
Granny’s Favorite
Our butter pecan flavor pays homage to our Afro-American ancestors who were denied vanilla ice cream everyday except on the Fourth of July in the dark Jim Crow south. By ridiculous laws and customs, Afro-Americans could not get caught eating vanilla ice cream, so many chose butter pecan instead.
Asé to our Afro-American ancestors.

Le Geste d’Edmond
Our vanilla flavor is named after Edmond Albius, who was a 12 year old slave from Reunion (near Madagascar), who revolutionized the vanilla industry in 1841. He created the technique for pollinating vanilla orchids quickly and profitably. The term “Le Geste d’Edmond” means Edmond’s Gesture. Sadly, he was never compensated for his contribution, dying poor though his technique is still being used today.
Asé Edmond Albius.

Ashanti Sorbet
Our strawberry sorbet is named after the Ashanti Kingdom in West Africa. The Ashanti (or Asante) are the dominant ethnic group of a powerful 19th-century empire and today one of Ghana's leading ethnic groups. As they prospered, Ashanti culture flourished. They became famous for gold and brass craftsmanship, wood carving, furniture and brightly colored woven cloth, called kente. Today, most Ashanti live in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and are primarily farmers, growing cocoa for export, yams, plantains and other produce for local consumption.
Medaase, Asé.

Bobby & Huey Crunch
Our cookies and cream flavor is named after the legendary Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, who were the founders of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. In October 1966, Bobby and Huey founded the revolutionary organization in Oakland, California with an ideology of Black nationalism, socialism, and armed self-defense, particularly against police brutality. The cookies and cream symbolize their black and white logo.
Asé Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton.
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Shirley Salted Caramel
Our salted caramel flavor is named after Shirley Chisholm, who was the first Afro-American congresswoman, an activist and first woman to run for US President! She was from Brooklyn, NY and would roll through her district in a truck with loudspeakers, like the ice cream trucks that come through your neighborhood, calling herself 'fighting Shirley Chisholm.'
Asé Shirley Chisholm.
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Mansa Musa’s Golden Scoop
Our mango sorbet is named after Mansa Musa, who was the king of the ancient empire of Mali in West Africa from 1312 C.E. to 1337 C.E. Musa was known for his generosity and as the richest man in history. Musa traveled to Mecca with his large entourage and gave away so much gold that he decreased the value of gold in Egypt for 12 years. After his return, he began to revitalize his kingdom. He built mosques and large public buildings in cities like Gao and, most famously, Timbuktu.
Asé Mansa Musa.
Fun Facts About Our Flavors
What is Kente?
Kente refers to a Ghanaian textile, made of handwoven cloth, strips of silk and cotton. This textile practice has existed in West Africa since the 11th century. Originally, kente was made and worn only by royals and today, the Ashanti royals still wear the sacred cloth usually draped across their shoulders or worn like a toga. Many wear kente including traditional black and white designs, for prestigious occasions including ceremonies, worship, outings, marriages and funerals.
Kente is very time consuming as it is made by hand (and feet) and it requires a lot of coordination and skill. Its colors have symbolic meaning and designs are intended as communication.
Examples of meanings behind the designs:



Important
Afro-American Confectioners & Inventors
Alfred Cralle

In 1897, Cralle invented the ice cream scoop! While working for a hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cralle developed the ice cream scoop idea. Cralle originally called his invention The Ice Cream Mold and Disher. It was designed to be strong, inexpensive and easy to operate with one hand. It had no moving parts that could break or malfunction.On February 2, 1897, thirty-year-old Cralle applied for and received the patent #576,395. He was the first African-American in Pittsburgh to receive a patent. Asé Alfred Cralle.
Sarah Estell

In the 1830s, a free black woman named Sarah Estell ran one of the best ice cream parlors and sweet shops in Nashville, Tennessee. During this time, ice cream was a delicacy that was only affordable to the wealthy, but she overcame many hurdles and her business thrived. Estell expanded her business and by 1859, she was running a boarding house and catering business. Her catering business supplied food to churches, firemen and politicians.
James Hemings

Born into slavery in Virginia in 1765, Heming later became the first American to train as a chef in France. His sister, Sally Hemings was the enslaved woman who was the mother of several of former US President Thomas Jefferson’s children. At eight years old, Hemings was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson and at 19 years old, Hemings accompanied Jefferson to France to learn French culinary. In 1787, after study and apprenticeship, he became Jefferson’s chef de cuisine in his house on the Champs-Elysées. That same year, his sister Sally Hemings joined him in Paris, brought as a maid for Jefferson’s youngest daughter. Both Hemings were legally free in France, but both agreed to return to Virginia, and slavery, after negotiating terms and special privileges. When Hemings returned, he introduced vanilla ice cream, macaroni and cheese, creme brulee, whipped cream and more to the United States! After negotiating with Jefferson for his freedom, he was granted freedom in 1796. Jefferson tried several times to persuade Hemings to come back, but Hemings declined. Sadly, Hemings died in Baltimore, MD shortly after Jefferson’s final offer in 1801.
Augustus Jackson

At nine years old, Jackson started working at the White House in Washington, DC and later became a top chef. In 1837, Jackson left the White House and opened his own catering and confectionery business in Philadelphia and became known as the modern-day “Father of Ice Cream” for inventing a better way to make ice cream. Augustus’ recipes were eggless and he added salt to the ice.The salt made his flavors taste even better and it lowered the temperature of the ice cream. Augustus packaged his ice cream and sold them to other Black-owned ice cream parlors. Augustus became one of the wealthiest people in the city of Philadelphia and his ice cream was called “Philadelphia style.” He shared his ideas with other Black ice cream parlor owners in Philadelphia, most of whom found similar success with ice cream making well into the 19th century until racial prejudice drove most of them out of business. While Augustus Jackson did not invent ice cream, his eggless “Philadelphia style” ice cream recipe is still being used today. Asé Augustus Jackson.