Simple Pleasures: From Ice Cream Cart to MOMs Organic Shelves

Simple Pleasures is a family and veteran-owned artisan ice cream manufacturing business that started with humble beginnings. Originating as a mobile ice cream cart in Florida, Simple Pleasures has been serving delicious, handcrafted ice cream and other frozen confections for over 22 years. The brand is making its next big move by launching their 8oz ice cream cups into MOM’s Organic Market. This is another exciting milestone for Simple Pleasures who only recently rolled out a grocery-ready format of their popular ice creams. 

MOM's Organic Market is a well-known grocery store chain along the east coast that specializes in organic and natural products. Simple Pleasures is the perfect brand for the retailer, as they specialize in artisan, handcrafted ice cream. 

Simple Pleasures’ flavors range from classic favorites like vanilla and chocolate to more unique flavors like coffee cardamom and chocolate hazelnut cookies and cream. Simple Pleasures' 8oz ice cream cups are perfect for those who want to indulge in a sweet treat. 

While in Florida, Terri and Rodney began searching for a dessert product that was missing in their neighborhood. Through this exploratory research, they discovered there was not a single ice cream shop in the area. Terri and Rodney realized that they could fill this market gap and create something truly special. It also helped that Florida was the perfect temperament for ice cream, as the lack of cold weather would encourage customers to eat this cold treat year round. This is when Simple Pleasures Ice began. 

They started their business by selling pre-packaged frozen novelties from mobile push carts in their Florida town. As their ice cream business was gaining momentum, the U.S. Air Force selected Rodney for an assignment to Europe. Although it temporarily derailed their business plans, they used the opportunity to taste and learn about a huge variety of different ice creams and flavor combinations. 

A few years later, Rodney got stationed at Bolling AFB, which brought the couple and their daughters to Washington, D.C. After researching and crunching the numbers, Simple Pleasures Ice became a viable retail entity. Two years later, Rodney retired from the U.S. Air Force and fully focused on making ice cream.

Simple Pleasures launched with the Union Kitchen Accelerator in 2021. Simple Pleasures Ice does more than just provide delicious ice cream- they bring back memories. Their Lemon Custard flavor is a fan favorite, as it reminds consumers of a flavor from their childhood that they are no longer able to find. “It reminds them of when they were a kid. Apparently there was a local ice cream manufacturer that was known in the community for their lemon custard,” co-founder, Rodney, recalls. Simple Pleasures is able to provide a sensational time machine for their consumers. “We don’t just make ice cream, we make memories,” Rodney tags. 

Simple Pleasures’ commitment to high-quality ingredients and artisan style ice cream has made them a favorite among ice cream lovers in the DMV. And now, with their 8oz ice cream cups being onboarded into Mom's Organic Grocery Store, even more people will be able to enjoy their ice cream and create memories of their own. 

 

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