Each month as part of StartHub Startups to Watch Program we connect with the winning company to learn more about them. Our April Startup to Watch is Minus the Moo, a lactose-free premium ice cream made from real dairy. Recently we had the pleasure of interviewing Gwen Burlingame, Co-Founder of Minus the Moo. Here’s what we learned:
Tell us about your company. What is Minus the Moo?
Minus the Moo is the first premium, lactose-free ice cream that is still made from milk and cream. Our mission is to make real, delicious premium ice cream enjoyable for all so, instead of dairy alternatives, we use the lactase enzyme to make our ice cream lactose-free. Our five flavors taste like real ice cream, because they are real ice cream. Each scoop is crafted with care using wholesome ingredients like milk, cream, eggs, and cane sugar, with no preservatives or artificial stabilizers.
What is your background?
Katy and I were roommates in college at Villanova University. After college, we both went on to different careers in different cities – Katy as a pediatric ICU nurse in DC and then Boston, while I was a brand manager at L’Oreal USA in New York. Most importantly though, we both LOVE food and have both struggled with intolerances or allergies that hinder our ability to enjoy our favorite things. Katy is also a graduate of the famous Penn State Ice Cream Course!
How did you come up with the idea for Minus the Moo? Who is your target customer?
The idea for Minus the Moo was born because Katy loves ice cream, but in Katy’s teens she started struggling with lactose intolerance. She tried all the alternatives, like soy, coconut and almond milk, but it just wasn’t the same. She knew from her background in health sciences that there was another solution, so on her days off from nursing she would experiment in her kitchen. She pitched me the idea at a college reunion and I loved it! Finally, this was an ice cream that Katy and I could enjoy together without compromising! Our target customer is the lactose intolerant ice cream lover, as well as their friends and loved ones – just like us!
How do you think Minus the Moo is going to disrupt the market? What are the main differentiators between you and your competitors?
Minus the Moo is going to disrupt the freezer by showing lactose intolerant ice cream lovers that they can eat REAL ICE CREAM. No longer will lactose intolerant foodies be relegated to soy, coconut or almond “frozen desserts”, when they want the real stuff! Our ice cream is unique because it is made from quality, back-to-basics ingredients and can be enjoyed, whether someone is lactose intolerant or not.
Who are your main investors?
We are currently raising our seed round.
Why did you decide to start your business in Boston? How long has your company been around?
We started Minus the Moo in 2015 at the SOWA market in the South End to test the viability of our idea. When we first started, we were working on the business long-distance. Katy lived here in Boston and I was still working full-time in New York. Each weekend, I would take a 5-hour bus ride up from NYC to work on Minus the Moo. Katy would pitch me on Boston, calling it “the land of innovation”, which I couldn’t argue with. Between that and the growing food scene here in Boston, we decided this was the place to launch!
What resources in the startup community have contributed to the success of Minus the Moo?
We started Minus the Moo at CommonWealth Kitchen, Boston’s culinary incubator in Dorchester. The team and community there was instrumental in our early success and still is. We also were fortunate enough to do a Startup Bootcamp with The Boston Foundation and MassChallenge. That program helped us develop our network in Boston and gave us great tools to get off the ground. In December, we won the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream Pitch Competition, which gave us a grant and mentorship from Jim Koch, as well as his Boston Beer Company team. We have also participated in events with Babson, HUBWeek, Mass Innovation Nights, Oficio, Branchfood and The Capital Network. There are so many great resources in Boston.
How do you use StartHub professionally?
StartHub helps us keep up-to-date on events, innovation and opportunities around Boston!
What are the next steps for Minus the Moo?
Right now, we are launching into grocery stores throughout New England. New England is one of the highest ice cream consuming regions in the country and our goal is to save summer for many lactose intolerant ice cream lovers here!
What is the most important thing our readers should know about Minus the Moo?
We need your help to spread the word! Minus the Moo is now available in Whole Foods, Roche Bros, and other specialty retailers throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut. You can also get Minus the Moo delivered right to your door from Amazon Fresh! To get the full scoop head to minusthemoo.com and don’t forget to follow us @minusthemoo on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
Read Complete Article