Sweet Ritual Vegan Ice Cream
Whole Foods Market Small Artisan Business Grant: $5,000
A trailblazer in Austin’s plant-based sweets scene, Sweet Ritual Vegan Ice Cream opened in 2011 with the goal of financial, social, and ecological sustainability.
Grant funds will help owners Valerie Ward and Amelia Raley develop a line of ice creams using allergen-friendly butters made from pumpkin and watermelon seeds and oats, a move away from imported ingredients, like cashews, and water-hungry nuts, like almonds. The grant will also allow Sweet Ritual to further its partnership with the Go Project, helping young adults with special needs transition out of the AISD school system and into working life.