Hot Off the Press / Should We Go Full Vegan?

We’ve had an exciting week here at Milky Way Shakes headquarters. News is spreading fast of our impending domination of the vegan milkshake scene in Austin, Texas. We’ve been spotted in publications such as Austin Eater, ClearlyVeg, Animal Equality, and Food and Wine, and more people are expressing their support for us every day!

We are so grateful to all who have supported us thus far, with donations, kind words, and mentions on social media. It’s especially encouraging that we have received so much love from the vegan community nationwide, and we’d like to give a special shout-out to local Austinite and freelance marketing consultant Marsha Christopher for reaching out to us and helping us pro bono!

Currently, Rachel is working with her dad, who is an experienced chef (with a cooking blog), to develop the perfect coconut milk ice cream base. It’s a lot of work, eating so much ice cream, but someone has to do it. :) We’re very close to achieving the ultimate flavor and texture. Next, we’ll be churning up some chocolate bases, followed by dairy-free mix-ins and toppings, like caramel sauce, whipped cream, and more!

Meanwhile, in Austin I’ve been working on designing merchandise like fliers, stickers, and business cards, so we can spread the word of Milky Way Shakes to the local community. ~___~

In addition to promoting our Kickstarter, I’ve been searching for the perfect truck. We’re looking for something small and manageable, preferably without an engine (these are tedious to maintain). After working in a kitchen in the back of a semi, I know I’ll miss all the space, but having a smaller trailer is advantageous for a few reasons. Operating a smaller kitchen will draw less energy, which not only cuts down on costs, but also decreases our carbon footprint.

We also wanted to address our most frequently asked question, which is whether or not we will be 100% vegan. In a nutshell, while our menu is still in the test phases, we are definitely committed to using a vegan base for our standard menu. Some of our seasonal flavors may use dairy or honey—we haven’t ruled it out yet. Overall, we have been finding that we prefer vegan ingredients for both their shelf life and their flavor.

However, we have received some criticism on both ends of the spectrum, both for not proposing enough dairy options, and also for not committing to be completely vegan. What we really want to know is, what do you think? Let us know!

19 days are remaining in our Kickstarter campaign! If you'd like to help make our dream a reality, check it out: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/814310955/milky-way-shakes

All best,

Moni