We drink plant-based milk because it’s healthier and better for the environment…but is it?

Not necessarily. It turns out, while plant-based milks are definitely better for our bodies, most of them are made with grains and beans grown outside the state, packaged in single-use containers, and shipped hundreds or thousands of miles. When the milk is gone, the container goes into our local waste stream.

Our founder Teresa Morales, an engineer with almost 25 years in natural resources and conservation engineering, thought we could do better. She started Cool Earth Creamery as a way to satisfy her own need for locally produced plant-based milks…but quickly realized that her company could have an even wider impact. By building local infrastructure to turn regionally sourced beans and grains into delicious, high-quality milks packaged in re-usable containers, she could offer Montanans a truly sustainable option—one that benefits our health, grows our local economy, supports local agriculture and local businesses, and protects the environment. She and a small group of like-minded friends concerned about the environment and passionate about local agriculture bootstrapped the funds to build the operation and then got to work.