The Inside Scoop w/ Ben Van Leeuwen
A Journey from Ice Cream Truck to Ice Cream Empire
August 13th, 2024 • 5 min read
Ben Van Leeuwen’s entrepreneurial journey proves you don’t need a business degree or deep pockets to build something extraordinary—you just need a dream, a lot of grit, and maybe a few extra egg yolks.
The Humble Beginnings
At 18, Ben didn’t start with a silver spoon - he started behind the wheel of a Good Humor ice cream truck. Needing to earn money, he spent his summers selling ice cream in Greenwich, Connecticut. After college, with no high-paying job offers in sight, inspiration struck when Ben saw a Mr. Softee truck in NYC. He wondered: why not elevate the ice cream truck concept with high-quality ingredients? Ben quipped “The only way I knew how to make a decent living was selling ice cream off of a truck!”
That’s when Ben, along with co-founders Pete Van Leeuwen and Laura O’Neill, decided to launch Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. They scraped together $60,000 and transformed a used 1988 postal truck from eBay into a bright yellow scoop truck (albeit, slightly illegally) that hit the streets of New York in 2008. Their mission? To make good ice cream from good ingredients that makes you feel good.
The Big Idea: Good Ice Cream That Makes You Feel Good
Van Leeuwen’s French-style ice cream, made with more than double the amount of egg yolks as standard ice cream, quickly gained a loyal following. New Yorkers couldn’t resist the rich, velvety texture and the philosophy behind it - this wasn’t just ice cream; it was a feel-good experience.
Growing Pains and Learning Curves
Scaling the business from a single truck to a full-fledged brand wasn’t easy. Ben learned quickly that entrepreneurship isn’t just about big ideas, it’s about the daily grind of making those ideas work. Trusting his instincts became crucial. "I'm not in the business of science, we sell ice cream, it’s entrepreneurship, it’s art… There’s no experts! When we were younger, when I was even more insecure than I am now, I would be like, ‘Oh, that guy said this, or that lady said this, we absolutely can’t do that.’ And I think as we learn more, you go with your gut.”
Building the right team was another key lesson. Noting that success isn’t about flashy investors; it’s about the people who operate your business day in and day out, Ben explains: “What we’ve learned is, the people who make the difference in your business are the people who are operating the business every single day. Building a great team…it’s so important.
The investor thing is important because for those of you who are entrepreneurs out there and raising money, go with the best deal… You shouldn’t expect anybody to do anything that isn’t in that operating agreement and to exercise every right they have in there - no matter how good of a relationship you have with them or how nice they are.."
Scaling Up: From NYC Truck to National Brand
Van Leeuwen’s ice cream was so popular that they quickly expanded from their NYC truck to opening brick-and-mortar shops. Today, Van Leeuwen has over 50 scoop shops across the country, and their pints, bars, and ice cream sandwiches are available in grocery stores nationwide.
According to Inc.com, Van Leeuwen's recent growth has been remarkable, launching 17 new stores, 75 new flavors, and generating over nine billion media impressions in 2023 alone! With 25 more stores planned for this year, they aim to keep expanding their reach with unique and popular flavors.
Financial Discipline: The Key to Sustainable Growth
Ben learned the importance of financial discipline early on. “Obsess over your customer, spend less than your revenue… and be cash flow positive,” he advises. This approach allowed Van Leeuwen to grow sustainably and maintain control of the business.
The Sweet Success
Today, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is a national sensation, beloved for its quality and indulgence. With a revenue in the multi-millions, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is a far cry from its scrappy truck beginnings. So, the next time you enjoy a scoop of Van Leeuwen ice cream, remember—it’s more than just dessert. It’s a symbol of what can happen when you follow your dreams, trust your gut, and never stop pushing forward.
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