Bold claim: American-made craftsmanship can turn everyday treats into memorable experiences, and this story proves it with a scoop you can taste through your screen. But here’s where it gets controversial: does a brand’s U.S.-made emphasis truly guarantee quality for all, or are there hidden trade-offs behind the scenes? Let’s dive in.
As ABC News’ World News Tonight spotlights small businesses during its Made in America Christmas series, anchor and managing editor David Muir visits Van Leeuwen Ice Cream’s SoHo shop in New York City to sample a lineup of flavors that embody American production at its best.
Just a short walk from ABC’s headquarters, Muir greets Van Leeuwen’s co-founders Ben Van Leeuwen, Pete Van Leeuwen, and Laura O’Neill inside the bustling shop. The founders started their ice cream journey in 2008, converting a vintage USPS truck into a moving storefront and hawking ice cream the classic way from a street-side window.
The business grew from those nostalgic trucks into a brick-and-mortar presence, opening the first shop in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint in 2010 — the neighborhood where the founders lived at the time. Today, Van Leeuwen operates over 100 shops nationwide and offers nationwide shipping, underscoring a rapid scale built on American roots.
A cornerstone of their operation is sourcing—from coast to coast for dairy and eggs to ingredients gathered from across the U.S. Pete Van Leeuwen notes that Totem strawberries come from Oregon, praising them as possibly the best strawberries they use for their strawberry ice cream.
“Flavors Made in America, but out of this world,” Muir remarks, capturing the brand’s blend of national pride and flavor innovation. From timeless staples like mint chocolate chip and cookies & cream to inventive options such as mango sticky rice and Earl Grey tea, there’s a flavor for nearly every palate. Muir jokes that taste-testing is a tough assignment, but someone has to do it.
Van Leeuwen’s simple-sounding secret to their luscious ice cream centers on generous cream and eggs, plus high-quality ingredients, according to co-founder Ben Van Leeuwen.
The story also highlights the iconic Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop, praised by Van Leeuwen as the tool that ensures perfectly shaped scoops every time. The crew travels to Zeroll’s Avondale, Pennsylvania factory to see the engineering behind the scoop in action.
Zeroll, founded in 1935, employs a small but skilled workforce of more than 50 at the plant. The CEO of The Legacy Companies, Steve Moore, emphasizes pride in American-made products when people get to enjoy them in public venues. Senior Mechanical Engineer Terry Hall, a 34-year veteran of the line, explains that the scoop’s warming oil helps the scoop glide through even the hardest ice cream, delivering consistent results.
Steven Lasker, vice president of The Legacy Companies’ business operations, echoes a patriotic note: producing in America is something to celebrate, especially when a dedicated team has stood the test of time.
Together, Van Leeuwen’s proudly American ice cream and Zeroll’s Made in America scoops present a compelling holiday gift idea for anyone with a sweet tooth and a belief in domestic craftsmanship.
Would you choose a locally produced treat for your next gift, or do you weigh other factors like price, variety, and accessibility? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
