FAQ
Questions, answered.
Everything people usually ask us, in one place, from what’s in it to how it gets to your door. Can’t find it? Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll answer.
the food
Is everything dairy-free and vegan?
Yes, completely. Every single thing we make is plant-based, with no dairy at all. Our milks, cheeses and yogurts are built on an almond base and cultured by hand.
What is your cheese made from?
It’s cultured almond cheese: a plant-based almond base that we culture and age the slow way for real, tangy flavour, then finish by flavour, from cranberry & pistachio to chilli garlic, dill and peppercorn. Never any dairy.
Do you use preservatives or refined sugar?
No. Our promise is simple: no dairy, no refined sugar, no preservatives and no hidden stuff. Everything is made fresh in small batches, the morning it goes out.
How much almond is actually in your almond milk?
About 25%, that is 72 grams of almonds in every 300 ml bottle, against 2–4% for a typical long-life carton. Ours is three ingredients: almonds, water and a pinch of pink salt.
A shelf-stable carton usually runs to eight or more, because holding a suspension that thin together needs help, emulsifiers, gums and added vitamins. We use none of them, which is also why ours separates in the bottle and needs a shake.
Why are your ingredient lists so short?
Because the food doesn’t need more. The almond m*** is three ingredients: almonds, water and a pinch of pink salt. It’s made the morning it reaches you and kept cold, so nothing has to hold it together or keep it stable on a shelf.
Longer ingredient lists exist for good reasons, a carton that has to survive months at room temperature needs emulsifiers, stabilisers and added vitamins to stay drinkable. We just made a different product: one built around freshness instead of shelf life. We censor our names. Never our ingredients.
Is it gluten-free?
Many of our products are, and our crackers are made gluten-free on purpose. A few items contain oats, so if you’re avoiding gluten, message us about a specific product and we’ll tell you exactly what’s in it.
Why does your food go off so quickly?
Because we make it around freshness rather than around shelf life. Those are two different products, and we chose the first one.
The almond m*** is made the morning it reaches you, almonds, water and a pinch of pink salt, so it is good for about two days. The feta is cultured and brined by hand and keeps ten to twelve days refrigerated, because its flavour comes from time rather than from anything added.
It means planning a little. We think the trade is worth it, and we’d rather tell you exactly what’s in the jar than make it last longer.
How should I store it?
Keep everything refrigerated. Because there are no preservatives, our food is at its best fresh, so enjoy it soon after it arrives.
Is your almond milk lactose-free?
Yes. It’s made from almonds, water and a pinch of pink salt, there’s no dairy in it at all, so there’s no lactose. That goes for everything we make: the cheeses, nogurts, dips and bliss balls are all built on plants.
Does your almond milk contain gums, emulsifiers or stabilisers?
No. It’s three ingredients, and none of them is a gum. Because nothing artificial holds it together, it separates naturally in the bottle. Give it a shake and it’s back.
What is a nogurt?
Our name for yogurt with no dairy in it: a cultured almond base, thick and tangy, made in small batches. It comes plain and in flavours, several with no added sweetener.
How much protein is in your products?
Every product page on this site carries a per-serving nutrition table from our lab data, so you can check the exact figure before you buy. The vegan parmesan is our highest at 32.3 g per 100 g, and the cacao almond m*** leads the drinks at 7 g per 100 ml.
What do you sweeten your products with?
Mostly dates, and often nothing at all. Several products, including the natural almond m***, the natural feta and the plain nogurt, have no added sweetener. Each product page lists its sweetener, or says “none”.
Do you have Jain-friendly products?
Yes, some of our range is Jain-friendly, and it’s marked on the product page where it applies, the natural feta among them. If you follow specific rules, message us and we’ll confirm ingredient by ingredient.
ordering & delivery
How do I place an order?
Add what you’d like to your basket and check out right here, you can pay online by card, UPI, net banking or wallet. There’s no account to make. Prefer WhatsApp? Message us and we’ll send a payment link there. All orders are prepaid.
Where do you deliver?
Right across Mumbai. Drop your pincode into the checker on our contact page to confirm we reach your area.
When will my order arrive?
Order almond milk by 5pm, or anything else by 2pm, for next-day delivery; after the cut-off it’s the day after. We deliver Monday to Saturday, we don’t drop on Sundays.
How do I pay?
All orders are prepaid. You can pay online right here at checkout, card, UPI, net banking or wallet, through our secure payment provider, so your card details never touch our own site. Prefer WhatsApp? We’ll send you a payment link there. We don’t take cash on delivery.
Can I get regular or subscription deliveries?
Yes. We run subscriptions, weekly, fortnightly, or a build-your-own box, so your morning milk and favourites arrive on repeat. Message us and we’ll set it up.
Do you deliver outside Mumbai?
The fresh range doesn’t travel, it’s made the morning it reaches you and needs to stay cold. Pantry items that keep, like our crackers and almond butter, can go further. Message us with your city and we’ll tell you what’s possible.
Is there a minimum order or a delivery fee?
No minimum. Delivery is ₹49, and free once your order crosses ₹599.
What time does the delivery arrive?
Early. We bottle and pack before sunrise and deliver at the break of dawn, so your morning m*** is there for your morning coffee. We deliver Monday to Saturday.
Can I send Break of Dawn as a gift or order corporate hampers?
Yes. We build gift baskets and corporate hampers to your budget, jute baskets of almond m***, cultured ch***, bliss balls and more, with a hand-written card and no prices in the parcel. Start on the gifting page.
the brand
Is the cheese really award-winning?
It is, voted India’s No.1 Plant-Based Cheese at the Vegan India Conference 2026. The cranberry & pistachio feta is the one people message us about most.
Do you supply cafés or do wholesale?
Yes. You’ll already find us on the menus at Earth Cafe, Scarlett House, Pause and Ananda around Mumbai. If you run a café or store, head to our wholesale page to get in touch.
Where are you based?
In Mumbai. We make everything by hand at our studio in Govandi and deliver fresh across the city.
Why is it called Break of Dawn?
Because dawn is when we work. Everything is made before sunrise and delivered at first light, the freshest hour of the day. The three-arc sunrise on our labels is that idea, drawn.
Why are your product names censored with ***?
It started as an in-joke, almond m***, feta ch***, good s***, and became our signature. The wink is the point: we’ll happily censor a name, but never an ingredient. Every label lists everything, in full.
Who founded Break of Dawn?
Pardita Mascarenhas, in June 2017, with a single batch of fresh almond m*** made in her home kitchen. A former diamond grader, she brought the same eye for quality to food. Today an all-women team makes the whole range by hand. Read the story.
Where can I buy Break of Dawn products in Mumbai?
Three ways: order here for dawn delivery to your door, pick us off the menu at Earth Cafe, Scarlett House, Pause or Ananda, or visit the Gather studio in Govandi East, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm.