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- à la mode
good memorial day mornin' merry makers 🍦🍒🍓🍉🍭
summer is officially here, which means two things are skyrocketing:
temperatures & ice cream consumption!
but have you noticed how many premium ice cream brands are strategically placing their shops inside or near retail centers?
this delicious retail trend is no accident.
shopping centers & malls across america are increasingly turning to experiential food concepts — especially ice cream — to drive foot traffic, extend dwell time, & create those perfect social media moments.
today, we’re diving into the art & science of this sweet shopping pause.
in today’s letter, you'll learn:
→ why premium ice cream brands are flocking to retail centers
→ 10 brands scaling their scoop shops across the country
ice cream and shopping centers work so well together for several key reasons:
the rise of “everyday luxury”
$7 ice cream feels indulgent without breaking the bank.
better-for-you buzz
rising demand for vegan, low-sugar, and protein-rich options.
food-as-fashion moment
edible art that reflects personal and seasonal style.
shareable moments
few treats are as photogenic as a beautiful cone. built-in social buzz.
cross-demographic appeal
from toddlers to grandparents, it delights every age group.
the perfect shopping pause
ice cream offers a natural break to rest & recharge mid-shopping.
can’t digitally enjoy ice cream
no virtual replacement for a real-life scoop.
year-round potential
while summer dominates, premium shops thrive all year.
small footprint, big impact
minimal space, maximum experience and traffic boost.
partnership playground
from luxury collabs to pop-ups, the collab potential is endless.
now, let's dive into 10 sticky sweet brands that are mastering this a la mode strategy!
🧁 10 brands transforming shopping breaks
1. van leeuwen (98 locations with 242K followers)
founded: 2008 in brooklyn, ny
this premium ice cream brand has exploded from food truck to nearly 100 locations, many strategically placed in high-end shopping districts & lifestyle centers.
known for their distinctive yellow storefronts & creative flavors like honeycomb, mango sticky rice, & marionberry cheesecake.
2. jeni's ice creams (80 locations with 484K followers)
founded: 2002 in columbus, oh
jeni's pioneered the artisanal ice cream movement with their emphasis on unique flavors & high-quality ingredients. think gooey buttercake, brown butter almond brittle, brambleberry crisp, & darkest chocolate.
3. pinkberry (57 locations with 66K followers)
founded: 2005 in west hollywood, ca
the original frozen yogurt phenomenon that sparked countless imitators, pinkberry continues to maintain a strong presence in shopping centers & airports nationwide. cues 2010s nostalgia for me, especially their original tart & pomegrante flavors.
4. salt & straw (47 locations with 474k followers)
founded: 2011 in portland, or
this artisanal ice cream shop founded by cousins is famous for their storytelling approach to flavors, with monthly rotating menus that reflect local ingredients and cultural themes. most popular flavors are sea salt with caramel ribbons, salted malted chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate gooey brownie, & freckled mint chocolate chip
5. the baked bear (38 locations wit 229K followers)
founded: 2013 in san diego, ca
taking the ice cream sandwich to epic proportions, the baked bear offers custom-made creations with homemade cookies & brownies. their highly customizable experience & shareable creations make them natural shopping companions. best known for their vibrant blue bear batter ice cream, gooey butter cake cookies, cookie monster cookies, & stuffed nutella cookies.
6. sub zero nitrogen ice cream (16 locations with 18K followers)
founded: 2004 in orem, ut
adding theater to the ice cream experience, sub zero freezes each order using liquid nitrogen, creating a dramatic cloud effect that stops mall-goers in their tracks. they also sell adorable ice cream nachos with waffle cone chips.
7. paciugo gelato (18 locations across tx, fl, co, il)
founded: 2000 in dallas, tx
this italian-inspired gelato chain brings european flair to american shopping centers. with lower fat content than traditional ice cream, paciugo positions itself as a lighter shopping break. mostly in texas. selling adorable paciunicorns.
8. amorino (17 us locations, 200+ worldwide with 133K followers)
founded: 2002 in paris, france
known for their distinctive flower-shaped gelato cones topped, amorino creates perhaps the most instagram-worthy ice cream experience in the retail landscape. most coveted flavors are pistachio, hazelnut, stracciatella, plus they’re topped with macaron!
9. amy's ice creams (17 locations with 16K followers)
founded: 1984 in austin, tx
an institution to my childhood (& oldest shop on this list), amy's is famous not just for creative flavors but for the theatrical "tricks" performed by scoopers who toss ice cream high into the air before catching it in cups or cones. only in texas. fave flavors include mexican vanilla, sweet cream, coffee, oreo, & cinnamon.
10. kith treats (10 locations with 121K followers)
founded: 2015 in nyc
ronnie fieg turned his childhood cereal hustle into kith treats, a global, collab-filled dessert offshoot of the kith brand. combo flavors include the flat white by virgil abloh, the bloom, the flirt, cinnamon toast kith, & the wifey.
🍨 sweet closing thoughts
the bottom line is that in an era where physical retail must offer more than just products, experiential food concepts, particularly photogenic, universally appealing ice cream shops.
a powerful tool for keeping shoppers engaged, happy, & addicted!
as retail continues to evolve, these sweet partnerships prove that sometimes the most powerful retail innovations are experiential, sensory, & deliciously simple.
more on this topic in thursday’s newsletter where i'll be interviewing the founder of an up & coming ice cream shop that's poised to join this elite list very soon!
stayed on the lookout for the scooop!
