Publications
Publications
- February 2022 (Revised October 2022)
- HBS Case Collection
Ample Hills Creamery
By: Tom Eisenmann, Lindsay N. Hyde and Tom Quinn
Abstract
Ample Hills Creamery started in 2010 as a temporary ice cream pushcart in Brooklyn, New York City. On the strength of inventive flavors and clever marketing, husband-and-wife founders Brian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna built a premium, artisanal dessert empire of 16 retail locations in four states. However, some decisions that fueled their rapid growth were double-edged swords. Licensed partnerships with Disney raised the brand’s profile, but necessitated expanding production. The factory they built was expensive and introduced new logistical challenges. And the native New Yorkers were unhappy with a pricey West Coast expansion. In March 2020, they filed for bankruptcy, disappointing the venture capital investors they had attracted and the legions of fans who did not understand why the popular brand was not turning a profit.
The protagonists’ story continues in The Social (HBS No. 822-074), which tells the story of their second ice cream venture.
Keywords
Brands and Branding; Business Growth and Maturation; Partners and Partnerships; Logistics; Profit; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Food and Beverage Industry
Citation
Eisenmann, Tom, Lindsay N. Hyde, and Tom Quinn. "Ample Hills Creamery." Harvard Business School Case 822-073, February 2022. (Revised October 2022.)