The Silicon Review
The old school half-and-half is simply an equal-parts (divine) combination of milk and cream. It is half whole milk, half heavy cream. This affects the taste of many recipes including the working class favorite drink – the coffee. If you are watching your calories, half-and-half is a good alternative to heavy cream. But then what if you’re lactose intolerant? Well, fret not; there exists an alternative – nutpods. It’s a delicious, dairy-free and froth-friendly creamer for coffee and tea, made from a special, wholesome recipe of almonds and coconut cream.
nutpods was born out of Founder and CEO Madeline Haydon's personal need for a dairy-free coffee creamer. Her inability to find a plant-based, high-quality alternative to half and half led her to create nutpods in her own kitchen. On vacation, pregnant and frustrated with her non-dairy creamer options at a Lake Tahoe diner, Madeline finally resolved to commercialize her recipe for nutpods and start a business in March 2013.
To start the business off, Madeline raised $32,000 to start the brand through a Kickstarter campaign. She took two years to commercialize the nutpods formula because the company was at the time doing something that had never been done before: a balanced mix of almonds and coconuts, carrageenan-free, unsweetened, and with only clean ingredients. The company got five different third-party certifications: non-GMO Project Verified, Vegan, Gluten-free, Kosher and Whole30 Approved. Today, nutpods has expanded into more than 13,000 retail stores across the US. The nutpods brand has developed a cult-like following amongst health-conscious consumers living a dairy-free, plant-based lifestyle, and has become an integral part of wellness programs like Whole30. nutpods dairy-free creamer is one of the fastest-growing plant-based brands in the U.S. and is a standout in the natural foods industry.
Dairy-Free and Yum
Non-dairy products can contain caseinate (often called sodium caseinate), a milk protein that has been processed to take the lactose out, or other milk derived ingredients. Items considered “non-dairy” by the FDA are NOT suitable for: those with milk allergies, Paleo or Vegan or Pareve. But dairy-free is generally accepted to mean that the item does not contain any dairy derived ingredients at all. nutpods is proudly dairy-free for the benefit of its customers.
Moreover, it qualifies as paleo! nutpods almond and coconut creamer (nutpods Classic) is paleo-friendly and Whole30 Approved, and unsweetened and dairy-free. While nutpods Oat is unsweetened and dairy-free, but since the Paleo diet does not include grains, nutpods Oat may not be appropriate as part of a Paleo diet.
nutpods can be made into many creamy coffee drinks when frothed. For the best frothing experience, the company recommends storing the carton of nutpods in the refrigerator prior to using a frother. Consumers can also use it to bake or cook – like they would half and half. And, since it’s unsweetened, it can be used in savory recipes too like mashed potatoes, quiche, pasta sauce, etc. You can also try nutpods with your tea.
All the flavors nutpods uses in all of its products are sourced from naturally derived plant-based ingredients and come in the form of essences and extracts. Because of the company’s commitment to a delicious creamer without artificial ingredients, these essences and extracts are also vegan, gluten free, Kosher, and are Non-GMO Project Verified.
Going Green with Packaging
In partnership with SIG, nutpods has started using Plant Pack™ sustainable packaging technology. This new packaging contains up to 95% plant-based renewable materials. This has made nutpods the first company in North America to use this packaging. Plant Pack™ technology promotes the use of renewable raw materials to save fossil resources while making a positive impact on the environment. These cartons are made from paper board from wood fibers and plant-based polymers through mass balancing. That means for polymers used in each Plant Pack™ carton, an equivalent amount of bio-based feedstock goes into the manufacturing of the polymers.
To ensure the integrity of this process, the mass balancing is certified through internationally recognized third-parties. Polymers of the Plant Pack™ carton are linked to plant-based materials from European wood sources using recognized, audited certification systems that ensure strict traceability and accountability. “We’re so excited to extend our plant-based story into our new plant-based packaging. One of our core company values is to reduce our impact on the environment wherever we can!” said Madeline Haydon, Founder and CEO of nutpods.
The Leader
Madeline Haydon, Founder and CEO: An MBA by qualification, Madeline Haydon is a versatile professional with a passion for people, products with strong communication and self-motivation to take on new challenges. She is a sales and marketing professional with a successful 14 year career in the medical industry, spanning medical devices to blood center donor management. She brings a strong analytical approach coupled with superior communication and inter-personal skills making her very successful at connecting with people and building relationships.