The Ice Cream Trail Celebrates Pennsylvania Dairy and PA Preferred® Businesses
The Center for Dairy Excellence, PA Preferred®, and the Pennsylvania Tourism Office are once again seeking creameries to participate in the 2024 Pennsylvania “Scooped” Ice Cream Trail program. Pennsylvania dairy farms that have a value-added ice cream component to their business, and use Pennsylvania milk in their ice cream mix, are encouraged to join the program. The PA Ice Cream Trail was designed to increase consumer awareness of locally produced dairy products and drive state-wide traffic to PA Preferred® dairies and creameries.
“The PA Ice Cream Trail is an opportunity to connect your products to enthusiastic ice cream lovers and convert them into loyal customers,” Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “The trail broadens your business exposure to a wider audience throughout the season, bringing in those who are eager not just for great ice cream, but for a connection to the families, farms, and businesses who produce it. We hope you’ll grab this opportunity to put the PA Preferred® brand and PA Culinary Trails to work as an asset for your business.”
The 2024 program is scheduled to kick off in June and will conclude in September. The program includes a digital passport featuring creameries across the state and incentives that are ideal for consumers of all ages.
“I was aware of this program while we were working to get our creamery up and running. Our experience with the Ice Cream Trail has been nothing but positive since then,” said John Nolt, dairy farmer, PA Preferred® member, and owner of Old Mill Creamery in Union County, PA. “There are a lot of people who build their summer travels around hitting new places on the trail. It was also very interesting to check back and see how many check-ins we had on the digital passport.”
Participating creameries are required to have a connection to Pennsylvania dairy and must be a current PA Preferred® member/licensee. The ice cream must be produced on site, using milk and/or ice cream mix made from milk produced in Pennsylvania. If selected for the 2024 program, creameries will receive a toolkit with resources to help with promoting the initiative at their storefront and on digital platforms.
“I was so excited to be part of the Ice Cream Trail. While it is wonderful to have regular, local customers, it’s another experience entirely to visit with people from further away who learn of your business because of this program,” said Amy Brickner, dairy farmer, PA Preferred® member, and owner of Destiny Dairy Bar at Stover Farms in Cumberland County, PA. “They are excited and enthusiastic enough to drive an hour or more just to see your store and try your products!”
To participate in the 2024 Ice Cream Trail or learn more about the program, contact Emily Barge by March 29. Email ebarge@centerfordairyexcellence.org or call 717-788-0300. For more information about the trail, visit www.visitpa.com/trip/scooped-ice-cream-trail.