Cockeye Creamery

What Cockeye Creamery does

Cockeye Creamery is a family-owned super-premium ice cream producer and retailer founded in 2019 in Warren, Ohio by Erik Hoover and his son Max Hoover, operating under the Edgar Joseph Group umbrella alongside related food brands Cockeye BBQ and Franky's Pizza and Deli. The company makes small-batch, freshly-made-daily ice cream in chef-inspired flavors (e.g., Honey-Lavender, Sweet Corn and Sorghum, Buttermilk Pie) plus standard super-premium flavors, complemented by handmade waffle cones, made-to-order ice cream sandwiches, and ice cream pies. Its core technology is craft production with high-quality, often unconventional ingredients, supported by a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant opened in early 2024 at 387 Chestnut Avenue, Warren, operated as The Edgar Joseph Group.

The company serves individual consumers, event and catering clients (weddings, corporate outings, graduation parties, baby showers), and wholesale retail partners through a multi-channel distribution model that includes two company-owned scoop shops (the original West Side Warren location and a second Canfield, Ohio shop opened Fall 2025), online ordering via Toast Tab for pickup and delivery, a wholesale pint program, and a catering van fleet with mobile ice cream cart. Pricing is pay-as-you-go unit pricing by size and format and is not publicly disclosed; sales motion is direct-to-consumer augmented by wholesale distribution and event-based professional services catering. Revenue streams include retail scoop and pint sales, wholesale distribution to partners such as What's the Scoop on Main in Cortland, catering services, and manufacturing/distribution via The Edgar Joseph Group. The company has earned national recognition including the NAICA Grandmaster Ice Cream Maker award to Max Hoover in 2022, multiple NAICA ribbons in 2024, and consecutive features on Ohio's Ice Cream Trail in 2024 and 2025.

Name

Cockeye Creamery

Website

https://cockeyecreamery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cockeye Creamery is a family-owned super-premium ice cream producer and retailer based in Warren, Ohio, operating two scoop shops (Warren and Canfield), a manufacturing plant via The Edgar Joseph Group, wholesale pint distribution, and mobile-cart catering, serving individual consumers, event clients, and retail partners in Northeast Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Ice Cream

NAICS

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

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream & Gelato Shops (THAFAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE), Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE)

Keywords

• Super-premium ice cream
• Small-batch production
• Artisanal frozen desserts
• Ice cream catering services
• Wholesale ice cream distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Warren

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Ice Cream Sales: Direct sales of super-premium ice cream through company-owned scoop shops and online ordering platform for pickup or delivery.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Distribution of ice cream products to retail partners including scoop shops like What's the Scoop on Main in Cortland.
3. Catering Services: On-site and off-site catering for events including weddings, corporate outings, graduation parties, and baby showers using mobile ice cream cart setup.
4. Manufacturing & Distribution: Frozen dessert manufacturing and distribution through The Edgar Joseph Group, enabling wider distribution of products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cockeye Creamery makes and sells super-premium, small-batch ice cream in Warren, Ohio, featuring chef-inspired flavors built from high-quality, often unconventional ingredients with seasonal rotation. The company also offers on- and off-site catering for events, wholesale pint distribution to retail partners, and manufactures frozen desserts at the Edgar Joseph Group plant for broader distribution.

