Gourmet ice cream that takes the whole state of Ohio to manufacture! This week we’re talking with Jeni Britton Bauer, the founder and CEO of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. She’s been a pioneer in gourmet ice cream since she started over two decades ago, and continues to innovate.
I was curious about how she develops her inventive flavors and what it takes to make award-winning ice cream at scale. It turns out there’s a lot more art and science–and logistics—than I ever imagined. She shares her greatest challenges—from product recalls and regulatory requirements, to angry consumers blaming you for buying up all the state’s strawberries. And we talk about the importance of just rolling up your sleeves in order to learn and evolve your product. In the process, she has engaged partners across the whole state and beyond, from the dairies and growers to the service providers and suppliers, to create a “Fellowship Model” for making her ice cream.
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Links
Jeni’s Website
LA Times Profile on Jeni
Jeni’s Instagram
Jeni’s Facebook Page.
About Jeni Britton Bauer
Jeni Britton Bauer opened Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002 with the idea that ice creams could be better and more interesting. Today, Jeni continues to craft one-of-a-kind flavors — made with grass-grazed Ohio milk and Direct Trade ingredients — in partnership with some of the world’s best makers, producers, and growers. Jeni’s first cookbook, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, is a New York Times bestseller and winner of a James Beard Award. Jeni’s latest book, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Desserts, was published in 2014. In 2015, she was dubbed one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. Most recently, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in business administration from Ohio State University.