Flanquart was delighted to support Van Den Casteele, an artisanal ice cream maker in the Hauts-de-France region for 50 years, in launching a range of 100% plant-based ice creams to delight all food lovers. Sunflower, chosen for its “good fats” that replace animal fats and its unique taste, is at the heart of this creation. Flanquart’s sunflower puree was selected for its quality, clean-label credentials, and impressive flavor, while also promoting a local and responsible supply chain. Our responsiveness and professionalism were key assets in this initiative. We asked them a few questions:
Why did you want to launch a 100% plant-based ice cream?
Van Den Casteele, an ice cream maker from the Hauts-de-France, offers creative and generous frozen desserts designed to satisfy every craving. Thanks to our research and development laboratory, we now offer a diverse selection of 300 products with nearly 50 different flavors.
Our mission is to delight all food lovers, taking into account everyone’s expectations and needs. With this in mind, and aware of our clients’ dietary needs, we have developed allergen-free frozen desserts in recent years. Driven by the same desire to provide accessible indulgence, we decided to create a 100% plant-based range so that everyone can enjoy our creations, regardless of their dietary preferences or restrictions.
Why did you choose Flanquart’s sunflower puree as an ingredient for this 100% plant-based ice cream?
Our goal is not just to create a Van Den Casteele plant-based ice cream but to offer a unique flavor that will captivate food lovers seeking new tastes. Sunflower has all the qualities needed: it replaces animal fats by providing “good fats” while offering an original and surprising taste.
In our search for high-quality raw materials, we naturally turned to Flanquart and their sunflower puree. By incorporating this ingredient, we showcase both regional expertise and a responsible supply chain—essential values for us.
What’s your feedback on Flanquart’s caramelized sunflower puree?
First, the Flanquart team demonstrated great attentiveness and genuine expertise, providing high-quality technical support between professionals. Their responsiveness and commitment to delivering tailored solutions were also highly appreciated. The packaging of the sunflower puree is practical and easy to use, a major asset in our production process.
From a product perspective, its composition is clean, with no additives, meeting our quality standards. And above all, the taste is simply astonishing. On top of that, the prices are competitive and justified by the ingredient’s quality.
This testimonial proves that seed-based, clean-label ingredients can meet the technical, nutritional, and allergen-free needs of ice cream makers and the broader food industry while aligning with the growing trend of plant-based diets.
Thank you to the entire Van Den Casteele team for this fantastic local partnership! Even the press is talking about it: Van Den Casteele Innovates for the Holidays with Plant-Based Yule Logs – La Voix du Nord.
