Process

Many gelaterias, even in Italy, now rely on speed and mass production. There is a massive industry centered around artificial pastes, powders, gels, bases, mixes, and other unnatural products to make gelato “easy” and “fast.”

At Cow Bella, we avoid artificial or unnatural colors, flavors, or other products. Instead, we rely on good natural ingredients and believe they speak for themselves. When possible, we use organic, local, and seasonal produce and ingredients, and we only use local Minnesota, hormone-free, milk from grass-fed cows thanks to the great people at Autumnwood Farm. When we are unable to source locally, we try to buy ingredients that represent fair wages and land practices.

Each day we offer dairy-free, gluten free, and nut-free options, but to those with allergies, please note that all of our gelatos and sorbettos are made in the same facility and with the same equipment, so traces of nuts or dairy are very possible.

We are proud to only use Autumnwood Farm’s milk and cream in our gelato. The farm and on-site micro-creamery is in Forest Lake, MN, and has been since the Daninger family started their dairy operation in 1902. Today, third- and fourth-generation farmers Patrick and Sharlene Daninger and their children run the operation; as a family business with long-held ties to the land, Autumnwood Farm is fully invested in the animals, the land, and everything the land produces. The entire farm is managed in a highly sustainable and environmentally-balanced manner, which has been recognized by numerous organizations and through many awards.

From "grass to glass,” Autumnwood Farm produces all-natural, low-temperature pasteurized milk that not only tastes great, but also values the land and animals. With rotational grazing and carefully managed nutrition, the Autumnwood Farm grass-fed cows produce milk that contains fewer Omega-6 fatty acids (the bad fat) and more Omega-3 fatty acids (the good fat). In addition, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid, which is tied to heart health and a delayed onset of diabetes) levels are higher in milk from grass-fed cows. Autumnwood Farm cows never receive growth hormone (rBST), and since they are raised naturally in a very healthful environment, they rarely need antibiotics. Every measure is taken to ensure that Autumnwood milk is free of any antibiotics.

All milk and cream from Autumnwood Farm is bottled in reusable, environmentally-friendly glass bottles (which also keep the milk colder), and the immediate processing of fresh milk in the on-site micro-creamery ensures freshness in every bottle while also creating a smaller carbon footprint.

The best vanilla for gelato is Bourbon vanilla, named for the island it was originally produced on (Réunion, formerly Ile de Bourbon), which is right off of Madagascar. Today, Bourbon vanilla comes from Madagascar and its neighboring island and is a premium, rich vanilla with one of the highest vanillin ratio of all the varieties, making it flavorful and intense.

The particular Bourbon vanilla we use is from Madécasse, a company started by former Madagascar Peace Corp volunteers who realized that while Fair Trade was good, it wasn’t enough. Farmers were being paid fair wages for their product, but then that was it. Madécasse keeps their entire operations in Madagascar, so that not only is our unique vanilla being sourced there, it’s also processed there. Buying our vanilla from Madécasse means farmers are being paid above Fair Trade prices, there’s an investment in co-op improvements and skill training, and the vanilla is processed locally. Beyond this, the vanilla is organic and comes from a co-op in which the workers are owners who set their prices and receive full profits from their work. They utilize fair labor practices, including no use of child or forced labor. This is something important in the vanilla industry, where a Fair Trade label may be misleading and much of the labor force is often underpaid, forced, or comprised of children. The farmers of the co-op that grows the vanilla for Madécasse are paid well enough that they send their children to school instead of to the fields.

In addition, sustainable and organic farming practices have created a bean that is high in vanillin content, which means that the vanilla we use not only is vanilla you can trust, but also is some of the most natural, flavorful vanilla available.

We spent a lot of time examining the world of chocolate, a world filled with so much deliciousness—and so many injustices. After spending time with many potential suppliers, we chose to work with three companies: Madécasse (the same supplier of our vanilla), Askinosie Chocolate, and TCHO. All three of these companies work directly with growers, pay above Fair Trade wages, and work to improve the chocolate industry—fraught with human rights violations and injustices—from within. All three work with their growers to improve their equipment, processes, education, and work environments, and all three help their growers be involved at each stage of the chocolate process (around the world, less than 2% of growers ever get to taste the chocolate made from their beans).

Madécasse’s chocolate is made completely in Madagascar (grown, roasted, produced, and labeled), keeping the economic benefit within the developing country. They’ve been recognized as change leaders in the chocolate industry including Fast Company’s “50 Most Innovative Companies in the World,” Food and Wine’s “40 Under 40” for “changing the way Americans eat and drink,” a Good Foods award for “redefining chocolate production.”

Askinosie Chocolate has a mission statement to serve their farmers, their neighborhood, their customers, and each other and share the Askinosie Chocolate experience by leaving the world a better place than they found it. They’ve been recognized for both flavor (including Bon Appetit’s best artisan American-made chocolate) and for ethical business practices (including Oprah’s O Magazine).

TCHO is especially recognized for their unique sourcing program in which they help growers improve the genetics of their plants, their fermentaria, and their drying process. Part of the sourcing program provides growers with flavor labs and sensory training—so the growers and chocolatiers can speak a common language about the results of their combined efforts—and a cloud-based database where they can share the results of everyone’s efforts in real time. Like our other chocolate suppliers, TCHO has lots of recognition for both flavor and business ethics under their belt.

While our primary focus is our gelato, we also care greatly about the coffee we serve. Gelato and espresso go hand in hand, and our core philosophies regarding food and business show in our hot beverage as much as our cold treat. Like vanilla and chocolate, the injustices surrounding coffee are immense, so sourcing has been very important. Because of this, we've chosen to use Flamenco coffee and espresso. Roasted in town (on a partially solar-powered roaster) by folks who really know their beans, Flamenco focuses on grower relationships and organic and Fair Trade beans. Beyond this, they also roast beans from the Café Femenino Project, a social program for female coffee producers in rural communities around the world—and something we're proud to serve.

Flamenco Coffee, which is part of the Rainforest Alliance and works toward relationships and sustainability, is also delicious and award winning. We think you'll love it.

ABOUT CAFE FEMENINO:
Coffee is the second largest traded commodity in the world next to oil. Female coffee producers make up 30 percent of the 25 million coffee growers that are responsible for producing 75 percent of the world's coffee. Harsh gender inequality, poverty, and abuse are rampant in these coffee production regions, and many female coffee producers have no rights and unfair or no income, something Fair Trade has not been able to impact adequately.

Because of this, more than 1,500 women in Bolivia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru are part of the Café Femenino Coffee Project to achieve empowerment, build social and support networks, and earn incomes through the production and sale of Café Femenino Coffee. The success of the Project initiated the creation of The Café Femenino Foundation, which provides grants to select programs and projects that enhance the lives of women and their families in coffee growing communities around the world.

Café Femenino coffee is only distributed by fewer than 100 roasters, all of whom pay a premium above Fair Trade pricing. We are thrilled to have a local roaster who is part of this, and we are behind the product 100 percent.