The Parlor Ice Cream Co. Wants to Kickstart an Ice Cream Cart

A pop-up ice cream company that’s appeared at breweries, coffee shops, and events throughout New England over the last year just launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a new expansion plan that includes a fancy ice cream cart. Jacqueline Dole, founder of The Parlor Ice Cream Co., plans to upgrade her pop-up operation to include pints, a bigger production space, and a new ice cream cart that will hold even more ice cream for her to take to events.

Dole worked as a pastry chef and baker prior to launching The Parlor Ice Cream Co. and has produced more than 85 flavors for her pop-ups, according to the Kickstarter page. She has collaborated with other local companies to incorporate their products into her ice cream, highlighting local specialties like Moxie and Polar beverages.

With the $12,000 Dole hopes to raise to fund this growth, she will have the means to grow into a bigger production space to produce pints for distribution at local grocers. She will also be able to purchase a new ice cream cart that will hold four times the amount of ice cream her current set-up accommodates, meaning more ice cream at events. It will also mean the growth of other ice cream products, like Dole’s takes on drumsticks, Choco Tacos, and ice cream sandwiches.

Dole is offering treats for those who contribute to the campaign, including ice cream cones, tote bags, a chance to create a flavor, and an ice cream social with the new cart, among other prizes. The campaign will run through April 6.

Update 10:30 a.m.: Dole tells Eater the new ice cream cart is under construction and could be ready by June, just in time for a busy summer. Parlor will have ongoing pop-ups at Portland, Maine’s Tandem Coffee, in addition to events at Tres Gatos in Jamaica Plain and Dive Bar in Worcester.

“The reason I wanted an ice cream cart was to stay mobile and be able to focus on what we love the most — collaboration with other fantastic businesses,” she said. “The other great thing about expansion is that people won't have to wait until the next pop up for a pint. We're going to start selling retail pints to local stores in the coming months!”

Dole will also bring The Parlor Ice Cream Co. to Trillium’s Canton brewery on March 18 and Bantam’s fifth birthday party on March 25.

• The Parlor Ice Cream Co. [Kickstarter]
• The Parlor Ice Cream Co. [Official Site]