Meet a maker: Sweetie Ice Cream – Anthony Monteleone & Rebekah Reinhart
Low-fat, low-sugar ice cream without compromising the taste. Sweetie Ice Cream invested years of product development to create a product we could enjoy without the guilt. We heard the story of Sweetie Ice Cream from Anthony Monteleone and Rebekah Reinhart. True dedication to creating a tasty and healthy ice-cream!
Can you tell us about the story of Sweetie® Ice Cream? How did it start? What made you successful?
As consumers become more health-conscious, the overwhelming trend in the food industry has evolved to eat smarter. Within this trend is the demand for added nutritional benefits such as protein and decreased unhealthful components such as fat and sugar. In 2018, Sweetie® Ice Cream was created to limit sugar and fat, increase protein and fiber, and taste great! Sweetie® Ice Cream is owned and managed by Suffield Foods Holdings LLC created to offer the indulgence of rich and creamy ice cream without the guilt of calories, fat, and sugar.
Sweetie® Ice Cream currently offers 6 delicious flavors with about 100 calories per serving, which is about one-third of most ice creams. Current flavor selections include Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Mango Passionfruit, Coffee, Blueberries n Cream, and Chocolate. All are low in sugar and net carbs; therefore, a perfective alternative for consumers looking to reduce and control sugar intake.
According to research by Mintel, in the last year, 84% of people have been focused on reducing sugar intake. Sweetie® Ice Cream is committed to this leading trend of lower calories, fat, and sugar, coupled with higher high protein, and nothing artificial. With great taste, there is no need to feel guilty about enjoying ice cream! There is no compromise of taste and enjoyment when choosing Sweetie® Ice Cream to reduce sugar and have a healthier product. More than 10,000 consumers directly validated Sweetie® Ice Cream by preferring it 3 to 1 over the leading competitor in blind taste tests. Sweetie® has a “WOW” creamy taste that is out of this world and entices all tasters to come back for more and “Fall in Love with Less Sugar” with Sweetie® Ice Cream. This “WOW” factor is what has made Sweetie® Ice Cream successful.
What has been your proudest moment?
Sweetie® Ice Cream as celebrated many moments in its short life. One of these moments includes witnessing years of product development converted into a product consumers could buy and enjoy without the guilt associated with excess fat and sugar.
A proud moment for Sweetie® Ice Cream also included the invitation to be a sponsor of the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl, an event benefiting the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. This event allowed us to make a difference in our community and expose consumers to the incredible taste and texture of Sweetie® Ice Cream.
The latest of celebratory moments for Sweetie® Ice Cream has been the approval to sell Sweetie® Ice Cream on Amazon. This is a venue that vastly increases the opportunities for consumers and Suffield Foods Holdings, LLC alike.
Who are the key people behind your brand?
Currently, the key people for Sweetie® Ice Cream are Anthony Monteleone and Rebekah Reinhart. Sweetie® Ice Cream is owned and managed by Suffield Foods Holdings, LLC. Anthony serves as the President of Suffield Foods Holdings. He is responsible for all sales components of the business as well as general oversight of the brand.
Rebekah serves as Vice President of Suffield Foods Holdings, LLC, and manages all technical aspects of product manufacturing and development.
What is the inspiration behind your ice cream products?
The inspiration behind Sweetie® Ice Cream is developing a low sugar, high protein product that has a smooth, creamy texture. The goal is to offer a product consumers can enjoy, as if it is a high fat and sugar ice cream, without the guilt associated with the extra calories, fat, and sugar. This process took a compilation of numerous years of research and development.
What is your flagship product? Do you plan to offer any new products?
Sweetie®’s flagship product is the Sweetie® Ice Cream product line. Currently, Salted Caramel is the best-selling flavor.
From your perspective, how did COVID19 affect local food makers?
Because Sweetie® Ice Cream is manufactured through in a national type approach, we are unable to comment on the effect on local food makers. We do know, however, that the cost of commodities such as milk and cream has increased significantly.
