Jermaine Dupri’s vegan ice cream brand, JD’s Vegan, has seen immense success since its launch in 2019. The Grammy-award winning artist and producer’s dairy-free frozen treats have gained popularity for their delicious flavors and focus on using quality ingredients. But with its niche market and limited retail availability, many ice cream lovers wonder where they can get their hands on JD’s Vegan.
The Inception of JD’s Vegan
Jermaine Dupri, a hip hop artist and producer behind many iconic hits, launched his vegan ice cream brand in February 2019. Dupri had adopted a vegan diet years earlier for health reasons and wanted to create vegan ice cream that resembled the creamy texture and decadent flavors of traditional ice cream.
After two years of developing recipes, Dupri was ready to bring his brand to market. He decided to start with a line of five flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Pistachio, and Cookie Dough. The ice creams are made from a coconut milk base and contain no lactose, gluten, soy, or artificial ingredients.
In an interview with Food and Wine magazine, Dupri explained his inspiration behind JD’s Vegan: “I wanted to make sure we perfected the actual product before we started shipping it out. It was a long process trying to get the flavors right. But I was determined to create something that vegans could enjoy just as much as ice cream lovers.”
Limited Retail Availability
Since launching in 2019, JD’s Vegan has slowly expanded its retail presence. However, Dupri has intentionally kept availability limited as a strategy to build hype and demand around the new brand.
Initially, JD’s Vegan was only available at Dupri’s vegan restaurant, Café Dupri, located in the Summerhill neighborhood of Atlanta near the city’s downtown. The café served scoops of JD’s Vegan along with its menu of salads, sandwiches, bowls and other vegan fare.
After about one year as a café exclusive, JD’s Vegan partnered with high-end grocer Whole Foods Market. Select flavors began appearing in the freezer aisles of Whole Foods stores across Atlanta. Distribution later expanded to locations nationwide for wider accessibility.
In late 2021, JD’s Vegan further expanded its retail presence by launching in Target stores across the country. The partnership marked the brand’s first venture into mainstream big box stores. Target currently carries pints of JD’s Vegan in four signature flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, and Cookie Dough.
Online Sales
In addition to brick-and-mortar stores, JD’s Vegan ice cream is available for direct online ordering. The company sells pints and packs of mini cups on its website www.jdsvegan.com with shipping to all 50 U.S. states.
JD’s Vegan also maintains an online shop through Amazon Fresh, allowing Prime members to add pints to their grocery delivery orders. The ice cream can be purchased individually or in packs of up to six pints for additional savings.
By offering online ordering, JD’s Vegan provides accessibility to customers who may not live near a participating Whole Foods or Target. The brand has found particular success with online sales, which allows it to reach its niche audience of vegan and dairy-free consumers nationwide.
Select Availability in Other Retailers
While Whole Foods, Target and online channels account for the bulk of its retail presence, JD’s Vegan ice cream has secured limited distribution in a handful of other stores. However, availability is confined to certain regions.
The Fresh Market
This specialty grocer with locations mostly across the South and Midwest has carried select JD’s Vegan flavors since early 2022. Pints can be found in the freezer aisle of participating Fresh Market stores in states like Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina and Illinois.
Sprouts Farmers Market
The natural foods grocer offers JD’s Vegan at its stores in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Sprouts helped support the initial launch by stocking the ice cream locally before wider distribution. Outside of Atlanta, Sprouts locations do not carry the brand.
IGA
Some independent grocers under the IGA banner sell JD’s Vegan products. However, availability appears limited to stores in the brand’s home region of Georgia.
IGA has promoted JD’s Vegan as a “local favorite treat from Atlanta.” The product has appeared at select locations in cities like Marietta, Roswell, Decatur and Savannah.
The Vegan Nom
This small chain of vegan shops with three locations in Los Angeles began carrying JD’s Vegan in 2021. The shops serve scoops along with coffee drinks and other vegan fare. JD’s Vegan is currently only available in-store at The Vegan Nom’s brick-and-mortar locations.
Pop-ups and Limited Edition Flavors
To create excitement around new releases, JD’s Vegan will occasionally sell small batch or limited edition flavors at temporary pop-ups.
In summer 2022, Dupri hosted a launch event for a collaboration with famed Houston rapper Bun B. The limited “Bun B’s Southern Strawberry” flavor was available for one weekend only at Café Dupri in Atlanta.
JD’s Vegan has also brought special flavors to vegan food festivals and events across the country. Recent examples include “Blueberry Cobbler” at the Los Angeles Vegan Soul Fest and “Sweet Potato Pie” at the New York City Vegandale Festival.
These small pop-ups allow the brand to experiment with new flavors and drum up interest. While they are extremely limited in scope, fans monitor JD’s Vegan’s social media closely for any announcements of upcoming collaborations or exclusive releases.
Grocery Store Availability by Region
Since distribution remains confined to select chains, JD’s Vegan availability varies greatly by geographic region. Here is a breakdown of the brand’s current retail presence across different parts of the United States:
Southeast
JD’s Vegan has its strongest retail presence in its home region of the Southeast. The ice cream can be found at Whole Foods, Target and The Fresh Market stores across states like Georgia, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina. Some IGA locations also carry the brand locally.
