Choc Ices were a staple childhood pudding when I was growing up in the 90s. No matter what time of year it was, a choc ice would be a strong contender for that if-you-eat-your-vegetables treat. This delicious rectangle of vanilla ice cream coated in chocolate would wipe away any of the playground drama. When I suddenly developed an allergy to cow’s milk at 16, I mourned my beloved choc ice. So, you can imagine my great nostalgic joy when three bags of mini vegan choc ices turned up at my door 16 years later.

These mini vegan choc ices – available in vanilla, chocolate and caramel – are by Over The Moo. The business itself follows an enterprising story of its UK founder, Simon Goodman, who worked on the PR campaign for Cadbury’s first choc ice launch. He spotted Over The Moo on the Australia Version of Dragon’s Den, who were pitching their creamy coconut ice cream tubs. Simon wanted to bring the ice cream over to the UK, with a nostalgic, innovative twist: bitesize choc ices in a sharing pack.

Over The Moo is the latest start up food brand crowdfunding to reach more people, following its success in over 200 smaller independent health stores across the UK. Looking to raise £100,000, they’ve highlighted core statistics like the £2bn ice cream economy in the UK and the $1bn dairy free ice cream sector worldwide. I’d like to add some qualitative data here that there’s a growing number of people opting for non-dairy alternatives, just because they’re not that into cow’s milk anymore.

I have to say, I’m excited by the idea of this product. The sharing bags are genius and the ice creams themselves look like mini Twirls before you bite into them. It’s a true wonder why I haven’t seen an idea like this before. Easy to fit in the freezer, looks delicious in a sharing bowl and an indulgent snack that’s slightly healthier than most. The sharing bags are also recyclable – if your council accepts LDPE plastic.

Armed with this knowledge, I gathered some other taste testers, opened up the packets and the three of us dug in. As a general consensus, we loved them! The rich dark chocolate coating each of the ice cream flavours had a deep velvety taste, with a classic blend of bitterness and pockets of sweetness that cocoa-rich chocolate is renowned for. We had great fun putting them in “winning” order – particularly as we kept needing to try the flavours again, just to be sure.

1. Caramel: Our all-time favourite is the caramel. The earthiness of the chocolate, creamy toasted aromas of the caramel with a slight hint of coconut truly is the perfect combination.

2. Vanilla: The classic vanilla was both indulgent and refreshing, with the coconut flavour shining through.

3. Chocolate: Their latest flavour to join, chocolate, really should be joint second. We kept changing our mind – I’m still changing my mind right now. It’s two bites of rich dark chocolate deliciousness. And it successfully converted the taste tester who’s “not really into chocolate” (that most definitely was not me).

Over The Moo have genuinely made it to my go-to sweet treat list of milk free and wheat free goodies (I’m wheat intolerant too). Joining the likes of Swedish Glace Vanilla Ice Cream and Oatly Strawberry Ice Cream. If you’re considering investing in their crowdfunding campaign and/or are reading this as the buyers of Sainsbury’s or Waitrose (my closest supermarkets), I’d encourage you to give these mini choc ice’s a shot. I’d really like to have them as my staple adulthood pudding.

Reviewed by Pippa Moyle

Disclaimer: These products were gifted in exchange for an honest review.