Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream

What Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream does

Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream is a premium craft ice cream manufacturer and retailer founded in 2013 by Toa and Mike Green in Lexington, Kentucky. The company operates two scoop shops in Lexington and a seasonal pop-up at Stave along the Bourbon Trail in Frankfort, with a headcount above 40. Production is small-batch and built on locally sourced Kentucky ingredients — milk, cream, and produce are drawn from named regional farms — and the flavor rotation spans more than 16 signature varieties.

The business runs a diversified multi-channel revenue model. Direct-to-consumer revenue comes from in-store scoops, Goldbelly-powered nationwide shipping, catering, private events, and merchandise. Wholesale distribution flows through Whole Foods and Kroger. Founder Toa Green has added an ice cream consulting service, monetizing the company's craft production expertise with external clients. Community-facing programs — the Small Batch Club and the FEED Backpack Program, which has raised more than $56,000 since 2020 — anchor local loyalty.

The company is bootstrapped and founder-owned with no external funding rounds disclosed. Brand equity is supported by 13 consecutive years of "Best in Lexington" reader-voted awards and by national press recognition in 2025 from ConeCon, Southern Living, and Food & Wine. The product range has been extended beyond traditional scooped ice cream to include cocktails, sorbets, and party packs, while consulting and event services represent service-line extensions of the core craft.

Name

Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream

Legal name

Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream

Website

https://crankandboom.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream is a Lexington, Kentucky-based premium craft ice cream maker operating two retail scoop shops, a seasonal Bourbon Trail pop-up, plus wholesale via Whole Foods and Kroger, nationwide Goldbelly shipping, and catering and consulting services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Craft Ice Cream

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ice Cream & Gelato Shops (THAFAGAA)

Keywords

• Craft ice cream
• Artisan ice cream
• Small-batch ice cream
• Ice cream catering
• Ice cream retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Ice Cream Sales: Direct sales from two scoop shop locations in Lexington, KY. Customers purchase ice cream by the scoop, cone, or cup in-store. Also sells mini scoops, double scoops, sampler flights, spiked scoops, sundaes, floats, and coffee.
2. Nationwide Shipping: Ships ice cream nationwide through Goldbelly marketplace. Products include pints, party packs, and bulk options delivered frozen.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Distribution through Whole Foods and Kroger retail locations. Provides recurring bulk orders to grocery retailers.
4. Catering & Events: Full catering service for corporate events, weddings, parties. Party packs include 25 individual cups with spoons and napkins. Bulk tubs available in 1.5 gal (serves 30) and 3 gal (serves 60) sizes.
5. Vault Room Event Space Rental: Event space rental at Lexington Distillery District location. Weekday slots from $150-$300, weekend slots from $300-$350. Used for birthdays, graduations, baby showers, board meetings.
6. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including graphic t-shirts, youth tees, infant bodysuits, and trucker caps sold through online store.
7. Consulting Services: Business consulting services by founder Toa Green for ice cream entrepreneurs. Covers operations, branding, marketing, wholesale, catering, product development, and business strategy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream manufactures premium small-batch craft ice cream in signature Kentucky-inspired flavors using locally-sourced ingredients. The company sells its ice cream directly to consumers through two Lexington scoop shops, a seasonal Bourbon Trail pop-up, nationwide shipping via Goldbelly, and wholesale distribution through Whole Foods and Kroger, complemented by catering, party packs, event space rental, branded merchandise, and consulting services.