Southwest
Distribution in Texas and surrounding states remains limited. JD’s Vegan can be purchased at Whole Foods and Targets in major cities like Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio. But availability at additional grocers is still minimal in this region.
Midwest
Whole Foods and Target stores in major Midwestern metropolitan areas stock JD’s Vegan pints. But penetration into mainstream grocers has been slower. Outside of Illinois, The Fresh Market presence is also limited in Midwestern states.
California
JD’s Vegan is readily available at Whole Foods locations across the state of California. It can also be purchased online through Amazon Fresh for quick delivery. The brand has limited distribution in independent retailers like The Vegan Nom in the Los Angeles area.
Northeast
Whole Foods stores carry JD’s Vegan throughout New York, Massachusetts and the broader northeastern region. Target availability is also steadily expanding. But other grocers like Stop & Shop, Wegmans and Shaw’s do not currently sell the brand.
Pacific Northwest
Seattle and Portland Whole Foods offer JD’s Vegan pints. However, distribution remains limited elsewhere in the region. Target recently added stock in urban centers like Seattle, Portland and Spokane.
Rocky Mountains and Southwest
Whole Foods provides the greatest availability of JD’s Vegan in this broad region. Target also stocks pints in its Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Arizona stores. Penetration into local chains has room for growth across much of this area.
International Availability
While JD’s Vegan ice cream is currently only sold in the United States, there are plans to expand distribution globally. In a recent radio interview, Dupri mentioned that he hopes to secure retail partnerships in select international markets as manufacturing capacity increases.
Countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and parts of Western Europe represent prime targets. These regions have established vegan scenes and demonstrated demand for dairy-free ice cream options. Health-conscious affluent consumers would likely gravitated towards a premium product like JD’s Vegan.
However, no definitive timeline has been set for when JD’s Vegan will reach international store shelves. For now, overseas customers can only sample the flavors by ordering online for international delivery.
The Future of JD’s Vegan Availability
While still confined to limited retailers, distribution of Jermaine Dupri’s JD’s Vegan ice cream brand has rapidly expanded since its 2019 founding. In just a few short years, it has gone from a sole café to nationwide availability in mega chains like Whole Foods and Target.
Dupri has hinted that more grocery store partnerships are on the horizon. Regional chains like Publix, ShopRite, Kroger and Albertsons represent untapped opportunities to bring JD’s Vegan to freezers across America. Landing shelf space in these retailers would greatly widen the brand’s accessibility.
Convenience stores also offer potential for future expansion. As a grab-and-go option for shoppers already in-store, JD’s Vegan could perform well at chains like 7-Eleven, Wawa, Circle K and others. Trial runs in select locations may gauge viability in this channel.
Within five years, Dupri has boldly predicted that JD’s Vegan will be a top five ice cream brand and household name. While mainstream appeal will take time to build, expanded distribution will play a key role in getting more pint packs into more shoppers’ hands.
JD’s Vegan’s exceptional taste and nutrition has fueled strong word of mouth and social media buzz. As availability widens, these positive reviews and endorsements from influencers will drive shoppers to seek out the brand in stores. More demand from consumers may compel retailers to dedicate greater freezer space to JD’s Vegan.
For vegan, dairy-free and health-conscious ice cream lovers, the access to JD’s Vegan fortunately looks slated to increase in coming years. With a visionary founder at the helm, expanded retail presence seems imminent through newly announced partnerships and the brand’s entrance into international markets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Jermaine Dupri first launch his vegan ice cream line?
Jermaine Dupri debuted his vegan ice cream brand JD’s Vegan in February 2019 at his vegan restaurant Café Dupri in Atlanta, GA. The café served scoops of the ice cream before wider retail distribution.
What grocery stores currently sell JD’s Vegan ice cream?
Key retailers selling pints of JD’s Vegan today include Whole Foods Market, Target, The Fresh Market, Sprouts Farmers Market and some regional IGA stores. Whole Foods and Target offer the brand nationwide.
Can I order JD’s Vegan ice cream online?
Yes, JD’s Vegan ice cream can be purchased directly through the company’s website www.jdsvegan.com. The brand also sells pints on Amazon Fresh for quick delivery to Prime members in eligible regions.
What JD’s Vegan flavors are typically available?
JD’s Vegan produces five core flavors that are most widely distributed: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Pistachio and Cookie Dough. The brand occasionally releases limited edition and seasonal flavors at exclusive pop-ups.
Does JD’s Vegan ice cream contain any dairy?
No, JD’s Vegan ice cream is 100% dairy-free. It is made from a base of coconut cream and contains no lactose. This allows vegans and those with dairy intolerance to enjoy the ice cream.
Is JD’s Vegan ice cream gluten-free?
Yes, in addition to being vegan and dairy-free, JD’s Vegan ice cream contains no gluten ingredients. This makes it safe for those following a gluten-free diet.
Is JD’s Vegan ice cream available outside of the United States?
Currently, JD’s Vegan ice cream is only sold at retail locations within the United States. International shipping is available for online orders at www.jdsvegan.com. Plans for distribution in countries like Canada, the UK and Australia have been discussed.
