Van Leeuwen Ice Cream – Ben Van Leeuwen

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream was started by Ben Van Leeuwen, his brother Pete, and his business partner Laura.  After raising about $60,000 in family and friend funds, they started in an old used UPS truck that they personally fixed up and painted yellow.  Even in reflection Ben says he would rather Bootstrap his business than take external investments because even though the growth was slow, he was forced to learn all aspects of the business.  In Bens words, “it was like a slow growth tree, its stronger, its harder, its better.” They started with the truck at a supposed bargain of $2,500 when a new ice-cream truck would cost closer to $85,000.  However, an additional $40,000 was used to renovate the truck into a somewhat usable condition.  So, they set off in their ice-cream truck and made their first sale in the year 2008.  Outside of other jobs they had most of the time was spent repairing the truck and the rest working on the business.  Through making their own ice cream and the art of making caramel to drizzle they diligently continued working on the business.  In 2010, they opened a store front only to narrowly survive for the next 10 years.  Ben remembers that “we’d drive from truck to truck in our little car, from store to store, emptying the cash registers, getting that money into the bank before 5 p.m. so payroll would clear.”

              Ben Van Leeuwen focused in on making an ice cream sourced from unique ingredients such as Alphonso mangoes, South American chocolate, Sicilian pistachios, and Italian hazelnuts from the region of Piedmont.  Ben applied a lesson he learned, “You learn with your ears, not your mouth,” by listening to feedback from his team.  He strived to hire people with better skills and place his shops in walkable areas not just places with the most car traffic.  From their little business they now make an estimated annual revenue of currently $58.3M per year as of 2025.  

              What do they say about themselves on their website?  I think the website could use an update. They portray a corny theme overreferencing the words “good and bad.”  We are told a lot about thier values and yet very little about how they accomplish them. Though a form of false advertising they portray ice cream to be healthy for you because it makes you happy.  As shown by their website, “If something…makes you feel good then that something is good for you. Probably.”  However, just because something feels good does not mean you should do it.  This ending statement to the “about page” is not a strong conclusion nor did it evoke much enthusiasm for their store.  The theme plays to the current culture of, live your own truth and do what feels right which implies a lack of moral principal in their “values” area. 

However, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is an interesting story of determination and learning the hard way.  It shows me a glimpse of how hard a business can be.  Through hard work and determination a million dollar business was born and yet there is something to be said of the value of having a team of skilled and determined people working together to stick though the hard times.  Ben Van Leeuwen leaves us with a key piece of advice, “Do something that you love.” Through the long hard journey and billowing waves that could have overcome his business, his passion to make his idea work and team of people he brought with him kept his dream alive.