Meet The Maker
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Tell us about yourself?
I grew up on the east coast, moved to Seattle right after college, and have been here ever since. I love the PNW, having traveled much of my professional life to all the major cities and areas in the US. Seattle/PNW is a special place to live, raise a family, and explore nature.
When and why did you start ACME VALLEY?
I started at Acme Valley in 2020, right before the pandemic. We were a small brand just in the PNW -mainly in Bellingham. I tasted the ice cream and was blown away. Our mission is to share our real full-strength ice cream with as many folks as possible so they too can experience ice cream the way it was meant to be – with clean and real ingredients and no injected air. I was also drawn to the mission to build meaningful partnerships with independent farmers and dairies.
Where did the name come from?
The brand started in the beautiful and bucolic town of Acme (which has amazing views of Mount Baker and is part of our logo.) Then we moved to Bellingham to the back of a donut shop and now we have a plant in Poulsbo, so that we can continue to grow.
How do you source your Ingredients?
We source 85%-90% of our ingredients from the PNW—with our dairy and fruit being local. We really believe in supporting local farms and dairies, and our goal is to continue to grow so that we can be meaningful partners. Right now, we buy from a local dairy distributing partner. As we grow, we’d like to buy directly from the small farms, which will help them help create a more sustainable business model.
What makes ACME different?
We make full-strength ice cream which means we make ice cream with the purest of ingredients, the original way, and with no injected air. As far as I know, we are the only ones doing this today, in retail. Most brands add 25%-50% air, and sometimes more, into ice cream to pump it up and fill the carton. You can feel the difference when you pick us up vs other brands. We also use a specially blended high butter fat / high indulgent cream for our base. When people taste our ice cream – they notice the difference in the texture right away, and they love the ultra-premium richness. They also love how pure our flavors are – and the fruit flavors from the PNW are a standout.
What has been your biggest challenge along the way?
Lots with this company. I love ice cream, and I love seeing people’s face when they try ours. Life is better with ice cream, and I think we make the best. R&D in this category is a blast and we get to experiment all the time and then share with our families and friends for feedback which makes for a very fun dinner party. We have a company goal to build more sustainable businesses with local farms, and though we are in the beginning of that process, it is one of my favorite parts of my day envisioning what the future will look like. Lastly, I have always traveled remotely for work; this is the first time I have been based here with a team and production facility and I love having a direct impact on their lives and the community as we grow.
What keeps you going?
The brand started in the beautiful and bucolic town of Acme (which has amazing views of Mount Baker and is part of our logo.) Then we moved to Bellingham to the back of a donut shop and now we have a plant in Poulsbo, so that we can continue to grow.
What are your favorite things to pair with ice cream?
Ice cream and pie is always my favorite – for dessert, or breakfast (try out our ice cream café in Bellingham where we bake everything from scratch). Customers have sent me some of their favorite combinations like Balsamic Vinegar on vanilla ice cream, or a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive oil and sea salt on chocolate. We tried them both and they are tasty combinations. Experimentation is highly encouraged with Acme Valley.
What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs?
Find and nurture the right business relationships both internal and external. The team at Acme Valley is amazing. Everyone is passionate about what they do, and it makes all the tough times easier as we are all working together. We also have great partners that go the extra mile for us to help us grow and that we can count on to always deliver.
What’s on the horizon for ACME?
We want to spread the joy of full-strength ice-cream. Continued expansion of new flavors, and continued expansion into new locations (most of my family is on the east coast, and they are patiently waiting).
What are your passions outside of work?
My family, friends, and exploring the PNW by bike or boat.
How do you keep work/life balance?
Not sure that has existed in the last three years, but I try not to answer emails after a particular time each night, and I get out and play in nature as much as possible.
