What began as a single yellow ice cream truck serving the streets of New York City in 2008 has grown into one of the most sought-after scoops around. Thanks to a tip from @theboroughbred, we’ve learned that Van Leeuwen is planning its 20th NYC location this fall at 1270 Third Ave. between 73rd and 74th streets. This will be the second Upper East Side location for the brand, which also operates at 1625 Second Ave. between 84th and 85th streets.
Van Leeuwen’s ice cream is made from scratch at its factory in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Its vegan ice cream is prepared with oat milk, while their French style uses “twice as many egg yolks as the standard ice cream,” according to the ice cream maker’s website.
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When it comes to marketing, Van Leeuwen created a viral feeding frenzy in July 2021 with its Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Ice Cream. So much so that all 6,000 pints made sold out online within in an hour. Going beyond a publicity stunt to a coveted commodity, the following month Van Leeuwen was back again with more Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
“We knew Kraft Mac & Cheese would be a hit after tasting it, but we never expected it to be available in Walmart nationwide,” Ben Van Leeuwen, co-founder and CEO of the namesake creamery, told Food & Wine. “Before creating it, we saw how fascinated smaller artisanal food producers, particularly chefs and restaurants in the U.S., were with nostalgic American food culture. This is a play on that, and now consumers will have easy access to it across the country.”
Crossing state borders is the latest part of Van Leeuwen’s business. On Saturday, August 6, they’ll be opening their first Colorado scoop shop. To honor the occasion, they’re debuting a new flavor, Rocky Mountain Road, which is a “green spruce ice cream with a fudge swirl, marshmallows, candied pecans and pistachios.” The ice cream is “inspired by the smell of pine and spruce warmed in the early morning summer sun, this unique flavor evokes moments of solitude in the mountains,” reports 9news Colorado.
Van Leeuwen also plans to open a pair of shops in Connecticut while continuing operations in California, New Jersey, Texas and Pennsylvania. You can cross through the park for two locales on the Upper West Side too.
For our money, we recommend the Earl Grey Tea.
