How do you enjoy National Ice Cream Month if you're lactose intolerant? Beckon has an idea

Ronald Reagan’s presidency might be viewed in many different ways by many people but one thing we’re sure, we can all agree on is his decision to make July National Ice Cream Month was a brilliant move.

What better way to enjoy the sultry days of summer than with permission from a former president to partake of a cold, sweet, treat?

According to People Magazine, the average American eats 23 pounds of frozen treats each year and for a number of years, Katy Flannery was one of them. But when she started getting older, that changed.

“I realized that I was lactose intolerant, so ice cream, that traditional premium, creamy indulgent ice cream that I loved, and that everybody loves to share with me, was something that I really couldn't participate in anymore,” the North Attleboro resident said.

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In college she joked with her friend Gwen Burlingame that “one day, I will make the best lactose-free ice cream there ever was so no one will be able to taste the difference, and you will all be excited to indulge in ice cream with me.”

And she did. 

Beckon ice cream was the creation, made with all the same ingredients as regular ice cream, including milk and cream but an added enzyme removes the lactose, Flannery explained. 

The result is an ice cream that is every bit as smooth and creamy and rich as “regular” ice cream and is free from all gums, stabilizers, and artificial ingredients.

Minus the Moo is born, Beckon succeeds 

After college, Burlingame and Flannery went their separate ways. Flannery worked as a nurse in Boston Children’s Hospital pediatric ICU, but on weekends she began creating lactose-free ice cream recipes.

More:Beverly's Kim Gregory of Pure Pastry makes organic treats people literally line up for

In 2014 Burlingame, inspired by Flannery’s determination to create something she and a quarter of the rest of the population could eat, suggested the two of them take the leap and start a business. They dubbed their new venture Minus the Moo, made ice cream on Saturday, and sold it at farmers' markets on Sunday. 

“It was really to just test it and make sure that I wasn't the only one who needed this, but 25% of Americans are lactose intolerant,” Flannery said. “They really come to the fold to show us that this is something that they're excited to have.”

It was also something Brewing the American Dream was excited to have. Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch launched a program in 2008 to support local food and beverage entrepreneurs across the country with not only access to financing but also networks and business coaching. When Koch met Flannery and Burlingame in 2016 during a pitch competition, he told them he loved their product but hated the name. The pair were reluctant to re-brand after having already launched the business but in 2018 they took Koch’s advice. 

“It’s one of the best decisions that we’ve ever made for the trajectory of the company,” Flannery said. “As a young entrepreneur, we've never been in food, to have someone as successful as Jim, say, ‘Hey, you can do this and this will be better for you,’  it gave us that confidence we needed to make really big decisions.” 

Beckon can be found locally in Walmart and Krogers, or check the store locator for a nearby location.