SDSU Student Team Helps Pave the Way for Cauliflower Ice Cream’s U.S. Debut

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During the fall semester of 2023, two MBA students and two students in the Master of Science in Global Business Development (MSGBD) program in SDSU’s Fowler College of Business undertook a class assignment to support an unusual food company based in New Zealand that was exploring the possibility of entering the U.S. market. Nearly two years later, that class assignment has come to life as the company prepares for an American product launch of its allergen-free cauliflower-based ice cream. 

It all started when the founders of EatKinda, Milli Kumar and Jenni Matheson, created a line of cauliflower-based vegan ice cream products that were on the verge of their New Zealand debut. After exploring the possibility of also entering the U.S. market, Kumar connected with Martina Musteen, a management professor at SDSU’s Fowler College of Business, in early 2023. Musteen (who also serves as the MSGBD program advisor) used their query as a project for her International Entrepreneurship and Business Development (MGT 748) class that fall. 

The project was to create a U.S. market launch strategy for the company’s Mint Chocolate Bikkie, Strawberry Swirl and Chocolate Swirl flavors.

“We thought there was an opportunity for a brand like EatKinda in the U.S. with consumers seeking more allergen-friendly and sustainable food options,” said Kumar. “One of the students, Andrew Dagnino, contacted an executive at Sprouts Farmers Market who gave us positive feedback about our U.S. product prototype. This gave us the confidence to keep moving forward with the USA as a potential launch market.” 

To complete their U.S. market launch strategy proposal, the student team met weekly with Kumar from their successful New Zealand launch. With feedback from Kumar and the Sprouts executive, they conducted a consumer research survey to shape their proposal, which they presented to Kumar and Matheson at the conclusion of the semester. 

“We were able to provide Milli with a comprehensive understanding of the U.S. marketplace preferences regarding non-dairy ice cream alternatives,” said Dagnino who earned his MBA in 2023. “This research helped us understand that — in spite of the fact there is a growing trend toward plant-based products — the majority of consumers’ buying decisions for desserts were influenced more so by taste rather than a desire to follow a vegan/vegetarian diet. EatKinda can effectively position itself as a middle ground between indulgent, creamy ice cream and plant-based offerings.” 

Using information gathered from the SDSU student team’s proposal, EatKinda has laid the groundwork to embark on a U.S. sales strategy. “The students did some great research to help us better understand the market landscape” said Kumar. “It showed us there was a market for EatKinda. Currently, we are moving quickly to get the product manufactured in the USA to begin distribution in the California region by the end of 2025.” 

While the students’ proposal pointed EatKinda in the right direction for a U.S. product launch, it also provided MBA graduate Tyler Wetherell with skills that he uses in his job every day. 

“In my current position, I regularly evaluate my company’s supply base and offerings in comparison to their competition,” said Wetherell, a supervisor at General Dynamics NASSCO. “The EatKinda project expanded my skillset regarding how to examine the systems we obtain from both domestic and international suppliers to determine how well each system would perform within our market space.”