Goat & Pail: A Scoop of Innovation, Sustainability, and Real Fruit
When Clarisa Bonilla founded Goat & Pail, it wasn’t just to make delicious gelato, it was to change the way people think about dairy, farming, and frozen desserts. What started with a personal dairy intolerance and a deep respect for animal welfare has grown into a small but mighty gelato company blending sustainability, flavor, and science.
Why Goat Milk? Why Gelato?
Clarisa was searching for a milk she could drink—soy didn’t froth, almond wasn’t an option due to allergies—and goat milk emerged as a nutrient-rich, digestible alternative. She connected with a pair of soil scientists who had transitioned conventional farmland into perennial pastures, organic fruit orchards and a goat creamery focused on animal welfare. Their goats at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery already made award-winning cheese—but Clarisa saw a bigger opportunity.
“If you build the product, the farms will follow,” she says. Goat & Pail was born from that vision: to create a value-added product that would support sustainable farming practices while bringing something truly unique to market. She chose gelato both for its nostalgic, fun-loving appeal and because it was a gateway product—more approachable and adventurous than goat milk in a glass.
The Fruit Factor: From Backyard Berries to Oregon Fruit Purees
In the early days, Clarisa sourced her fruit from local farmer friends and the goat farm itself—hand-picking berries, prepping in a shared creamery kitchen. It was small scale and charming, but not sustainable. When that facility was repurposed and gelato production moved an hour away, she found herself without access to fruit processing.
Enter Oregon Fruit Company.
Originally recommended by Wes Jarrell, one of the founders of Prairie Fruits, who himself grew up on a fruit farm in Oregon, Oregon Fruit’s aseptic fruit purees became a lifeline for Clarisa. Shelf-stable, clean-label, and ready to use, they solved a critical production challenge—allowing Clarisa to keep delivering bold, real fruit flavor without the need for added equipment or prep space.
“Oregon Fruit purees shine in gelato even without the chunks,” she says. Now in a new commercial kitchen, Clarisa blends our puree with fresh fruit for texture—leveraging both consistency and creativity.
Scaling Quality, Not Shortcuts
Small food producers wear many hats, and Goat &Pail is no exception. “Their purees take out an extra step,” Clarisa explains. “They make it easier to bring a high-quality product to market.” It’s an especially powerful tool for early-stage food businesses trying to scale without compromising their values.
Take blueberries, for example. In her first season, Clarisa hand-picked them herself from a local grower. Adorable—but not scalable. Now, she uses Oregon Fruit’s aseptic blueberry puree to make a gorgeous gelato in season, as well as a non-dairy sorbetto during the winter months. The blueberry is so refreshing at a time when Midwest fruit is unavailable.
And as for that time she squeezed lemons by hand for a July event? “Terrible idea. I’ll never do that again,” she laughs. She’s now excited to use our aseptic lemon puree instead—same clean citrus flavor, none of the wrist strain.
Real Fruit, Real Challenges, Real Results
Fruit and dairy are a delicate dance. Sorbettos and goat milk gelatos made with caneberries—like blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry—have been a huge hit. But traditional ice cream-style bases have been trickier. The water content in fruit purees can lead to iciness. Clarisa’s solution? Swirling in puree or our Pourable Fruit during the packaging stage, to preserve vibrant fruit flavor without affecting the texture.
She’s also experimenting with our heritage line of canned fruit for more flavor and format variety.
Sourcing with Integrity
When developing new flavors, Goat & Pail lets nature take the lead. What’s in season? What’s unique? Is there a story worth telling?
Oregon Fruit’s aseptic purees help her bridge seasons, too. “It helped fill the gap in the winter when there isn’t any local fruit,” Clarisa says. That flexibility supports both menu planning and mission alignment.
Her advice to other gelato or sorbetto makers? “Don’t be afraid to try it. You can taste the difference.” Working with real fruit versus flavoring requires more precision—balancing recipes, testing Brix—but the payoff is worth it. “Once you start using real fruit, it’s hard to go back.”
A Shared Philosophy
At the heart of Goat &Pail is a commitment to knowing where your food comes from—and being proud of it. Clarisa is intentional about her sourcing, always asking: Would I be proud to tell someone where this came from? With Oregon Fruit, the answer is always yes.
🍓 Ready to create your own fruit-forward frozen treat?
Explore our full line of shelf-stable, clean-label aseptic fruit purees—perfect for gelato, sorbet, and more.
