Cupcakes maven makes successful pivot to "Old-World" natural ice cream
For entrepreneur and ice cream connoisseur Lori Joyce, sometimes it’s best not to mess with a good thing.
The founder and CEO of Betterwith Ice Cream has taken her passion for sweets to the ice cream aisle with a variety of flavours made the “Old-World way”.
“Betterwith is definitely not your average ice cream. Having grown up on a self-sustaining farm on Vancouver Island, I have an incredible connection to food and understanding that food can be medicine,” explained Joyce. “Betterwith is definitely inspired by my upbringing on the farm where my immigrant parents brought over their old-world tradition that was simple and beautiful. We use an old-world recipe with simple ingredients and a clean ingredient deck. That means no gums, no fillers, no junk, ever.”
Lori Joyce, Betterwith Ice Cream Founder and CEO (photo submitted)
Joyce has extensive experience as a food entrepreneur. In 2002, she and best friend Heather White opened Cupcakes, the first-ever cupcakes-only bakery. The duo franchised Cupcakes locations across Canada and co-starred in the hit reality TV Show “The Cupcake Girls” from 2010 to 2012.
The Vancouver Island resident turned her focus to ice cream when she became a new mom and was searching premium food products for her babies.
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“I was quite shocked and disappointed with what I discovered when reading ingredient labels,” explained Joyce. “As a mom, I wanted the best products for my boys. As a customer, I was let down. And from the perspective of an entrepreneur, I saw an opportunity to make a better ice cream product.
“I enjoy problem-solving the most. I am a bootstrapping entrepreneur in the toughest and smallest space in the consumer packaged goods grocery business with the biggest ice cream brands in the world. Everyone single person told me no. But yet, no one told me it was impossible. For this reason, I am determined to do this because Betterwith is the better ice cream and it deserves to be on the shelf.”
Betterwith Ice Cream touts itself as containing on average 19 to 50% less sugar than other premium ice cream brands without compromising on flavour. Customer feedback told Joyce that this was important to ice cream lovers, so she rebranded her packaging and redesigned her website, betterwith.com, to educate consumers on what is (and is not) found inside her ice cream, compared to the “frozen treats” found in the freezer aisle.
“Innovation may be trending in the food industry today, but sometimes it’s best not to mess with a good thing,” said Joyce. “Betterwith Ice Cream is made the Old-World way; full-fat cream, simple ingredients, and an expert process. Real ice cream – like Grandma used to make – should not change. That is our product and promise.
“Betterwith also literally changes lives. People that are lactose sensitive and that suffer from many gastric conditions finally get to enjoy ice cream again, and as a matter of fact, many hug us because Betterwith is an ice cream that they can finally eat and enjoy without any suffering or symptoms.”
Betterwith Ice Cream’s six old-school flavours – Cream, Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Coffee, and Caramel – are available in the freezer aisle of most grocery stores across Western Canada. And what is Joyce’s favourite flavour?
“That’s easy. The Cream is classic and special, but our Strawberry is a game-changer. It turns everyone on to Strawberry ice cream.”
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