Veg of Lund obtains Swedish patent for potato-based ice cream

Food producer Veg of Lund, the parent company of DUG, has obtained a new patent approval from the Swedish Intellectual Property Office for its “unique” potato-based ice cream

The patent only covers the Swedish market, but the Lund-based company confirmed that it had also applied for protection in other jurisdictions. Veg of Lund founder and chairman of the board Eva Tornberg said the company was pleased by the patent approval in Sweden.

“The fact it is based on such an everyday crop as potatoes shows the uniqueness and strength of the patent,” said Tornberg.

Last year, the company launched DUG Smoothie in Sweden, which also has a Swedish patent for its formula. Veg of Lund said the product fulfilled the market’s demand for plant-based, allergen-free snacks with controlled sugar levels.

“We are pleased that a patent is approved in Sweden.”

Eva Tornberg, Founder of Veg of Lund.

DUG CEO Fredrik Carling said the company would further expand its range of dairy product alternatives under the DUG brand, aiming to reach global consumers this year. Earlier this month, DUG announced the launch of DUG products in Danish retailers Bilka and Føtex.

Potato as alternative protein source

Tornberg gained inspiration to establish Veg of Lund in 2016 from the prospect of potatoes as an alternative protein source for plant-based food products. Veg of Lund claims that a potato’s amino acid profile is equivalent to eggs and does not trigger common food allergies.

The use of potatoes also supports the sustainability goals in the food industry. Data have shown that potato-based food alternatives produce 67 percent less emissions than dairy milk. Growing potatoes also requires significantly less water than almonds, a popular plant-based dairy alternative.

Veg of Lund introduced a patented heat-stable production technology to emulsify potato and rapeseed oil as a base of its innovative food products. The company established DUG in 2021, catering to European and Asian markets.

DUG offers several products, including DUG Original, DUG Barista, and DUG Unsweetened. The food producer says its products create only between 0.27 and 0.31 kilograms of emissions per kilogram of product.