I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For…Cauliflower?
By Suzanne Finch, Jeff Ristine Ice cream-craving vegans know all about brands using soy milk or even cashews as substitutes for dairy products, but with some marketing savvy from students at San Diego State University, a New Zealand company’s cauliflower-based treat is poised to enter the U.S. market. That’s right, cauliflower: The vegetable from the […]
Ice cream-craving vegans know all about brands using soy milk or even cashews as substitutes for dairy products, but with some marketing savvy from students at San Diego State University, a New Zealand company’s cauliflower-based treat is poised to enter the U.S. market.
That’s right, cauliflower: The vegetable from the mustard family that looks like broccoli and tastes like it needs a dip.
In an undertaking that began as a class project in a master’s-level global business development class, four students helped create the American product-launch strategy for the allergen-free, cauliflower ice cream developed by women-owned EatKinda that comes in chocolate swirl, strawberry swirl and mint chocolate bikkie (cookie to us Americans) flavors.
The company, which hopes to have its product in California stores by the end of the year, credits the SDSU students with helping to confirm that there’s a market for cauliflower ice cream in the U.S. and what to focus upon to sell it (taste, not lifestyle).
It all started in fall 2023 when EatKinda founders Milli Kumar and Jenni Matheson connected with management professor Martina Musteen, advisor in the Master of Science in Global Business Development program. Musteen used their query as a project for her International Entrepreneurship and Business Development class that fall.
“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 consulted weekly with Kumar. 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 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.”
The company also hopes to expand to additional global markets.
Besides being dairy-free the company boasts its cream is gluten-free as well with no nuts, palm oil or “artificial stuff.” In New Zealand, its products are sold in compostable, plastic-free tubs and use cauliflower that would otherwise go to waste. It’s sold at Hell Pizza outlets and Woolworths, a major supermarket chain.
A perfectly designed home rarely happens by accident. Those kitchens that feel effortless and rooms that seem to tell a story the second you walk in? They’re usually the work of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing.
It’s knowing which ideas will actually work, which materials will hold up over time, and how to turn a collection of choices into a space that feels intentional. That’s where a professional interior designer comes in.
For the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) California San Diego Chapter, the goal is to help people see interior design as more than just the finished look. Behind every well-designed space is a process built on technical expertise. Designers are educated in everything from professional software and construction details to building codes, space planning, materials, and functionality.
Courtesy of ASID
“People don’t always realize how much goes on behind the scenes,” Kirsten Recce , current president of the ASID California San Diego Chapter, says. “Our designers are not just doing furniture placement and color selection and picking out new fluffy pillows. That’s not what they’re trained for.”
ASID members bring formal education, continued learning, and industry knowledge to their projects, helping create spaces that are not only beautiful, but designed to work. A paint color that changes completely depending on the lighting. A material that looks beautiful in a showroom but doesn’t make sense for everyday life. A layout that photographs well but doesn’t function for the people living there. These are the details where professional guidance can make all the difference.
Still, one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring an interior designer is that it’s reserved for massive renovations, luxury homes, or people who already know exactly what they want. The process can feel intimidating. Where do you begin? Is a designer worth the investment? What if you only need help with one room?
ASID’s answer: start with one hour.
ASID’s Spruce Up events break down one of the biggest barriers between homeowners and professional design: knowing where to begin. Held twice a year, the community program gives homeowners the chance to work directly with an ASID designer through a one-hour, $125 consultation in their own home. Whether you’re looking for advice on furniture placement, window treatments, kitchen and bath updates, remodeling ideas, vacation rentals, color selections or something else entirely, the upcoming September 2026 event offers an approachable way to get expert guidance before committing to a full project. Signups are open through Sept. 7, with consultations taking place Sept. 21 through Oct. 31. Proceeds benefit ASID San Diego’s educational and community programs. Register here!
Courtesy of ASID
“It’s a great opportunity for people who are in that exploratory phase,” Recce says. “Maybe they’re not sure they want to hire an interior designer yet, or they think it sounds daunting or expensive. This gives them a chance to discover what working with a designer is actually like.”
Design is personal. A good designer isn’t just creating a beautiful room; they’re helping create a space that fits the way someone lives.
“We’re a resource to all of San Diego County,” Recce says. “It doesn’t cost anything to pick up the phone and call and ask. We’ll answer.”
Growing up, Laika Nur, MD, Scripps Clinic sports medicine specialist, loved watching beach volleyball when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour came to her hometown of Chicago. A talented volleyball player herself, she remembers sitting in the stands all day, and once, even got a couple autographs. Years later, Dr. Nur was attending a professional event focused on women’s sports, and the discussion turned to a new professional women’s volleyball league. The general manager and coaching staff for San Diego’s team, the Mojo, happened to be in attendance, and Dr. Nur took the opportunity to ask them if they needed a team doctor. Flash forward to the Mojo’s inaugural 2024 season, when Dr. Nur officially became the team physician. Click here to read more about Dr. Nur and how she incorporates lessons she learned on the court into her practice.
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Your feet and ankles probably aren’t something you give much thought to—until something goes wrong. Orthopedic surgeons at Scripps Clinic are on the leading edge of foot and ankle reconstruction, treating patients with sports injuries, deformities, traumatic injuries and other conditions. That includes repairing torn Achilles tendons with a minimally invasive procedure that shrinks the incision site to less than a centimeter, and performing advanced ankle replacement on some patients with ankle arthritis. Read more about Scripps’ innovations in foot and ankle care here.
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Mai Vue was just 34 weeks pregnant when she delivered her baby. Her pregnancy had been complicated, and she’d had a recent second trimester pregnancy loss, which led to her receiving specialized care from Sean Daneshmand, MD, a Scripps Clinic perinatologist who oversees high-risk pregnancies. Dr. Daneshmand and his team took care of Mai during her pregnancy, through the birth of her healthy baby girl and beyond. Mai was part of a program Scripps launched to provide support to new moms in the weeks and months after delivery. The postpartum program, known as Scripps Health’s Fourth Trimester Continuum of Care, provides care for women with high-risk pregnancies to optimize their health after childbirth and reduce the risk of complications in future pregnancies. Click here to learn more.
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It’s estimated that one in five people in the U.S. will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. When you factor in living in a sun-soaked city like San Diego and the outdoorsy lifestyle that comes with it, that figure can jump to as high as one in three, which makes early detection and intervention all the more important. Dermatologists at Bighorn Mohs and Dermatology Center are using innovative imaging methods and advanced surgical techniques to diagnose and treat skin cancer. For certain cancers in sensitive spots, like the face, dermatologists perform Mohs surgery, removing skin tissue layer by layer until reaching healthy, cancer-free tissue. They also use a process called immunohistochemistry to view tissue samples taken during Mohs surgery in far greater detail than previous methods. Read more about how Scripps is advancing skin cancer care here.
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When endurance athlete Isaac Sanchez learned he had cancer, he felt blindsided. He was healthy, surfed often and was training for an Ironman triathlon. But he had to put that on hold to undergo treatment. His physicians at Scripps Cancer Center developed a plan to treat the cancer in his tonsil and lymph nodes that included six-and-a-half weeks of near-daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy. He also worked with a Scripps Cancer Center dietitian to enhance his nutrition to promote strength and healing. Today, Isaac’s back to doing what he loves. Read more of his story here.
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