Velvet Ice Cream

What Velvet Ice Cream does

Velvet Ice Cream Company, Inc. is a privately held, four-generation family-owned ice cream manufacturer founded in 1914 by Joseph Dager in Utica, Ohio, where it remains headquartered in the historic Ye Olde Mill property (originally constructed in 1817). The company produces premium ice cream from Midwest cream using legacy recipes — most notably an original 1914 vanilla formulation with a signature stabilizer blend of mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, and carrageenan — and offers a portfolio spanning 48oz premium containers (18+ flavors), pints, 3-gallon foodservice tubs (yielding 55–60 scoops each), soft-serve mix, sherbet, and hand-held novelties such as ice-cream sandwiches. All SKUs are Kosher certified, and the line extends into nut-free, allergen-labeled variants for schools and cup/novelty formats for healthcare. Annual production exceeds 5 million gallons.

The revenue model rests on three streams: wholesale retail ice cream (48oz, pints, novelties, sherbet) sold through grocery chains and outlets; foodservice bulk supply (3-gallon tubs and soft-serve mix) to restaurants, ice cream parlors, caterers and event customers; and on-premises tourism revenue at Ye Olde Mill, which combines an ice cream parlor, restaurant, museum, candy shoppe, mini arcade and the annual Utica Ice Cream Festival. The go-to-market is anchored by an owned Direct Store Delivery (DSD) network of 50+ trucks operating out of eight distribution centers across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and neighboring Midwest markets, with presell representatives using mobile tablets to service store decision-makers directly. Velvet's market footprint is regional — concentrated in the Midwest across five states — serving grocery (including Kroger), independent foodservice, education (school districts in partnership with Rich's Ice Cream), healthcare (hospitals, nursing homes), and direct-to-consumer visitors at Ye Olde Mill (150,000+ annually). Customers from 1954 numbering 300+ have grown commensurately with the distribution build-out. No private equity, venture capital, or public-market involvement is disclosed; leadership spans the Dager family with Luconda Dager as President, Joanne Dager as Vice President, and Joe Dager as Chairman.

Name

Velvet Ice Cream

Legal name

Velvet Ice Cream Company, Inc.

Website

https://velveticecream.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Velvet Ice Cream is a four-generation, family-owned premium ice cream manufacturer founded in 1914 in Utica, Ohio, producing more than 5 million gallons annually of 48oz tubs, pints, novelties, sherbet, and 3-gallon foodservice bulk products, distributed through an owned DSD network across five Midwest states to grocery, foodservice, education, and healthcare customers, with Ye Olde Mill serving as a tourism destination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Ice Cream Manufacturing

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (42442)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAHAC), Ice Cream & Gelato Shops (THAFAGAA), Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE), Food & Beverage Frozen Storage (Meat, Seafood, Dairy, Produce, Bakery) (TLALACAA)

Keywords

• Premium ice cream manufacturing
• Foodservice ice cream supply
• Direct store delivery
• Family-owned dairy products
• Frozen dessert distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Utica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Ice Cream Sales: Sale of premium ice cream products through retail grocery stores and outlets. Products include 48oz premium containers, pints, and novelties sold through direct store delivery.
2. Food Service Bulk Products: Sale of 3-gallon ice cream tubs and soft serve mix to food service establishments including restaurants, parlors, and caterers. 3-gallon containers yield 55-60 scoops per container.
3. Tourism and On-Premises Sales: Revenue from Ye Olde Mill visitor center including ice cream parlor sales, restaurant food service, museum admissions, gift shop, candy shoppe, and mini arcade attractions. Seasonal operation May through September.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Velvet Ice Cream manufactures and distributes premium frozen desserts made with Midwest cream — including 48oz containers, pints, novelties, sherbet, soft serve mix, and 3-gallon bulk tubs — to retail grocery stores and food service accounts across the Midwest via Direct Store Delivery. The company also operates Ye Olde Mill visitor destination in Utica, Ohio, which includes an ice cream parlor, restaurant, Ohio's only ice cream museum, candy shoppe, and mini arcade.

Product overview

Velvet Ice Cream is a four-generation family-owned ice cream company founded in 1914, offering a comprehensive portfolio of premium ice cream products and experiences. The product line consists of: 48oz Premium ice cream containers (their flagship retail format), Pints (smaller portion sizes for retail), 3 Gallon Bulk Ice Cream (for food service establishments), Novelties (hand-held treats including ice cream sandwiches and party cups), Sherbet (100% natural fruit juice-based frozen desserts), and Soft Serve (for food service). The company also operates Ye Olde Mill as a visitor destination featuring an ice cream parlor, restaurant, museum, shelter houses, and special events catering. All products are Kosher certified and the company distributes over 5 million gallons annually across five states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ye Olde Mill: Historic grist mill turned Velvet Ice Cream headquarters, ice cream parlor, restaurant, museum, and tourist destination in Utica, Ohio.