Product overview

Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream operates as a premium ice cream retail business with a core offering of small-batch craft ice cream available in scoop shop formats, signature sundaes, and ice cream cocktails. The company supplements its core product with Party Packs and Bulk Tubs for events, catering services, and Vault Room event space rentals. Additional revenue streams include branded merchandise (t-shirts, caps, bodysuits), gift cards, a Small Batch Club charitable program, nationwide shipping via Goldbelly, and consulting services for aspiring ice cream entrepreneurs. The product portfolio ranges from direct retail ice cream sales to event services and branded merchandise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Craft Ice Cream (Scoops, Flights, Sundaes) Premium small-batch craft ice cream available in various in-store formats including mini scoops ($5), single scoops ($6), double scoops ($8), sampler flights of four flavors ($15), and signature sundaes. Made with local and exotic ingredients in 16 signature flavors.
• Party Packs

Quantifiable outcome

• Raised over $56,000 since 2020 through Small Batch Club community giving program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kentucky Refugee MinistriesminorOthers · 1 January 20252025 Small Batch Club partner. $1 from each special edition pint sold supports this organization's mission.
• Black Male Working AcademyminorOthers · 1 January 20252025 Small Batch Club partner. $1 from each special edition pint sold supports this organization's educational programs.
• GoldbellycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive nationwide shipping partner for direct-to-consumer ice cream delivery. Goldbelly enables customers across the US to order Crank & Boom pints and party packs for home delivery.
• Whole FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale distribution partner stocking Crank & Boom craft ice cream in regional Whole Foods grocery locations.
• KrogercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale distribution partner stocking Crank & Boom craft ice cream in regional Kroger grocery locations.
• VanMeter Family FarmscoreOthersLocal farm supplier providing fresh strawberries for Fresh Strawberry ice cream and Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet.
• Windstone FarmcoreOthersLocal farm supplier providing blackberry jam for Kentucky Blackberry & Buttermilk ice cream.
• Hosey's HoneycoreOthersLocal apiary supplier providing honey from Midway, KY for Bourbon & Honey ice cream.
• Buffalo TracecoreOthersDistillery supplier providing bourbon for Bourbon & Honey ice cream and bourbon cream for ice cream cocktails.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Republic of Booza: Boutique stretchy/booza-style ice cream maker with scoop shop and wholesale. Niche overlap in craft frozen desserts and specialty parlor experience.

Direct peers

• Coolhaus: Premium ice cream sandwich and pint brand with scoop shops, grocery wholesale, and DTC. Comparable craft positioning and multi-channel GTM with national ambitions.
• Van Leeuwen Ice Cream: Premium craft ice cream with scoop shops, wholesale, and DTC; known for dairy and vegan lines. Directly comparable premium positioning, retail/wholesale/DTC channel mix, and brand-led growth.
• Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams: Premium craft ice cream brand with scoop shops, wholesale to Whole Foods and other grocers, and nationwide shipping via Goldbelly. Closest direct competitor in craft, scoop-shop-plus-DTC model with bourbon/Southern-adjacent flavor sensibility.
• Amy's Ice Creams: Texas-based craft ice cream chain with scoop shops and creative flavor rotation. Comparable in craft positioning, regional retail footprint, and experiential scoop shop format.
• Salt & Straw: Small-batch craft ice cream company operating scoop shops and DTC pints with quirky, locally-inspired flavors. Same premium craft positioning and multi-channel (retail + wholesale + e-commerce) GTM.
• Graeter's Ice Cream: Family-owned craft ice cream maker with scoop shops, wholesale to grocery, and online pint shipping. Closely matches Crank & Boom's small-batch craft manufacturing plus multi-channel retail distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Ben & Jerry's: Nationally distributed super-premium ice cream brand owned by Unilever with grocery, scoop shop, and DTC presence. Comparable category and channels but at vastly larger scale and with corporate ownership.
• Tillamook County Creamery Association: Dairy/frozen dessert brand with national grocery distribution, scoop shop presence, and DTC. Comparable premium dairy positioning and multi-channel GTM, but operates at much larger scale.
• Häagen-Dazs: Established super-premium ice cream brand with grocery, scoop shops, and foodservice. Same premium frozen dessert category and channels but national/international scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crankandboom
• Facebookfacebook.com/crankandboom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crank-boom-craft-ice-cream

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream