Amazing! This video is so informative and lays out a blueprint for all businesses: 1. You don't have to invent something new; improve something that already exists. 2. If you think it's a good idea, don't give up. 3. Test out different strategies; don't be afraid to pivot. 4. Your customer base is already there; if your product or service is good, they'll come around to you. 5. Don't be greedy with paying yourself over company profits; invest it back into the company and reap rewards later on.
Crucial Statement: Ben, Laura, and Pete paid themselves $40K a year each for the first 10 years, even after making $1 Million in revenue. So many businesses die because founders want high salaries in the beginning. They can now potentially sell their brand for a $1 Billion.
The issue is usually one of impact to others around you. A single unmarried founder can usually do this, because they're only impacting themselves. The issue comes when you're a founder and have a family to feed. Unless your spouse can pick up the slack, it gets really tough to make your kids live around the poverty line.
An average pizza store in NYC generates around $1 million in revenue annually. Paying three salaries of $40K each from this gross income appears rather extravagant, particularly given the relatively narrow profit margins common in the food industry.
@@LucariosTrainer i mean maybe but the odds are close to nil... maybe i'm a pessimist but i'd bet they already had some connections from growing up wealthy in greenwich and that would explain the glossing over that key point in the story.
I really just want these stories to be told in a truthful way: the way they glossed over him growing up in Greenwich and being born into a well off family is wild
This isn't a rags to riches story; it's about how three people turned 1 ice cream truck into a nationwide business. It's a story about business growth. They never claimed to be poor; they were college educated and happened to have $60,000 in start up funds before selling their first scoop so anyone with a brain could connect the dots to determine they came from at least middle class backgrounds.
@@alexcasey351how is this person “hating” if they just want the facts & not fairytales?Continue living in your delusional world where people & the media just lie to you & you keep eating it up like a child.
From Greenwich VIllage and got a Whole Foods deal on his first day? These videos are supposed to be for rags to riches people, not well connected people pretending their insider status didn't start them off at 3rd base.
The more you understand economics the more you realize the 'rags to riches' people are such unicorns when it comes to success of this scale that you can't make a whole video series about them because there aren't enough.
The most awkward job interview I ever had was for the Van Leeuwan in Williamsburg. Submitted my info online and get called for an interview like normal. But I show up and it's like a cattle call audition. 100s of other college-age students, and then a group interview. Felt like a popularity contest. Truly so strange.
That means they were looking for people who wanted more than just a job. They wanted to find someone who was passionate enough to start their own ice cream competitor but instead take Van Leeuwan further.
He grew up in Greenwich CT- one of the wealthiest cities in the US (think retired Wall Street executives, top celebrities, etc.). He obviously comes from money and his family funded his lifestyle in NYC while he “struggled” to start his “humble” business. Their product is great, but trust-fund kids trying to make themselves seem relatable to the average person while gaslighting us making us think that “hard work” is all it takes makes many of us cringe. MONEY & FAMILY CONNECTIONS.
exactly! they never went into detail about how they got the initial 60k. they just "scrapped" together 60k? lol okay...more like friends and family game them loans/grants
@@jaya5920 And most people would agree. Does not mean that stories like this have to be shown without nuance. It should be recognized that he had help and support that many do not, even if he did something with it that many could not have.
Love the mini story about where they ended up finally parking the truck. Kinda a short business lesson on market pivoting and finding your customers. Congrats!
Good for them that earl grey may be worth the price! My husband makes an apple pie bourbon and a vanilla bean and rum ice-cream every summer. I soak the Madagascar sourced vanilla bean in domestic use vodka I used to get brought in by a Russian friend. We only make 10 pints for the entire summer with home made maple syrup glazed waffle cones. Ice cream is a big deal in our home but we haven't bought any in over 20 years! I do have a cup of Earl Grey double bergamot every day so I will give that a try!
This was a great story. Pretty awesome (and maybe lucky) that they were approached by a rep from Whole Foods on opening day. This abousltely helped their growth, which is fantastic. If I'm ever in NY, I've gotta try this!
You can find their ice cream in Walmart and Whole Foods. But still not the experience of visiting their ice cream store in Williamsburg Brookyln though.
Investing in alternate income streams should be the top priority for everyone right now especially given the global economic crisis we are currently experiencing, Stocks, gold, silver, and virtual currencies are still attractive investments at the moment.
I found Van Leeuwen ice cream last year. Since it's French ice cream, it uses more eggs so the egg shortage didn't do its price any favors. However, I still buy it. If you read its ingredient list, it's super simple. Usually just milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and whatever flavoring for that particular ice cream. Now read the ingredient list of an ice cream at half the price and the ingredients becomes 3 times longer and would have locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan, dextrose, stuff processed with alkali, soy lecithin, etc. I'm sure much of that is preservatives and ways to get that ice cream to taste the way they want it, but at that point, are you really eating ice cream anymore.
The rich are money-minded; that's a lesson I've grasped from the very beginning. My desire to build wealth has always been strong. I’ve set aside $110K since 2020, and I’m eager to invest it in the stock market to grow my financial future. I’d love to hear any recommendations you have.
I think the safest strategy is to diversify investments. But if you need proper advice, consider speaking with a financial expertise. Don't get me wrong, you can do it on your own, but financial advisors have a lot more knowledge and expertise in this area.
Agreed, I've always delegated my excesses to an advisor, since suffering major portfolio loss early 2020, amid covid outbreak. I'm now semi-retired and only work 7.5 hours a week, with barely 25% short of my $1m retirement goal after subsequent investments to date.
My CFA, Judith Lynn Staufer, is a renowned figure in her field. I recommend researching her name online; you’ll find all her credentials and everything you need to work with a reliable professional. With many years of experience, she is a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the financial market.
I find this informative, curiously explored Judith on the web, spotted her consulting page, and was able to schedule a call session with her, she shows quite a great deal of expertise from her resume.. very much appreciated
I still love my LV reverse monogram *luxdups* clutch! It's versatile, fits a variety of items, and is definitely a workhorse! I think seeing it everywhere (like the LV speedy) is proof that it's already a classic.
I love their ice cream 😍 I'm so happy for them! If you haven't tried them yet, definitely go check them out. Fun fact since it's not mentioned in this video (I think) : Van Leeuwen sells non-dairy ice cream and it's AMAZING!
Their ice cream is so delicious. They sold me with their strawberry ice cream. It has only 3 ingredients but taste like there’s at least ten. It’s so flavorful and smooth. Ever since I had that I’ve tried at least a 3rd of their flavors. I will not eat the ranch one but they have 100 more
Never heard of Van Leeuwen (most likely because I live in Europe). But after watching this, I can not stop thinking about that ranch flavoured ice cream. At $6,90 a scoop, it is a bit too much for my taste though.
Grew up in Greenwhich, one of the wealthiest places in America. Graduated from a $65k / year private university. Somehow “scraped by” in the most expensive city in the world, while getting his ice cream truck off the ground. Inspiring and relatable stuff.
Earl Gray ice is the best made by human. I tear up every time I get a scoop. Heaven in a cone. Such a great company. Such an amazing ice cream so happy for them❤
To me the most imiportant statement: we believe in investing in PRODUCT. From their 40k salaries to more focus on product development and quality focus instead of pure ad run business. Not easy but certainly a healthy way to run things.
Amazing story, well done to the team but the biggest winner was the branding agency who was on a one year retainer to come up with what looks like 10mins work at most.
I see what you are saying. But the new packaging allows for a more cohesive and uniform look, with the pastel colors and focus on name and flavor - not the truck. The real reason why the new design works is it still keeps the brand and flavor front and center and works much better with the COLLABS. Think Arizona Green Tea at 9:47. This is an AMAZING DESIGN that pops and these "can't miss" designs and shelf appeal work better with the new design imo. But you're not wrong, the old design is excellent too..personal preference
He’s from Greenwich Connecticut, he grew up in one of the richest towns in America, the homes in Greenwich starts at 1.8 million and up.. connection definitely got him that whole foods deal lol 😂
just because he grew up with money doesn't mean he will automatically have connections with a specific partner in wholesale right ? not to mention that his parents house not his house... maybe their parents did help invest their company a little bit but that doesn't mean they didn't work hard for their company
I caught that, but he still had to come up with the idea. Would it have grown as fast without his Greenwich background? No. But I think the fact that people were willing to buy it out of a truck legitimizes him enough.
I know right? Ben wants to fit in so bad, like he's a real entrepreneur 🤣🤣. Ben your father propped you up to make himself look good. "Oh look how smart my son is", reality you have no real accomplishments. You think you're the first one with this idea? LOL. I saw people like you with no real talent win pitch comeptitions in univeristy because your parents donated money to the college. "omg what if I start a business putting ATMS in every store" -dum prep kid "omg what if I rent one of my cars to strangers", "omg what if I sell ice cream on a large scale that I saw some spanish lady make in New Haven that one time" -you
I find it extremely smart that they decided NOT to advertise and instead invest in their product. Word of mouth is WAY more effective today with social media. They also sell with a major grocery store chain that "Whole Foods" is, which was a fantastic business decision. All the best for their continuous growth. Cheers.
$7 for a scoop of ice cream? Y'all crazy. So many holes in this story...were they working other jobs during the idea phase? Where did the $60k come from? Where did the living $ come from while they were starting out? Did they use any savings? Did the other 2 founders have a big $ part? Any rich relatives? You know...all the rings you can leverage when starting a biz that not everyone has.
@@onetwo-dr8hl well it sure wasn't venture funding....that's the million dollar deals. Just curious, as having access to funds is super critical to businesses starting and surviving. So go into more details on starting a business on a business channel
He grew up in Greenwich CT- one of the wealthiest cities in the US (think retired Wall Street executives, top celebrities, etc.). He obviously comes from money and his family funded his lifestyle in NYC while he “struggled” to start his “humble” business. Their product is great, but trust-fund kids trying to make themselves seem relatable to the average person while gaslighting us making us think that “hard work” is all it takes makes many of us cringe. MONEY & FAMILY CONNECTIONS.
i generally agree with your questions - but for this specific video, i don't think it's relevant at all. $60k is only $20K each. you don't need to have rich family members to come up with $60K amongst 3 founders. i get it - you're trying to discredit the success of these 3 entrepreneurs by saying, "oh - but they had rich daddies and mommies". i'm usually a cynic like you, but my attitude would not apply to these seemingly humble beginnings.
@@roadracerdave7645 not a cynic. Just tell the whole story. It was far more than $20k each when you factor in years of living expenses before making a profit. Tons of people have good ideas and plans but funding is the downfall. Just be real.
Few months ago I got a pint of Van Leeuwen - What made me choose it was the simple classic packaging, the basic ingredient list and also because it seemed "high end". It also carried a high end price at like $7+ per pint. I decided to choose Vanilla, as any Ice Cream company should always be judged by their Vanilla first. Was unexpectedly underwhelmed by it. Tasted like "cold sweet" more than Vanilla. Was also far less "creamy" than most other ice creams and much harder density/consistency. Wouldn't go for it again but that's just my taste and opinion.
when the video said the recipe is heavy on cream and eggs - i never thought this would be a health-conscious product. its success definitely bloomed out of hard work and advertising - not health
Love the honeycomb flavor ❤ but last time I visited the shop at Upper East Side, they were out of most flavors & had been missing their delivery for 2 days ☹️ on a hot summer day in NYC, that stinks.. Also the arizona green tea flavor is sold at the most remote MA walmart locations.. I had to drive 2 hrs away from my house to find it, & it wasn't everything I expected. Too heavy on the matcha..
Glad the US finally got good ice cream. I remember when I was in new york about 10 years ago there were barely any good gelato or good artisan ice cream shops around. It was really sad, when I was used to the many choices in Canada
Tried this recently at Natural Grocers and loved it. Ended up finding a random brick and mortar last week, what a shocking surprise! So many great flavors!!
@@vagas99 you don’t know the guy. Just because he lived in that neighborhood, doesn’t mean that he didn’t struggle financially. Not everyone in Greenwich is wealthy/upper class.
Hi Ben, I see your name and immediately think that you are a Dutch person who wants to start here But it turns out that you were born in America, yet in terms of thinking I see that you are a Dutch person through and through great that your product is an absolute TOPPER, keep it up with your partners and make something beautiful out of
$6.90/scoop? No way Happy for their success! But I’ll buy my store brand half a gallon ice cream where I can buy 2 half gallon for the cost of their scoop
TLDR: The key idea of the video is that Van Leeuwen Ice Cream started as a small ice cream business and grew into a multi-million dollar empire through hard work, unique flavors, and widespread availability. 00:00 💰 Van Leeuwen started as a small ice cream business selling 300 scoops a day, but has now grown into a national brand with 50 scoop shops and over 10,000 stores carrying their pints, offering close to 500 flavors. 01:10 💰 Van Leeuwen Ice Cream went from a single ice cream truck to a multi-million dollar empire, with $300,000 in daily revenue, thanks to the founder's inspiration from driving an ice cream truck and seeing a Mr. Softee truck in New York. 02:23 💰 Van Leeuwen Ice Cream was born in 2008 with a business plan that took a year to create, inspired by a creme anglaise vanilla ice cream recipe, and required $250,000 to start, including buying a step van and turning it into an ice cream truck. 03:41 💰 Despite facing difficulties in securing funding and lacking business experience, the trio managed to make $60,000 work to realize their vision. 04:05 🍦 Starting an ice cream company with limited funds involved outsourcing production, buying a cheap truck on eBay, and relying on street marketing, while also prioritizing the brand's aesthetic with a unique logo and botanical drawings. 05:24 🍦 Van Leeuwen's ice cream truck struggled to find a good location until they found success in Soho, and after selling over 300 scoops on their first day, they were approached by Whole Foods to do wholesale. 06:50 💰 Van Leeuwen started with three ice cream trucks in NYC, facing challenges with old trucks, but their hard work paid off as they reached $1 million in revenue after ten years. 07:37 🍦 Van Leeuwen, an ice cream empire, has grown rapidly with brick and mortar shops, funding rounds, unique flavors, and widespread availability, generating up to $300,000 per day and planning for future expansion.
I'm genuinely curious how people can see stories like this and feel inspired. All I see is a series of incredibly lucky coincidences where things happened to fall precisely into place, in exactly the right way, at the absolute perfect time. All without any interference or roadblocks from the universe. It's like people who win the lottery. They just happened to get extremely lucky and have everything fall into place. It's not inspirational, because no matter how many tickets you buy, you'll never win.
Part of myself likes that people try to make good products, but I also have major issue getting into business to eventually make people pay $6.90 for a scoop of ice cream. I can make a whole tub of ice cream myself with a home ice cream maker that tastes better than this because I can spare no expense and I can still make something with a lower cost per unit.
You don't have to pay for infrastructure: vans, storefronts, employees, factories. Nor can you continue to exploit your own labor--which you have not accounted for. And what of your rent and equipment? Of course, you can do it for cheaper. I could have reproduced my 100 dollar Chinese Lobster Dinner for 1/3 of the cost. But I don't have to rent a storefront, pay employees, and have a laundry service press my linens.
I feel like the wholesale revenue story is an unsung aspect of this story that I wanted to hear more about, especially since they aren't doing advertising, but they are stocked on shelves like Whole Foods
loves money. $6.90 a scoop? Business was booming factories ,company shops, and in many big supermarkets. Why did they need $19million in govt pandemic funding? That's how they give back. Tell me which kinds of kids can afoord $7 scoop ice cream. Typical leftists sell a humble story
Yeah here in DFW Texas their pints don't sell that well they go clearance all the time $5 a pint is too high for Texas folks. BlueBell is more popular $8 a 1/2 Gallon but i'll give them a try now that i see how much passionate they are and how hard work to make thier Ice Cream.
They have the location in West Village if you’re in the area. Regularly a line right now, but I see what you’re saying with competition from blue bell in store and Braum’s from a destination
My absolute favorite ice cream company of all and I grew up on Ben & Jerry’s, I’ve tried so many delicious flavors I have not had one bad ice cream and it’s a really nice treat to go into their actual ice cream stores I even tried one by earl grey that I thought I would find disgusting because I’m not a fan of Earl Grey tea but it was absolutely phenomenal
Definitely was..had more unique character..ironic that the old logo only cost maybe a few hundred bucks to develop and the now super simplistic logo cost hundreds of thousands via a corporate consulting firm 😂
@@onetwo-dr8hl Agreed! It blows the mind that many months of work and "great"/"strategic"/"business" minds actually end up producing something crappier than the original vision. Kind of comedic actually!
Amazing! This video is so informative and lays out a blueprint for all businesses:
1. You don't have to invent something new; improve something that already exists.
2. If you think it's a good idea, don't give up.
3. Test out different strategies; don't be afraid to pivot.
4. Your customer base is already there; if your product or service is good, they'll come around to you.
5. Don't be greedy with paying yourself over company profits; invest it back into the company and reap rewards later on.
You left out the biggest thing:
Come from a rich family like the founders.
nice job
@@RoxyProdexcuses
Nice
@@skwad240not excuses lmao, just the truth. there are enough start ups they could’ve used for this item that were actually build from scratch .
Crucial Statement: Ben, Laura, and Pete paid themselves $40K a year each for the first 10 years, even after making $1 Million in revenue.
So many businesses die because founders want high salaries in the beginning. They can now potentially sell their brand for a $1 Billion.
$1million in revenue is not relevant unless you know what the profit margin was
@@thisworldisabirdcage 40k a year in new york is really not that much...
The issue is usually one of impact to others around you. A single unmarried founder can usually do this, because they're only impacting themselves. The issue comes when you're a founder and have a family to feed. Unless your spouse can pick up the slack, it gets really tough to make your kids live around the poverty line.
No way is this business worth a billion. Max 985M
An average pizza store in NYC generates around $1 million in revenue annually. Paying three salaries of $40K each from this gross income appears rather extravagant, particularly given the relatively narrow profit margins common in the food industry.
An offer from Whole Foods on opening day? That's crazy. Awesome.
they really glossed over that part
i wonder if a manager or executive happened to randomly buy ice cream from them on the first day
Insane luck!
@@LucariosTrainer i mean maybe but the odds are close to nil... maybe i'm a pessimist but i'd bet they already had some connections from growing up wealthy in greenwich and that would explain the glossing over that key point in the story.
@@amaiaamaiaahow about the part where the glossed over the fact that they paid each other 40k each year for 10 years 🤔
I really just want these stories to be told in a truthful way: the way they glossed over him growing up in Greenwich and being born into a well off family is wild
I know.
Stop hating
This isn't a rags to riches story; it's about how three people turned 1 ice cream truck into a nationwide business. It's a story about business growth. They never claimed to be poor; they were college educated and happened to have $60,000 in start up funds before selling their first scoop so anyone with a brain could connect the dots to determine they came from at least middle class backgrounds.
Yeah, I waswondering while watching this how they afforded NYC flats and money for testing if they had no income.
@@alexcasey351how is this person “hating” if they just want the facts & not fairytales?Continue living in your delusional world where people & the media just lie to you & you keep eating it up like a child.
From Greenwich VIllage and got a Whole Foods deal on his first day? These videos are supposed to be for rags to riches people, not well connected people pretending their insider status didn't start them off at 3rd base.
It’s Greenwich CT but yeah, he definitely came from money.
@@katehudson6490 Lol Greenwich is like one of the richest neighborhoods in the US.
The more you understand economics the more you realize the 'rags to riches' people are such unicorns when it comes to success of this scale that you can't make a whole video series about them because there aren't enough.
Always gna be haters and bitter people in life
@@24sumo There are a lot of unnecessary haters but this is a joke lol. If you were born in Greenwich you literally started at the finish line.
The most awkward job interview I ever had was for the Van Leeuwan in Williamsburg. Submitted my info online and get called for an interview like normal. But I show up and it's like a cattle call audition. 100s of other college-age students, and then a group interview. Felt like a popularity contest. Truly so strange.
That’s so weird.
Sounds like a model casting
Which means people want to work there or they over hiring??
That means they were looking for people who wanted more than just a job. They wanted to find someone who was passionate enough to start their own ice cream competitor but instead take Van Leeuwan further.
I take it you didn't get hired?
He grew up in Greenwich CT- one of the wealthiest cities in the US (think retired Wall Street executives, top celebrities, etc.). He obviously comes from money and his family funded his lifestyle in NYC while he “struggled” to start his “humble” business. Their product is great, but trust-fund kids trying to make themselves seem relatable to the average person while gaslighting us making us think that “hard work” is all it takes makes many of us cringe. MONEY & FAMILY CONNECTIONS.
exactly! they never went into detail about how they got the initial 60k. they just "scrapped" together 60k? lol okay...more like friends and family game them loans/grants
that’s just how life is. it’s unfair but that shouldn’t stop anybody from trying, because trying and failing is where the purpose comes in.
Money makes money, that's life.
This guy gets it.
@@jaya5920 And most people would agree. Does not mean that stories like this have to be shown without nuance. It should be recognized that he had help and support that many do not, even if he did something with it that many could not have.
Love the mini story about where they ended up finally parking the truck.
Kinda a short business lesson on market pivoting and finding your customers.
Congrats!
Good for them that earl grey may be worth the price! My husband makes an apple pie bourbon and a vanilla bean and rum ice-cream every summer. I soak the Madagascar sourced vanilla bean in domestic use vodka I used to get brought in by a Russian friend. We only make 10 pints for the entire summer with home made maple syrup glazed waffle cones. Ice cream is a big deal in our home but we haven't bought any in over 20 years! I do have a cup of Earl Grey double bergamot every day so I will give that a try!
I may not have the most refined taste but I tried their Earl Grey and it tasted like perfume I hated it.
This was a great story. Pretty awesome (and maybe lucky) that they were approached by a rep from Whole Foods on opening day. This abousltely helped their growth, which is fantastic. If I'm ever in NY, I've gotta try this!
You can find their ice cream in Walmart and Whole Foods. But still not the experience of visiting their ice cream store in Williamsburg Brookyln though.
I can attest, this ice cream is FANTASTIC!
How much??
It is but the cholesterol on some flavors is insane - they use a ton of eggs
sounds like a personal problem to me @@icingcake
Better than Häagen-Dazs?🤔
@@1525boy WAY better! 😃
Every family has that one person who will break the family's financial struggle, I hope you become the one 😊
Investing in alternate income streams should be the top priority for everyone right now especially given the global economic crisis we are currently experiencing, Stocks, gold, silver, and virtual currencies are still attractive investments at the moment.
I'm looking for something to venture into on a short term basis, I have about $6k sitting in my savings
I advice everyone to start investing and never rely on just salary. No billionaire made it through salary
Is there anywhere I can get across to this woman for a startup🙏🙏
@samanthadonaldson2246thank you, I will write her immediately
I found Van Leeuwen ice cream last year. Since it's French ice cream, it uses more eggs so the egg shortage didn't do its price any favors. However, I still buy it.
If you read its ingredient list, it's super simple. Usually just milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and whatever flavoring for that particular ice cream. Now read the ingredient list of an ice cream at half the price and the ingredients becomes 3 times longer and would have locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan, dextrose, stuff processed with alkali, soy lecithin, etc. I'm sure much of that is preservatives and ways to get that ice cream to taste the way they want it, but at that point, are you really eating ice cream anymore.
Go buy Aldi's Specially Selected ice cream. It is super simple and half the price.
I read the ingredient list and is not that clean. I put it back 😂
Moral of the lesson: I can, I will, and I must!!
The first time i tried this ice cream i was hooked. The flavor and quality are there.
I can’t tell you how shocking it was to go from Brooklyn to visit family in Oklahoma and discover Van Leeuwan in the freezer section of Walmart, lol
It's in the Walmart freezer in Austin, TX as well!
Ayo! I’m in upstate NY. Also have family in Oklahoma.
The rich are money-minded; that's a lesson I've grasped from the very beginning. My desire to build wealth has always been strong. I’ve set aside $110K since 2020, and I’m eager to invest it in the stock market to grow my financial future. I’d love to hear any recommendations you have.
I think the safest strategy is to diversify investments. But if you need proper advice, consider speaking with a financial expertise. Don't get me wrong, you can do it on your own, but financial advisors have a lot more knowledge and expertise in this area.
Agreed, I've always delegated my excesses to an advisor, since suffering major portfolio loss early 2020, amid covid outbreak. I'm now semi-retired and only work 7.5 hours a week, with barely 25% short of my $1m retirement goal after subsequent investments to date.
That's impressive! I could really use the expertise of this manager for my dwindling portfolio. Who’s the professional guiding you?
My CFA, Judith Lynn Staufer, is a renowned figure in her field. I recommend researching her name online; you’ll find all her credentials and everything you need to work with a reliable professional. With many years of experience, she is a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the financial market.
I find this informative, curiously explored Judith on the web, spotted her consulting page, and was able to schedule a call session with her, she shows quite a great deal of expertise from her resume.. very much appreciated
Seattle person here...never heard of the brand before today!. This is an AMAZING story! .
God bless you. You've made ice cream even sweeter in my adulthood and your company's marketing is UNMATCHED! Continued success to you
My 2 fave ice cream shops in NYC are Sugar Hill Creamery and Van Leeuwen 🤗😊🥰 This is very inspirational.
I still love my LV reverse monogram *luxdups* clutch! It's versatile, fits a variety of items, and is definitely a workhorse! I think seeing it everywhere (like the LV speedy) is proof that it's already a classic.
I love their ice cream 😍 I'm so happy for them! If you haven't tried them yet, definitely go check them out. Fun fact since it's not mentioned in this video (I think) : Van Leeuwen sells non-dairy ice cream and it's AMAZING!
Their ice cream is so delicious. They sold me with their strawberry ice cream. It has only 3 ingredients but taste like there’s at least ten. It’s so flavorful and smooth. Ever since I had that I’ve tried at least a 3rd of their flavors. I will not eat the ranch one but they have 100 more
It had 6 ingredients: Cream, Strawberries, Cane Sugar, Organic Egg Yolks, Milk, Salt
Never heard of Van Leeuwen (most likely because I live in Europe). But after watching this, I can not stop thinking about that ranch flavoured ice cream. At $6,90 a scoop, it is a bit too much for my taste though.
Overpriced for a scoop of ice cream regardless what they label as.
Grew up in Greenwhich, one of the wealthiest places in America. Graduated from a $65k / year private university. Somehow “scraped by” in the most expensive city in the world, while getting his ice cream truck off the ground. Inspiring and relatable stuff.
I'm in the Philippines and we also have Van Leeuwen here. That's how big they've become
I love CNBC make it videos, hope to make it to the millionaire series videos, and would want to work here as well in data analytics or the tech team
Happy for you I would also love to work in tech space
i want that too! i just finally got into the IT field & this channel really helped me pick a career !
these guys are awesome. such great work ! the definition of hard work pays off
These guys clearly had help from daddy’s connections. Whole Foods doesn’t just offer some niche ice cream truck a deal on their first day.
we get it ur envious
Best ice cream around! Love this video, huge thanks to Ben for sharing all of the history!
Earl Gray ice is the best made by human. I tear up every time I get a scoop. Heaven in a cone. Such a great company. Such an amazing ice cream so happy for them❤
Yes, that particular flavor is sublime.
To me the most imiportant statement: we believe in investing in PRODUCT. From their 40k salaries to more focus on product development and quality focus instead of pure ad run business. Not easy but certainly a healthy way to run things.
i love seeing people following their hobbies and dreams. this is motivating me 1000000%
Do you run a business or work a 9~5?
The fact that they didnt hire any employees till 5 years later, or raise VC money until 10 years later is insane
Amazing story, well done to the team but the biggest winner was the branding agency who was on a one year retainer to come up with what looks like 10mins work at most.
That's what happens when you introduce the concept of "corporate" into your fledgling company
Anybody else who thinks their Old packaging was WAYYY better than their current one?!? (09:06)
Ugh yesssss
I see what you are saying. But the new packaging allows for a more cohesive and uniform look, with the pastel colors and focus on name and flavor - not the truck. The real reason why the new design works is it still keeps the brand and flavor front and center and works much better with the COLLABS. Think Arizona Green Tea at 9:47. This is an AMAZING DESIGN that pops and these "can't miss" designs and shelf appeal work better with the new design imo. But you're not wrong, the old design is excellent too..personal preference
He’s from Greenwich Connecticut, he grew up in one of the richest towns in America, the homes in Greenwich starts at 1.8 million and up.. connection definitely got him that whole foods deal lol 😂
just because he grew up with money doesn't mean he will automatically have connections with a specific partner in wholesale right ? not to mention that his parents house not his house... maybe their parents did help invest their company a little bit but that doesn't mean they didn't work hard for their company
I caught that, but he still had to come up with the idea. Would it have grown as fast without his Greenwich background? No. But I think the fact that people were willing to buy it out of a truck legitimizes him enough.
Exactly lol, whole foods just doesnt happenstance pop in one day and give you a deal.
I know right? Ben wants to fit in so bad, like he's a real entrepreneur 🤣🤣. Ben your father propped you up to make himself look good. "Oh look how smart my son is", reality you have no real accomplishments. You think you're the first one with this idea? LOL. I saw people like you with no real talent win pitch comeptitions in univeristy because your parents donated money to the college. "omg what if I start a business putting ATMS in every store" -dum prep kid "omg what if I rent one of my cars to strangers", "omg what if I sell ice cream on a large scale that I saw some spanish lady make in New Haven that one time" -you
So happy to see Van Leeuwen featured, and learn more of their story. My favorite ice cream!!! Try the earl grey 💜
That’s such a great story. Hard work and working through the issues that come up. Kudos to them for making things happen. 😊
I find it extremely smart that they decided NOT to advertise and instead invest in their product. Word of mouth is WAY more effective today with social media. They also sell with a major grocery store chain that "Whole Foods" is, which was a fantastic business decision. All the best for their continuous growth. Cheers.
Such a wholesome video! Thank you! I live far away from USA, I would really love to try it after this video 😋
$7 for a scoop of ice cream? Y'all crazy. So many holes in this story...were they working other jobs during the idea phase? Where did the $60k come from? Where did the living $ come from while they were starting out? Did they use any savings? Did the other 2 founders have a big $ part? Any rich relatives? You know...all the rings you can leverage when starting a biz that not everyone has.
The $60k came from funding, such as venture capital or private funding from friends/family but it certainly wasn’t traditional earned income
@@onetwo-dr8hl well it sure wasn't venture funding....that's the million dollar deals. Just curious, as having access to funds is super critical to businesses starting and surviving. So go into more details on starting a business on a business channel
He grew up in Greenwich CT- one of the wealthiest cities in the US (think retired Wall Street executives, top celebrities, etc.). He obviously comes from money and his family funded his lifestyle in NYC while he “struggled” to start his “humble” business. Their product is great, but trust-fund kids trying to make themselves seem relatable to the average person while gaslighting us making us think that “hard work” is all it takes makes many of us cringe. MONEY & FAMILY CONNECTIONS.
i generally agree with your questions - but for this specific video, i don't think it's relevant at all. $60k is only $20K each. you don't need to have rich family members to come up with $60K amongst 3 founders. i get it - you're trying to discredit the success of these 3 entrepreneurs by saying, "oh - but they had rich daddies and mommies". i'm usually a cynic like you, but my attitude would not apply to these seemingly humble beginnings.
@@roadracerdave7645 not a cynic. Just tell the whole story. It was far more than $20k each when you factor in years of living expenses before making a profit. Tons of people have good ideas and plans but funding is the downfall. Just be real.
If you open too many stores, you’ll end up like Krispy Kreme. Keep it contained like In-N-Out
Few months ago I got a pint of Van Leeuwen - What made me choose it was the simple classic packaging, the basic ingredient list and also because it seemed "high end". It also carried a high end price at like $7+ per pint. I decided to choose Vanilla, as any Ice Cream company should always be judged by their Vanilla first.
Was unexpectedly underwhelmed by it. Tasted like "cold sweet" more than Vanilla. Was also far less "creamy" than most other ice creams and much harder density/consistency. Wouldn't go for it again but that's just my taste and opinion.
I really like how they have some of the most innovative vegan flavors. I can finally enjoy ice cream with my family again.
My hubby and I are watching this as he eats his new favorite ice cream he claims lol, their banana cream pie with fudge swirls lol. He LOVES it!
Incredible job to the founders!!👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
Such an inspiring story! Good on them!!
What a story 🙏
Inspired
I love watching these success stories! Would love to try this ice cream 🍦 out here in Cali!
They have a truck on Abbot Kinney in Venice and a store on Franklin just east of Beachwood Canyon near Los Feliz
Their icecream does feel a little heavy and too sweet, but love this story for them!
i never understood the hype. it tastes mediocre
It’s expensive at Sprouts.
when the video said the recipe is heavy on cream and eggs - i never thought this would be a health-conscious product. its success definitely bloomed out of hard work and advertising - not health
@@roadracerdave7645 It's ice cream. Even if they make a broccoli flavor, it's still going to be surrounded by fat and sugar.
Love the honeycomb flavor ❤ but last time I visited the shop at Upper East Side, they were out of most flavors & had been missing their delivery for 2 days ☹️ on a hot summer day in NYC, that stinks..
Also the arizona green tea flavor is sold at the most remote MA walmart locations.. I had to drive 2 hrs away from my house to find it, & it wasn't everything I expected. Too heavy on the matcha..
honestly, the original design on the pint was great too!
Glad the US finally got good ice cream. I remember when I was in new york about 10 years ago there were barely any good gelato or good artisan ice cream shops around. It was really sad, when I was used to the many choices in Canada
The US is far bigger than New York 😉
My family went to your ice cream shop in Denver this summer. It literally was the best dairy free ice cream I ever tasted.
I walked by your product and almost bought a pint. Now I'm definitely going to! I love the new packaging!
Tried this recently at Natural Grocers and loved it. Ended up finding a random brick and mortar last week, what a shocking surprise! So many great flavors!!
Amazing story! Perfect example of you get what you put in. Thank you for sharing your struggles to serve as motivation for all future entrepreneurs.
He’s from Greenwich Connecticut he doesn’t know anything about struggle lol
@@vagas99 you don’t know the guy. Just because he lived in that neighborhood, doesn’t mean that he didn’t struggle financially. Not everyone in Greenwich is wealthy/upper class.
This company is brilliant like no one wants to try hidden valley ranch ice cream but everyone loves ranch so they’re like I might like it
This was uploaded at the perfect time because I was just going Ice Cream shopping yesterday and I was wondering about Van Lewen
i recently tried this brand..... high quality , amazing. might be the best pint iv ever had, customer for life.
nice work on the rebranding. maybe pentagram could take off the logo too for the next rebrand.
Hi Ben,
I see your name and immediately think that you are a Dutch person who wants to start here
But it turns out that you were born in America, yet in terms of thinking I see that you are a Dutch person through and through
great that your product is an absolute TOPPER, keep it up with your partners and make something beautiful out of
Whoa. I love this!
The campfire/smores flavor is so good!!
Van Leeuwen is the BESTTTTTT. Happy to see the BTS video!
You need open some in Texas my town Paris Texas can use one and it is also cheap labor to open also .
Brilliant niche, branding, risk-taking and confidence. Well done!!!!!
300k on a good day! Hopefully the hard-working employees are seeing some of that.
yep. minimum wage
$6.90/scoop? No way
Happy for their success!
But I’ll buy my store brand half a gallon ice cream where I can buy 2 half gallon for the cost of their scoop
I only recently discovered vanleeuwens within the past few years or so, and their ice cream slaps !
TLDR: The key idea of the video is that Van Leeuwen Ice Cream started as a small ice cream business and grew into a multi-million dollar empire through hard work, unique flavors, and widespread availability.
00:00 💰 Van Leeuwen started as a small ice cream business selling 300 scoops a day, but has now grown into a national brand with 50 scoop shops and over 10,000 stores carrying their pints, offering close to 500 flavors.
01:10 💰 Van Leeuwen Ice Cream went from a single ice cream truck to a multi-million dollar empire, with $300,000 in daily revenue, thanks to the founder's inspiration from driving an ice cream truck and seeing a Mr. Softee truck in New York.
02:23 💰 Van Leeuwen Ice Cream was born in 2008 with a business plan that took a year to create, inspired by a creme anglaise vanilla ice cream recipe, and required $250,000 to start, including buying a step van and turning it into an ice cream truck.
03:41 💰 Despite facing difficulties in securing funding and lacking business experience, the trio managed to make $60,000 work to realize their vision.
04:05 🍦 Starting an ice cream company with limited funds involved outsourcing production, buying a cheap truck on eBay, and relying on street marketing, while also prioritizing the brand's aesthetic with a unique logo and botanical drawings.
05:24 🍦 Van Leeuwen's ice cream truck struggled to find a good location until they found success in Soho, and after selling over 300 scoops on their first day, they were approached by Whole Foods to do wholesale.
06:50 💰 Van Leeuwen started with three ice cream trucks in NYC, facing challenges with old trucks, but their hard work paid off as they reached $1 million in revenue after ten years.
07:37 🍦 Van Leeuwen, an ice cream empire, has grown rapidly with brick and mortar shops, funding rounds, unique flavors, and widespread availability, generating up to $300,000 per day and planning for future expansion.
I'm genuinely curious how people can see stories like this and feel inspired. All I see is a series of incredibly lucky coincidences where things happened to fall precisely into place, in exactly the right way, at the absolute perfect time. All without any interference or roadblocks from the universe.
It's like people who win the lottery. They just happened to get extremely lucky and have everything fall into place. It's not inspirational, because no matter how many tickets you buy, you'll never win.
Part of myself likes that people try to make good products, but I also have major issue getting into business to eventually make people pay $6.90 for a scoop of ice cream. I can make a whole tub of ice cream myself with a home ice cream maker that tastes better than this because I can spare no expense and I can still make something with a lower cost per unit.
You don't have to pay for infrastructure: vans, storefronts, employees, factories. Nor can you continue to exploit your own labor--which you have not accounted for. And what of your rent and equipment? Of course, you can do it for cheaper. I could have reproduced my 100 dollar Chinese Lobster Dinner for 1/3 of the cost. But I don't have to rent a storefront, pay employees, and have a laundry service press my linens.
@@swicheroo1yep. 💯
Love this story, love their ice cream!
Its amazing how quickly people follow each other based on what is perceived as " trendy"
Love their earl grey ice cream
When is the Singapore outlet opening?
How are the pints $5 at WalMart? Is that a separate line comanufactured?
Seattle person here...never heard of the brand before today!
I’m not an ice cream fan, but THIS ONE IS THE BEST!!! Honeycomb and earl grey 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Very inspirational !!!
not the most extravagant thing but so inspirational, such a great video with a great storytelling.
It’s just mind blowing that scoop of ice cream in USA cost 6$ and people queue for it……
I just had this ice cream for the 1st time last week and I’m hooked…I love the praline pound cake flavor 😋
I love ice cream and I love this story. Amazing job you guys!
Hoping for this to hit Europe at some point!
Is anyone else wondering how the owners and all the employees are so thin?? If I look at ice cream I gain weight😅
I feel like the wholesale revenue story is an unsung aspect of this story that I wanted to hear more about, especially since they aren't doing advertising, but they are stocked on shelves like Whole Foods
This guy loves his job.
loves money. $6.90 a scoop? Business was booming factories ,company shops, and in many big supermarkets. Why did they need $19million in govt pandemic funding? That's how they give back. Tell me which kinds of kids can afoord $7 scoop ice cream. Typical leftists sell a humble story
Yeah here in DFW Texas their pints don't sell that well they go clearance all the time $5 a pint is too high for Texas folks. BlueBell is more popular $8 a 1/2 Gallon but i'll give them a try now that i see how much passionate they are and how hard work to make thier Ice Cream.
They have the location in West Village if you’re in the area. Regularly a line right now, but I see what you’re saying with competition from blue bell in store and Braum’s from a destination
@@DannySlaughter-n6f I by there all the time i'll check it out i live close to the Stockyards thanks i didn't know it was there i'll take my kids
1:07 - I'm sorry, but that sounds absolutely repulsive
I thought it was a dutch brand, because Van Leeuwen is a dutch surname.
They pronounce it like they have permanent brain freeze though. "Ven Lee When" I could respect. "Van Loo When" is all kinds of wrong.
He probably doesn't speak a word dutch, but at least pronounce your last name correct hahaha @@spoenk7448
great story. congrats to you all!
My absolute favorite ice cream company of all and I grew up on Ben & Jerry’s, I’ve tried so many delicious flavors I have not had one bad ice cream and it’s a really nice treat to go into their actual ice cream stores I even tried one by earl grey that I thought I would find disgusting because I’m not a fan of Earl Grey tea but it was absolutely phenomenal
8:53 Why it's write "french ice cream" ?
Great video! Learned a lot!
I think their old logo was better, haha
Definitely was..had more unique character..ironic that the old logo only cost maybe a few hundred bucks to develop and the now super simplistic logo cost hundreds of thousands via a corporate consulting firm 😂
yeah same here. and to think they worked on the new logo for 1 year! i bet they literally paid millions of consultation fees to Pentagram.
@@onetwo-dr8hl Agreed! It blows the mind that many months of work and "great"/"strategic"/"business" minds actually end up producing something crappier than the original vision. Kind of comedic actually!
Does anyone know if they do it inhouse for their pint tub? Or do they outsource it somewhere?
Ive had this ice cream, its so creamy and soft. But i can only buy it when theres a sale or if i can find a coupon