques to deliver an ice cream flavor that was cooked the way it was supposed to be. reminding your tastebuds the foods we grew up with from seasonal cut fruit shared at family tables, street snacks from summers abroad, to those iconic dishes that every grandmother has a secret recipe for. our flavors aim to be a reflection of heritage, of culture, and memory, reimagined with sweetness and care 🫶
every flavor starts with a question, a memory, or a craving - and ends with a thoughtful and sweetest answer. from sourcing organic ingredients to balancing texture, we obsess over the details so that every scoop feels purposeful, personal, and juuust right. our flavors will make you feel like youre eating some warmly familiar, yet somehow new...? we're here to redefine plant-based treats with integrity, creativity, and passion. it's not just desserts.
Most commercial ice creams are formulated to last months—sometimes even years—thanks to artificial stabilizers and preservatives. These ingredients prevent ice crystals from forming, keep textures smooth, and allow for prolonged storage. However, they also introduce unnecessary materials and can mute the natural flavors of the ingredients. At Very Cool Ice Cream, we take a different approach. We believe ice cream should be fresh, vibrant, and free from additives that prioritize convenience over quality. That’s why we steer far away from synthetic stabilizers and preservatives, opting instead for natural ingredients that speak for themselves. This results in an ice cream that may not last as long in your freezer, but in return, it delivers clear flavor and a true-to-nature texture.Even our packaging reflects this commitment. Unlike many ice cream containers that use plastic linings, we choose more sustainable alternatives that align with our values. This means our containers might not be as moisture-resistant as conventional options, but it’s a small trade-off for making a better choice for the planet.So no, our ice cream is not made to last, and that’s how we like it.
Choosing plant-based isn’t just a dietary choice—it’s a decision that benefits the environment and all those who live in it! By using dairy-free ingredients, we significantly reduce our production footprint of water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and land use compared to traditional dairy ice cream. very cool ice cream is proud to serve sweet goodness without any animal harm.
tl;dr: climate change is cooking all our asses. vegan ice cream is much cooler 👍
Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond just ingredients; we also focus on mindful packaging and responsible sourcing to minimize our impact on the planet. We strive as much as possible to use compostable and post consumer materials in our packaging and serveware. we encourage customers to bring re-useable freezer bags with ice packs to reduce on disposable material waste.Eating ice cream is a joy, and with Very Cool Ice Cream, you can enjoy every bite knowing it’s made with care for you, the earth, and all of us living on it 🫶
if you made it this far, you are already part of the “very cool community” B-) . there’s no group chat, but we’ve love to stay connected all the same! food is meant to bring people together, and we love sharing our passion for ice cream and culture with our community. whether it’s through vendor pop-ups, restaurant collaborations, or special edition flavors, we’re always finding new ways to make connections. follow us on our journey, learn about where our food comes from, and be part of something deliciously different.
Meet Austin & Toast
I’ve always been obsessed with ice cream. As a freshman in college in 2016, it became part of my daily ritual—one pint a day, every day. There was something comforting about it, something that felt like pure joy in every scoop (it was sugar). This was my routine for 2 years until 2018 when I switched from a vegetarian diet to vegan life style, when I then found myself desperately searching for plant-based ice cream that truly satisfied that craving. While there were some great options out there, I couldn’t help but feel they were all missing a few somethings.
So logically, I bought an ice cream machine. With my vague background in biochemistry and specific hunger for confectionery, I became fascinated by the science of ice cream—how ingredients interact, ice crystal formation, what makes a scoop creamy and smooth, and most importantly, how to create indulgence without compromise. The more I experimented, the more I realized that plant-based ice cream had so much untapped potential.
At the same time, I found myself drawing inspiration from the flavors I grew up with. As an Asian American with Taiwan/Hong Kong roots, raised in the diverse food culture of the Bay Area, my childhood was filled with bold and vibrant flavors from cuisines across the Asia continent. These foods and dishes I ate carried stories, memories, and a sense of home, and I wanted to continue to highlight those stories and memories in the work I do. By 2023, my passion had grown into something bigger. Disenchanted with corporate life, I left my job to fully commit to this dream, and in 2024, Very Cool Ice Cream was born—not yet as a business, but as a way to share something meaningful.
Food is so much more than eating, and feeds more than your body. Everything we have eaten, and everything we ever will eat, is rooted in culture. Very Cool Ice Cream has been my journey in sharing, celebrating, experiencing, and remembering culture that is precious to me, while showing that plant-based can be just as choice as cow-based.
So, here we are. A little science, a lot of heart, and some damn good ice cream. 💋💋
woof woof bark bark i want to eat your shoes (translated)