With today's temps in the mid-50's, warm thoughts like flip flops, shorts and ice cream are popping into my head. How about you?
That said, I had the privilege of chatting with two local girls, Kristin Cerulli and Carin Crook, who have launched a sweet ice cream delivery business - just in time for spring.
Here's the scoop behind the duo's new frozen cuisine on wheels: The Natural Scoop
1. Describe how the idea of The Natural Scoop originated
We are on a mission to change the world, one natural treat at a time.
We actually came to the idea from two different angles. Carin has always been passionate about health and wellness, and she loves finding better options for traditional treats. One summer when her family was in Cape Cod, her three-year-old daughter wanted to get something from the ice cream truck that is always parked in the beach parking lot. They walked over and Carin was shocked to discover that every item on the truck was filled with high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, and all sorts of other ingredients people can't pronounce or understand. She knew there had to be a better way.
Kirstin also turned away from the ice cream truck, for a different reason. Every year, she would buy new swimsuits for the kids. One ice cream treat later and their new suit would be stained for the rest of the season. She started to wonder what it was doing to the kids’ insides -- and then she changed her son's diaper and it was blue. She knew there had to be a better way.
Drawing on their love of treats, high passion and energy, and marketing and communication backgrounds, Carin and Kirstin teamed up to create The Natural Scoop, an ice cream truck that offers “way better cold stuff” than is typically found on traditional trucks. All natural frozen treats, no chemicals or artificial anything, ingredients you can pronounce, allergen-free brands you can trust, and taste you will love.
Our short-term vision is to create an ice cream truck in Ridgefield that parents embrace and want to bring their kids to, with great options for people with food allergies, so nobody is left out. Our ultimate big vision is to turn The Natural Scoop into an affordable franchise, so wherever you go in the country (the world!) – to the beach, to the park, outside your house you know that you and your kids can get a treat that you feel good about.
We are also working to keep our prices comparable with traditional novelties, showing that good health doesn't have to cost more. And we are in the process of adding solar panels to help power the battery for our freezer, as part of our commitment to being green.
2. How are you tastier & healthier than other ice cream brands?
3. Talk to me about your pilot event at a Ridgefield elementary school
The reaction to our pilot event last fall at BMES’s Welcome Back Picnic was outstanding. We sold out -- 336 ice creams in two hours -- and received rave reviews from parents and kids alike. And the ultimate success? When a self-proclaimed “picky eater” came up to u with wide eyes and a big smile and said, “This is really good!” Another parent remarked that “the ice cream is the healthiest thing at the picnic.”
We have already been contacted my many local businesses and organizations to be at their events -- all without advertising or promotion. We are so grateful and look forward to serving healthier and delicious treats to our community for years to come.
4. How many flavors will your truck have and which ones would you girls personally recommend to customers?
We are planning to offer a variety of items and flavors, from traditional (and organic) ice cream and pops to dairy-, nut-, and gluten-free options. Our Coconut Bliss fudge pops seem to be very popular. (And, as one mom of a toddler confirmed, the chocolate doesn’t stain -- it washes off clothes easily!) Carin’s personal favorite is Mint Confetti by Three Twin’s Organic Ice Cream. Kirstin loves the Strawberry Rhubarb People’s Pops. We plan to pilot different flavors and brands, and we are exploring partnering with local businesses to sell their items.
Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/waybettercoldstuff) to get the latest and greatest offerings, and to track where we will be. You can also request that we visit your neighborhood or organization.
5. Aside from the truck going from town to town every summer, what other aspirations do you girls have for your ice cream business?
Food truck events are very popular, and we would like to be part of that scene. From wedding to parties to employee appreciation days, we are happy to cater your events. Our bigger aspiration is to prove that there is a market for this, make it hugely successful, and then create an affordable franchise, so wherever you go in the country (or the world!), when you see the Natural Scoop truck you run toward it instead of shielding your kids away from it.