Velvet Ice Cream
Company typePrivate
IndustryIce cream
Founded1914
HeadquartersUtica, Ohio,
United States
Key people
Joseph Dager (Founder)[1]
ProductsIce cream
Revenue$30 million
Number of employees
125[2]
Websitevelveticecream.com

Velvet Ice Cream, is an ice cream manufacturer located in Utica, Ohio.

History

Velvet, founded in 1914 in Utica, Ohio, by Joseph Dager, a Lebanese immigrant, is a family-owned and operated fourth generation ice cream manufacturer.[3] Dager began the company in the basement of a Utica confectionary.[4] In 1960, Velvet relocated to 'Ye Olde Mill', one mile south of the original location. In 2009, Joseph C. Dager became chairman of the board. Joe's daughter, Luconda, became president and Joanne and Andre Dager become vice-presidents.[4] In 2015, Velvet began construction on a $3 million warehouse/freezer/distribution center.[5]

Ye Olde Mill

Ye Olde Mill entrance

The headquarters of Velvet, 'Ye Olde Mill', is situated on a 20-acre park-like setting. It has an ice cream museum, visitor's center, and a working ice cream shop.[6] It attracts more than 150,000 visitors per year.[6]

Since 1974, Ye Olde Mill has been home to the Utica Ice Cream Festival, held annually on Memorial Day.[3]

Operations

Velvet has sales of over $30 million per year,[5][2] and distributes more than 5 million gallons of ice cream each year.[4] The company has retail distribution in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. It has food service distribution in 26 states.[7]

In April 2021, the company issued a voluntary recall on its ice cream and sherbet products over concerns of possible listeria contamination.[8]

References

  1. ^ "A true original ice cream since 1914". Facebook. June 10, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Ohio-based Velvet Ice Cream announces major plant expansion" (Press release). Weirick Communications. 14 October 2015. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Velvet - About Us". Velvet Ice Cream. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Mallett, Kent (21 May 2016). "Q&A with Velvet Ice Cream President Luconda Dager". Newark Advocate. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  5. ^ a b Eaton, Dan (12 August 2015). "Velvet Ice Cream set for biggest-ever expansion, more HQ jobs". Columbus Business First. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  6. ^ a b Kelly, Mike (29 August 2004). "Ohio's 'ice cream capital'". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  7. ^ Vanac, Mary (4 April 2014). "Velvet celebrates 100 years of ice cream". Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  8. ^ Genovese, Daniella (2021-04-29). "Velvet ice cream recalled over listeria concerns". FOXBusiness. Retrieved 2021-04-29.

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