Products and services

• 48oz Premium Ice Cream Flagship premium ice cream made with Midwest cream, sold in 48oz containers for retail grocery stores with classic, unique, and signature flavors including Banana Cream Pie, Buckeye Classic, Butter Pecan Cashew, Cookie Dough Extreme, Dutch Chocolate, Italian Spumoni, Mint Chocolate Chip, Moose Tracks, Olde Tyme Vanilla, Original Vanilla, Peppermint Stick, Pumpkin Pie, Raspberry Fudge Cordial, Strawberry, Summertime Peach, Triple Chocolate Chunk, Vanilla Lovers Trio, and Vanilla Bean.
• Pints Smaller-package ice cream pints for retail sale in flavors including Buckeye Classic, Butter Pecan & Cashew, Cookies N Cream, Dutch Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Moose Tracks, and Original Vanilla.
• 3 Gallon Bulk Ice Cream Bulk ice cream in 3-gallon containers for food service establishments (restaurants, parlors, and caterers), yielding 55-60 scoops per container with storage temperature -20°F to -10°F and dipping temperature 0-5°F.
• Novelties Hand-held ice cream novelty treats including ice cream sandwiches (Lovin' My Vanilla, Ohio Buckeye, Whole Lotta Chocolate) and party cups (Sundae Party Cups, Vanilla Party Cups, Variety Party Cups), sold through retail grocery and food service channels.
• Sherbet Sherbets made with 100% natural fruit juices, including Orange Sherbet and Rainbow Sherbet (a blend of Orange, Raspberry, and Lime Sherbets), offered as a light, refreshing frozen dessert in retail channels.
• Soft Serve Mix Premium soft serve ice cream mix available in Chocolate and Vanilla flavors for food service establishments, including self-serve applications, supplied through the food service distribution channel.
• Ye Olde Mill Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant On-site ice cream parlor and restaurant at the historic Ye Olde Mill in Utica, Ohio, offering over 40 ice cream flavors along with food items including paninis, salads, soups, and sandwiches to individual visitors.
• Ohio's Only Ice Cream Museum On-site museum at Ye Olde Mill showcasing over a century of Velvet Ice Cream history, the Dager family legacy, and ice cream industry artifacts, drawing more than 150,000 visitors annually.
• Special Events Catering Event catering service that supplies ice cream and freezers for special occasions including birthday parties, graduations, corporate events, and golf outings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5 million gallons produced annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Palmyra Bean & Cream CaféminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2026Velvet Ice Cream partners with Palmyra Bean & Cream Café in Palmyra, Indiana to feature premium ice cream and innovative flavors including 24 3-gallon flavors on the café's menu. The collaboration combines Velvet's signature texture with the café's warm hospitality. Lisa Brownfield, owner of Palmyra Bean & Cream Café, noted the partnership elevates what they can offer guests and aligns with shared Midwestern family-owned business values.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Graeter's Ice Cream: Family-owned Cincinnati-based premium ice cream manufacturer founded in 1870, producing French-Pot scoop-style ice cream distributed across the Midwest via owned retail scoop shops and grocery — directly comparable to Velvet's Ohio-rooted, family-led, premium DSD model.
• Jeni Britton Bauer (Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams): Founder-led premium scoop-style ice cream brand also rooted in Ohio/Columbus, with both grocery pints and retail scoop shops — directly comparable on premium positioning, flavor-forward portfolio, and Midwest heritage.
• Turkey Hill Dairy: Pennsylvania-based regional family dairy producing ice cream, fluid milk, and ice tea via DSD and grocery; comparable to Velvet on multi-category dairy manufacturing, regional DSD distribution, and family ownership heritage.
• Hudsonville Ice Cream: Family-owned Michigan-based premium ice cream manufacturer distributing via DSD and grocery across the Midwest; closely comparable to Velvet on regional footprint, premium family-owned positioning, and DSD-led distribution.
• Oberweis Dairy: Family-owned Illinois-based dairy processor with home-delivery and ice cream manufacturing, including a scoop-shop presence; comparable to Velvet on family ownership, premium Midwest dairy sourcing, and diversified dairy/ice cream product mix.

Broad incumbents

• Häagen-Dazs: Nestlé-owned global premium ice cream brand; competes head-to-head with Velvet on grocery freezer space across the same Midwest markets with significantly broader scale and marketing budgets.
• Ben & Jerry's: Unilever-owned premium ice cream brand with social/mission-driven positioning; competes with Velvet on premium freezer-shelf real estate and in scoop-shop-adjacent channels across the Midwest.
• Tillamook: Oregon farmer-owned-cooperative premium dairy brand that has expanded nationally into ice cream; competes with Velvet on premium grocery shelves and consumer 'authentic regional dairy' positioning, though with substantially larger scale.
• Wells Enterprises (Blue Bunny): Privately held Wells Enterprises (Blue Bunny / Blue Ribbon Dairy) is one of the largest U.S. ice cream manufacturers, with national distribution; competes with Velvet across all Midwest grocery and foodservice channels at significant scale advantages.

Emerging players

• Gifford's Ice Cream: Maine-based family ice cream brand with selective Midwest retail distribution and a strong scoop-shop presence; comparable to Velvet as a family-owned regional premium brand with selective geographic expansion outside its home market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VelvetIceCream
• Instagraminstagram.com/velveticecream
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/velvet-ice-cream-co-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Velvet Ice Cream