Oatly Grasshoppers and Crème Brûlées in America’s Dairy State

The pitch to the Oatly execs was, “Dairy people trying non-dairy products. Chaos ensues.” Well, we went … but turns out there was no chaos. Just really kind people telling us how great our products are and asking us which channel our television show would air on. 

Rather than cancel the whole experiment due to an absence of confrontation, we forged ahead. 

The Duck Inn, a charming establishment in Delavan, Wisconsin, is technically considered a supper club. For anyone outside the American Midwest, this descriptor likely means nothing. But for you history buffs out there - and yes, the overlap between “history buffs” and “Oatly enthusiasts” exists - the term “supper club” dates back to Prohibition, when local bars needed to reposition themselves as restaurants. Today these haunts will typically have their own distinct decor, traditional Midwestern cuisine, and patrons who drink brandy old-fashioneds for sport.

This was the scene we walked into on a very special weekend at The Duck Inn, when we swapped dairy with Oatly in five distinct items: a grasshopper (this is a bizarre concoction of ice cream and green liqueur), crème brûlée, clam chowder, vegetable pasta, and salmon with a dill sauce.

As has been the case with all our swaps, this particular experiment was wildly successful. Upwards of 15 people told us the dishes were “very good,” which they delivered in such understated tones that we imagine half of them were lying. But we’re not here to poke holes in the data. We’re here to celebrate a journey deep into America’s dairy capital, where we swapped dairy with Oatly and absolutely no chaos ensued.