Ever since I realized I was lactose intolerant I have been in search of the best vegan dairy alternatives, from cheese to ice cream to yogurt and beyond. The Collaborative is a brand founded in 2014 that makes vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free yogurts and desserts that are delicious! They began in the UK but are spreading to the U.S. so more of their products will hopefully be available in a store near you. The Collaborative also funded the PUR Project where they are planting coconut trees in Southeast Asia which eventually becomes the crops that their yogurts are made of! I was fortunate enough to be sent samples of their vegan yogurt products and wanted to share my thoughts after trying all of the samples.
Slight disclaimer before I begin the rankings: all of these opinions are based on my own personal tastes and even my roommates (who can astonishingly all ate these yogurts which is a rare occurrence as three of us are vegan, one is allergic to soy, tree-nuts, and legumes, and the fifth is allergic to gluten and a host of other things) have different opinions.
For the fruity flavors (least favorite to most):
Blueberry
Classic blueberry flavor, but not particularly remarkable. The texture is nice, it’s thicker (probably due to the coconut milk) so it resembles Greek yogurt more closely, as is true for all of the yogurts.
Raspberry Hibiscus
The hibiscus adds a nice flavor to the raspberry! I enjoyed this flavor topped with granola and mixed nuts. If you had extra raspberries on hand that’d be a great addition!
Mango Passionfruit
I really enjoyed this flavor, especially when I sliced up a mango to eat with it and topped everything with granola.
For the classic favorites (least to most):
Plain
I like plain yogurt when combined with very sweet things, like apple crisps or different parfaits. Just by itself...meh? Okay but not everyone’s favorite. Plain yogurt is also really good in different sauces like tzatziki or an addition for curries and other thick sauces. This version does taste a bit heavy on the coconut like all of The Collaborative’s products (since they are made out of coconut milk) but that can actually be a good thing for a coconut style curry.
Vanilla
Classic vanilla-yum! And I mean the taste of vanilla bean, not the fake vanilla flavoring some other brands use. I loved eating this with my classic combo of peanut butter, banana, and granola.
For the desserts:
Vanilla Rice Pudding
I’m not a huge fan of rice pudding, which is why this one’s lower on the list, but one of my housemates who’s gluten-free loves it! The vanilla flavor is really nice, the texture just gets me.
Chocolate Pudding
Again, not a huge fan of pudding (yeah I was that weird kid who never ate pudding as a child) so lower on the list because of that. However the slight coconut and chocolate flavor is really nice together.
Chocolate Pops
A little thicker than the chocolate pudding, the flavor is basically the same but this is a much more bite-sized version.
Chocolate Mousse
Like the chocolate pudding but whipped, this is one of the best versions of vegan mousse I’ve tried!
Salted Carmel Chocolate Pops
Definitely my favorite of the dessert pops, these salted Carmel pops have that little extra something the regular chocolate desert pops lack. Decadent and delicious, this vegan treats are the perfect dessert.
Overall, I really enjoyed trying all of these products and will definitely purchase them myself in the future. For everyday eats, the mango passionfruit and vanilla flavors will probably be my go-tos, with the salted Carmel chocolate pops as a great dessert option!