Review Of Kapiti Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
One litre tubs of Kapiti Vanilla Bean Ice Cream are sold in Aldi supermarkets Australia-wide. While the packaging screams premium, its pricing is comparable to Coles and Woolies home brand tubs.
If you’re considering adding it to the shopping list, keep reading. This review looks at whether this tub is worth its space in your freezer.
Flavour and texture
Kapiti Vanilla Bean Ice Cream 1L offers a luxurious vanilla flavour thanks to the inclusion of natural vanilla bean seeds. These tiny specs of vanilla bean give plenty of vanillary taste, setting it apart from some cheaper alternatives.
The ice cream also has a hard-hitting punch of dairy flavour. The high percentage of fresh NZ dairy gives it a homemade feel I enjoyed.
Annatto imparts a slightly yellow colour through the frozen dessert. I prefer whiter-looking products like Haagen-Dazs Vanilla, but that’s a personal preference.
Why is this delicious ice cream so cheap?
While a tub of Kapiti is rich and creamy, it’s noticeably airier than super-premium ice creams. This can be a pro or con, depending on your idea of the perfect consistency.
- If you prefer denser ice cream brands like Connoisseur or Haagen-Dazs, this may not be the tub for you.
- If you like easy-to-scoop, airy ice cream, then Kapiti offers excellent value.
Check out the below comparison of competing brand weights per serving. Heavier indicates quality – the texture is denser, with less air whipped into it.
| Brand | Grams per serving |
| Connoisseur Classic Vanilla 1L | 92g |
| Murray Street Vanilla Bean 1L | 68g |
| Woolworths Vanilla Bean 1L | 61g |
| Kapiti Vanilla Bean 1L | 59g |
| Woolworths Vanilla 4l | 47g |
| Bulla Creamy Classics Vanilla 2L | 46g |
As you can see, Kapiti is relatively light. It’s the overrun, or air whipped in during churning, that helps the manufacturer keep the price low. But don’t let this feature stop you from buying this tub. It is still an excellent ice cream.
Is Kapiti Vanilla Bean Ice Cream worth the money?
Given the quality, taste, and the awards to its name, Kapiti Vanilla Bean Ice Cream offers value for its price. If you’re a fan of punchy dairy and vanilla bean flavour, this is a must-try.
I’m a big fan of this ice cream and will undoubtedly be back to Aldi for more.
Ingredients
Kapiti Vanilla Ice Cream is made in New Zealand using local milk and cream. An impressive 58% of this ice cream comes from fresh dairy. With fresh cream (39%) and fresh whole milk (19%), the milky, creamy taste is dominant.
Other ingredients include liquid sugar, reconstituted skim milk, glucose syrup (from maize), milk solids, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and, of course, vanilla bean seeds.
The natural flavour is enhanced by a touch of salt, and the natural colouring comes from annatto.
Ingredients list: Ice Cream [Fresh Cream (39%), Fresh Whole Milk (19%), Liquid Sugar, Reconstituted Skim Milk, Glucose Syrup (From maize), Milk Solids, Stabilisers (Guar Gum, Locust Bean Gum), Emulsifier (471), Vanilla Bean Seeds (<0.5%), Natural Flavour, Salt, Natural Colour (Annatto)].
Nutrition
For those concerned about nutrition, Kapiti Vanilla Bean Ice Cream contains 9.7% saturated fat per 100g and 17.9g sugar per 100g.
Considering its rich taste and the generous use of cream and milk, these values are expected for a quality ice cream.
Servings per package: 10
Serving size: 59g
Nutrition table
| Quantity per Serving | Quantity per 100g | |
| Energy | 560kJ | 949kJ |
| Protein | 1.8g | 3.0g |
| Fat, Total | 8.6g | 14.6g |
| -Saturated | 5.7g | 9.7g |
| Carbohydrates | 12.4g | 21.0g |
| -Sugars | 10.6g | 17.9g |
| Sodium | 40mg | 68mg |
Milk fat
Milk fat is integral to good ice cream, lending to its creamy texture and rich taste.
The presence of 14% milk fat in a tub of Kapiti Vanilla Bean signifies a premium ice cream. It is luxuriously creamy and smooth.
As a comparison, Murray St Vanilla Bean has 12% milk fat while Haagen-Dazs Vanilla has 16%.
Other tubs in the Kapiti range
- Kāpiti Affogato 1L
- Kāpiti Salted Caramel and Cashew 1L
- Kāpiti Cookies & Cream 1L
- Kāpiti Fig & Manuka Honey 1L
- Kāpiti Malborough Salted Caramel 1L
- Kāpiti Triple Chocolate 1L
- Kāpiti White Chocolate & Raspberry 1L
Pros
- Authentic vanilla flavour with visible vanilla bean seeds.
- Smooth and creamy texture.
- Gold Award winner at the 2022 New Zealand Ice Cream and Gelato Awards.
- Contains a high percentage of fresh cream and milk.
- Excellent value for money.
Cons
- Airier texture might not appeal to those who prefer dense, “chewier” ice cream.
- Tricky to find in Australia if you don’t have an Aldi nearby.
About the manufacturer
Kāpiti is a New Zealand company established in 1984. It has its roots at Lindale on the Kāpiti Coast, where two farmers began producing cheese for local customers. With an excess of cream available to the company, they started making ice cream, which quickly gained popularity.
Now owned and operated by Tip Top, the company has a wide range of ice cream, sorbet, and plant-based products.
