WEST CHESTER, Ohio — Inflation has been a rocky road for ice cream producers the last few years.
As The Cone in West Chester celebrates its 30th anniversary this summer, owner Keith Wren has been juggling increased prices from his suppliers.
“At the beginning of the season, we were up 14% in cost,” he said. “Then another 5% after we opened.”
The business is primarily impacted by rising dairy costs in two categories: milk and butterfat.
“We use a higher butterfat because our product is called rich and creamy,” he said. “Because of that, when there's an increase, it's going to be more for us. However, we feel the product is much better.”
Just this week, one of Wren’s suppliers of ice cream mix saw costs go up by $1.50 per carton. The ice cream store orders hundreds of cartons every week. While the cost hasn’t been passed down, Wren said he knows it will come eventually.
There’s also a massive refrigeration operation to keep the dairy cold. Energy costs are up 31%, Wren said.
The producer price index measures the relative cost to produce ice cream. It has gone up significantly.
The shop also saw a “huge increase” in labor last year, Wren said, with a “modest increase” this year.
“A lot of the better employees are making a lot of money at this point, and I pay them based on what they perform … It adds up a lot,” he said.
As soon as the windows open at the shop — which is shaped like a giant orange ice cream cone — the high pace does not stop. About a dozen employees are taking orders, filling cones, making shakes and stocking for the rest of the night.
It’s the fourth season for store manager Rachel Dela Cruz. It comes with a perk, she said: “You can get one free item at the end of every shift.”
“Everyone's like, ‘Oh, do you ever get like tired of it?’ I'm literally getting paid to make ice cream, and give ice cream to people,” she said. "Never any bad vibes here.”
Dave Glassmeyer and his wife traveled across town for a Friday afternoon snack.
“It’s special,” he said, noting the variety of options and the atmosphere. “Everything costs more, starting with gas. But ice cream is more important than gas.”
