PHOENIX — On the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic, Richie Dolan flew back to Phoenix from New York City with one craving: ice cream.

He navigated the eerily quiet streets to a nearby grocery store, filled a basket and later churned a batch in his kitchen. He left scoops for neighbors; they went crazy for it.

What they didn’t know was that the homemade treat was completely lactose-free.

The stars aligned for Dolan, who is lactose intolerant. A year later, that late-night craving became LIX Uptown Ice Cream, one of Arizona’s only fully lactose-free ice cream shops.

“The universe threw everything I needed at me,“ Dolan said. “No other time in my life has the universe just opened every door and put everything on a silver platter.”

It came at a time when lactose-free dairy products, as market trends showed an unexpected rise in sales and demand. Studies show millions of Americans struggle with properly digesting lactose. The number is even higher for Native Americans, African Americans and Asian Americans.

In recent years, demand for plant-based milks such as almond and oat milk has skyrocketed, but Banner Health nutritionist Jacquelin Danielle Fryer says these milks simply don’t do the job the way dairy products do.

“Plant-based doesn’t always mean healthier,” Fryer said. “It may be low in protein or high in added sugar. From a nutrition standpoint, the lactose-free option is still going to beat a plant-based one.”

Fryer and Dolan both pointed out a common misconception that lactose-free is synonymous with dairy-free. Dairy products like whole milk and yogurt can be lactose-free by simply treating them with lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose.

“Think of lactose-free products like pre-c

Richie Dolan creates a fresh batch of his new fall flavor, pumpkin curry, on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at LIX Uptown Ice Cream in Phoenix. Dolan often walks across the street to Safeway or Sprouts to pick up new ingredients to experiment with.

Cronkite News/ Lorenzo Gomez

Although plant-based milks remain a popular choice among consumers, data shows a notable increase in lactose-free sales. Trends predict the lactose-free milk market will double by 2033, reaching a total value of nearly $1.5 billion. According to market research from Circana, consumption of plant-based milk fell for the third consecutive year in 2024. Whole milk saw an increase in consumption starting in 2023, only the second time since the 1970s.

Jen Millican, manager of Stotz Dairy in Buckeye and board member of United Dairymen of Arizona and Arizona Milk Producers, says it’s because the industry is now meeting a need it hasn’t in the past.

“As a dairy farmer, I’m a huge supporter of it because you open a customer base that otherwise would not be able to at least comfortably drink the product,” Millican said.

People are looking to invest in products tailored to their dietary needs, Fryer said, and lactose-free does exactly that.

“You get all of the benefits; all it’s doing is helping you,” she said.

Dolan may have started for personal reasons, but with the increased interest and demand, his mission changed. He said a recent customer visit stuck with him. A lactose-intolerant woman, there for the first time, heard that every flavor was lactose-free and screamed with joy. It’s these experiences, Dolan said, that keep his passion alive.

“I want to create a serendipitous experience for each and every customer,” Dolan said.

His late-night creation has turned into myriad successes, earning him the Business of Pride Award by the Phoenix Suns and the 52nd spot on Yelp’s top 100 ice cream shops in the U.S.

Awards aside, he measures his success in the people who finally feel welcome — proof that a lactose-free dessert market was waiting.

The shop fills a gap others continue to ignore, he said, drawing a loyal crowd finally able to order anything on the board.

“People come in all the time and just say ‘thank you, thank you, thank you for doing this for everybody,’” Dolan said.