Product overview

Cockeye Creamery is a super-premium ice cream company offering small-batch, chef-inspired ice cream made in Warren, Ohio. The product portfolio includes core super-premium ice cream in rotating seasonal and standard flavors (Butter Pecan, Deep Chocolate, French Vanilla Bean), complemented by handmade waffle cones, made-to-order ice cream sandwiches, and ice cream pies. The company operates catering services for events and a wholesale program distributing pints through retail partners. In 2024, the company expanded into manufacturing and distribution through The Edgar Joseph Group, enabling broader reach of their frozen dessert products. The company has two physical scoop shop locations (Warren and Canfield, Ohio) and serves retail partners throughout the Mahoning Valley.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Super-Premium Ice Cream Small-batch, super-premium ice cream made daily in Warren, Ohio, with a chef-inspired, seasonally rotating flavor library built from high-quality, often unconventional ingredients (e.g., Honey-Lavender, Sweet Corn and Sorghum, Buttermilk Pie, Banana Cream Pie), alongside standard premium flavors such as Butter Pecan, Deep Chocolate, French Vanilla Bean, and Fresh Strawberry. Sold by the scoop, pint, sandwich, and pie.
• Catering Services On-site and off-site ice cream catering for events such as wedding receptions, corporate outings, graduation parties, and baby showers, using a mobile ice cream cart and the brand's super-premium flavors; catering menu available as downloadable PDF.
• Wholesale Distribution Program Wholesale supply of Cockeye Creamery pints and bulk ice cream to independent scoop shops and retail partners throughout the Mahoning Valley, supported by the Edgar Joseph Group manufacturing plant.
• Retail Pint Products at Scoop Shops Pint-sized packaged ice cream sold at the Warren and Canfield scoop shop locations for take-home consumption, including rotating charity flavors from the Cockeye Cares Pint Program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grandmaster Ice Cream Maker award from NAICA
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gateways to Better LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026Quarterly Cockeye Cares Pint Program recipient. Banana Cream Pie ice cream flavor created to benefit the nonprofit serving 200+ adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Mahoning Valley.
• Trumbull Mobile MealscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCockeye Cares Pint Program partner for Fall 2025. Chai Voltage flavor proceeds donated to support home-delivered meal services.
• What's the Scoop on MaincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent scoop shop in Cortland now serving Cockeye Creamery ice cream products.
• Kast Iron SodaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCraft soda partnership featuring Kast Iron products at all Cockeye family restaurants including root beer floats. Also featured at community events.
• Youngstown Coffee CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides freshly-ground espresso for Cockeye Creamery flavors like Chai Voltage.
• YSU AthleticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to supply ice cream to YSU players and fans.
• Ohio Farm BureauminorOthersProud member of Ohio Farm Bureau; participated in Ohio Ice Cream Battle competition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Handel's Homemade Ice Cream: Handel's operates a large scoop shop chain across the Midwest and Eastern US, focused on super-premium, small-batch ice cream. Direct peer: scoop-shop business model, super-premium positioning, and similar regional Midwestern customer base.
• Graeter's Ice Cream: Graeter's is a family-owned super-premium ice cream maker with scoop shops, wholesale grocery distribution, and catering. Direct peer: family-owned heritage, scoop shop + wholesale hybrid model, super-premium pint positioning, and similar Midwestern footprint.
• Salt & Straw Ice Cream: Salt & Straw operates scoop shops nationally and is known for chef-inspired, unconventional flavors with strong brand storytelling. Direct peer: highly comparable product positioning (small-batch, innovative, super-premium) and similar emphasis on flavor creativity as the brand's central differentiator.
• Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams: Jeni's is a super-premium, chef-inspired ice cream company operating scoop shops and a robust wholesale pint business nationally. Direct peer: same product positioning (super-premium, innovative flavors), similar multi-channel model (DTC shops, grocery wholesale, online), and similar focus on creative, unconventional flavors.
• Van Leeuwen Ice Cream: Van Leeuwen is a premium ice cream brand operating scoop shops and extensive grocery wholesale distribution nationally. Direct peer: super-premium positioning, scoop shop plus pint wholesale model, and rapid multi-market expansion comparable to Cockeye's growth ambitions.

Broad incumbents

• Cold Stone Creamery: Cold Stone is a national scoop shop franchise offering premium ice cream with custom mix-ins. Broad incumbent: same scoop-shop format and ice cream category, but franchise model and broader/more standardized product offering distinguish it from Cockeye's chef-driven approach.
• Ben & Jerry's: Ben & Jerry's is a globally distributed super-premium ice cream brand (Unilever) with widespread grocery, scoop shop, and catering presence. Broad incumbent: same super-premium category but vastly larger scale, brand recognition, and distribution footprint.
• Wells Enterprises (Blue Bunny): Wells Enterprises is one of the largest US ice cream manufacturers, producing Blue Bunny and other national brands with broad grocery and foodservice distribution. Broad incumbent: same ice cream manufacturing category but commodity-scale, contrasting with Cockeye's small-batch artisanal positioning.

Regional players

• Oberweis Dairy: Oberweis is a family-owned dairy and ice cream business based in Illinois with home delivery, scoop shops, and grocery pint distribution. Regional peer: family-owned, multi-channel super-premium operator in the Midwest with comparable scale and customer profile to Cockeye.
• Mitchell's Ice Cream: Mitchell's is a long-running, family-style premium scoop shop chain concentrated in California. Regional peer: similar scoop-shop-only model with strong local brand loyalty, but geographically distinct from Cockeye's Ohio footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cockeyecreamery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cockeye-creamery

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 Cockeye Creamery