In the summer of 2012, a seemingly ordinary day of browsing Craigslist turned into the beginning of a delightful adventure for one Michigan family. While scrolling through the listings, Chris Morin stumbled upon a shiny aluminum ice cream truck for sale. What started as a casual interest quickly turned into an unexpected purchase when the family returned home from Grand Rapids with their new acquisition. By the next day, they had embarked on a new business venture, bringing joy to the streets of Whitehall with their ice cream treats.
The family’s new ice cream truck became an instant hit, with neighborhood kids and adults alike flocking to enjoy their offerings. However, as winter approached, Chris envisioned something even better. Determined to elevate their product, he began experimenting with various flavor combinations, seeking to create the perfect ice cream bar. His wife, Molly, came up with the name “Ice Box Brand,” which evoked a sense of nostalgia and comfort.
With their children Nick, Lainey, and Lili serving as official taste testers, along with input from friends and family, Chris developed a menu of eight standout flavors. The next step was finding a place to produce their ice cream bars. This led them to the Starting Block in Hart, MI, an incubator kitchen that provided the necessary facilities and support to get their business licensed and operational.
Initially, Ice Box Bars were sold exclusively from their ice cream truck and at special events. However, a chance conversation with one of the owners of the Hokey Pokey in Whitehall opened new opportunities. They suggested selling the bars in their store. Embracing the idea, the family dressed up a freezer to resemble an old ice box and set it up in the Hokey Pokey. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and by the end of 2013, Ice Box Bars were available in six locations, with many more expressing interest for the following summer.
As demand grew, it became clear that the Starting Block’s facilities were no longer sufficient. In March 2014, the family moved into their own kitchen in Whitehall. The business continued to flourish, and in 2017, they purchased a building in North Muskegon. This new location featured a storefront offering over 80 different ice cream bars, along with hand-scooped ice cream from Country Dairy and gourmet ice pops.
Today, Ice Box Brand has expanded its reach to cover most of Michigan’s lower peninsula. Their products can be found in nearly 300 locations, a testament to their popularity and the quality of their handcrafted treats. In addition to retail sales, they offer various catering options, from freezer rentals for smaller gatherings to having their ice cream truck or trailers at larger events.
For those looking to find Ice Box Brand products, their freezers can be spotted in many favorite stores, and a location finder is available on their website. If a store doesn’t carry their products, customers are encouraged to suggest Ice Box Brand to the store owners.
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