Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream was born from an ice cream truck in New York Metropolis and has quickly reworked from a humble truck right into a family title primarily based on its ideas of utilizing easy and high-quality elements. On this episode, co-founder and CEO Ben Van Leeuwen talked about his journey, revealing the grit, ardour, and perseverance behind his exceptional success.
Founder’s Background
Ben’s love of meals was nurtured in a novel childhood. Born in 1984, the youngest of 4 siblings, he got here from a household that prioritized home-cooked meals cooked from scratch. His mother and father, every enriched with their related but completely different cultural milestones, instilled a respect for entire, unprocessed meals. Ben’s father was a serial entrepreneur whose affect laid the groundwork for his business-minded strategy, and his mom’s dedication to scratch cooking instilled in him a style for high-quality elements.
Associated: How This CEO Revitalized a 75-12 months-Previous Ice Cream Model
Ben’s entrepreneurial spirit began to emerge in highschool. Driving an ice cream truck — in reality, a Good Humor truck, for 2 summers — was the topic of a categorized advert that he answered — and it ignited his ardour for serving folks and satisfying clients. It gave him the concept for Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.
Challenges and Progress
In 2008, Ben and his brother Peter, together with co-founder Laura O’Neill, launched their first ice cream truck, shopping for it off eBay for $5,000. Their purpose was easy but formidable: to create the best-tasting ice cream utilizing solely a handful of pure elements. What began as one truck quickly grew right into a fleet, and their ardour for high quality and innovation resonated with clients throughout New York.
Immediately, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream has almost 70 company-owned scoop outlets and will be discovered in additional than 12,000 grocery shops throughout the nation. The corporate has greater than 1,200 workers and has grown right into a beloved title in artisanal ice cream. That fast progress didn’t come with out its challenges. Ben attributes a whole lot of their success to staying optimistic and protecting the standard even within the instances that issues go unsuitable.
What units Van Leeuwen Ice Cream aside is its dedication to simplicity and taste. Their ice cream incorporates just a few elements: cream, eggs, cane sugar, sea salt, and flavorings sourced with care. In a market saturated with synthetic components, Van Leeuwen’s dedication to actual, healthful elements creates a novel and memorable buyer expertise.
Associated: Her ‘Enjoyable’ Boozy Ice Cream Facet Hustle Turned a Multimillion-Greenback Enterprise
The corporate has additionally embraced innovation, providing vegan choices that do not compromise on style or texture. This inclusivity has helped them carve a distinct segment within the aggressive ice cream market, interesting to a broad viewers whereas staying true to their core values.
The Imaginative and prescient Forward
And as Van Leeuwen Ice Cream expands, Ben hopes much more growth is on the horizon. The model hopes to develop its presence in grocery places and tackle new entities whereas protecting high quality high of thoughts. Ben additionally teased engaged on recent flavors and codecs that go well with their clients’ altering palates.
Associated: Methods to Begin a Meals Truck Enterprise
Nonetheless profitable they grow to be, although, Ben appears much more within the journey than the arrival. “It is much less about attending to 100 shops,” he mentioned. “It is about having fun with the method and discovering pleasure within the little moments.”
Classes from the Journey
Ben Van Leeuwen’s story is a testomony to the facility of perseverance and keenness. His journey from promoting ice cream novelties in highschool to main a nationwide model proves that success does not occur in a single day. It takes resilience, a willingness to embrace challenges, and an unwavering dedication to your imaginative and prescient.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Ben’s recommendation is straightforward however profound: deal with the method, not simply the result. “Each step of the journey issues,” he mentioned. “Discover pleasure in what you are constructing and maintain transferring ahead.”
