Detroit Ice Cream Companies Turn to Delivery During the Pandemic | Eater Detroit

"Operating out of Eastern Market, Ice Cream Plant is a vegan and allergy-safe ice cream company that pivoted from primarily self-distributing to restaurants and grocery stores to offering online ordering with door-to-door delivery during the pandemic. The change helped keep the company’s four part-time employees paid as many restaurant accounts temporarily closed; delivery carries a $40 minimum (about four pints) and the company is doing roughly ten $40+ delivery orders per week in addition to regular wholesale replenishment for freezer aisles. The owners have been impressed by the sales volume, but they’ve also had to limit their delivery area (deliveries are often made in a 2010 Volkswagen and long hops are only feasible if multiple orders come from the same distant area), and they expect more muted overall sales than the 50 percent growth they had been preparing for. Going forward, Ice Cream Plant plans to invest more in vegan soft serve and explore packaging its ice cream sandwiches for sale at grocery stores." - Brenna Houck