Jeni Britton Bauer: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Gourmet ice cream that takes the whole state of Ohio to manufacture! This week we’re talking with Jeni Britton Bauer, the founder and CEO of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. She’s been a pioneer in gourmet ice cream since she started over two decades ago, and continues to innovate.

I was curious about how she develops her inventive flavors and what it takes to make award-winning ice cream at scale. It turns out there’s a lot more art and science--and logistics—than I ever imagined. She shares her greatest challenges—from product recalls and regulatory requirements, to angry consumers blaming you for buying up all the state’s strawberries. And we talk about the importance of just rolling up your sleeves in order to learn and evolve your product. In the process, she has engaged partners across the whole state and beyond, from the dairies and growers to the service providers and suppliers, to create a “Fellowship Model” for making her ice cream.

The views expressed on The Art of Manufacturing podcast are those of the guests, and not our sponsors or partners. For more information, photos, and links, check out the show notes at http://makeitinla.org/jenibauer.