Surprise Hits: Dippin' Dots -- the ice cream of the future has finally arrived
Filed under: Company News, Columns
For two decades, Dippin' Dots has been the "ice cream of the future." Like jetpacks and flying cars, it seemed like the future would never quite arrive for the little ice-cream balls that microbiologist Curt Jones invented in 1988. For years, they were an exotic, hard-to-find treat. But recently the beads of ice cream are showing up all over the place -- at thousands of kiosks at amusement parks, theaters, malls, and stores. Not that there's anything wrong with ice cream, but it's fun to eat in the freeze-dried format.
Dippin' Dots, based in Paducah, Kentucky, is finally having its day. In 2006, MSNBC put its sales at $50 million, up 38 percent in three years. Last year, Inc. named it one of the fastest-growing private companies. Entrepreneur says it has 486 franchises, up from 420 last year.
And the recession has not been kind to Dippin' Dots, which is far more expensive than regular ice cream and must be kept far colder than normal ice cream -- and, incidentally, colder than IttiBitz, which can be stored with standard ice cream.
But don't count Dippin' Dots out yet. The company is planning a new flash-frozen product: coffee pellets that create an instant fresh-brewed cup with hot water. Now where's my jetpack?
Be sure to check out all 20 recent products that became Surprise Hits.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-07-2009 @ 11:24PM
kels said...
dipping dots are great they carry them at McDonalds in Ewa Beach in Hawaii Its so hot there I had a for real addiction to them the bananna spilt is the best. The ones you can buy in our stores are not as good as yhr ones in the ice cream places.
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7-11-2009 @ 5:34PM
Sandy Becker said...
TO: Curt Jones,
You hang in there Curt. It seems that there is always some
s-o-b trying to horn in on and steal someone else's hard
work. I for one am a true believer in supporting the person
that credit is due. I wouldn't even think about purchasing the
competitions knock offs. Dippin Dots rule. And, I'll be looking out for your coffee pellets. GO CURT!
Reply
7-19-2009 @ 1:03PM
GreenSoil said...
Southern California-Woman Rancher Eco packs premium soil conditioner tea's for the Container, Patio, Small Home gardener. You Brew it Fresh and grow Green like the larger growers have for years! www.AuthenticHavenBrand.com
Support Small American Business!
We love Dippin Dots too
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