THE FOOD LIFE

Weckerly's Ice Cream's Next Chapter

March 07, 2024
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WECKERLY PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SOURCE.

Long before Cristina Torres became the new owner of Weckerly’s Ice Cream in January, she had been a fan. “I used to live in the neighborhood—this part of Fishtown was my backyard,” she says. Like a lot of Weckerly’s devotees, the ice cream sandwiches were her favorite.

“I love the triple chocolate mini ice cream sandwich with fudge on the side for dipping,” she says. “Then it’s quadruple chocolate.”

“When I saw Weckerly’s post that they were closing, I just reached out and asked about buying it,” says Torres. Founders Jen and Andy Satinsky fielded plenty of similar inquiries, but Torres, with her strong business experience and a zest for entrepreneurship, stood out as someone set up for success. “As a consultant, I’ve seen all sorts of industries,” she says.

Torres has already given the space a light renovation, but there’s a lot about this beloved brand that is not going to change. As always, Weckerly’s prefers sourcing local ingredients when possible. Dairy for the ice cream comes from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative.

“People don’t realize all the research and development Jen and Andy put into this. They spent a long time creating this ice cream,” says Torres. Maintaining the ice cream that fans have grown to know and love over the past decade is a top priority for her as the new owner.

“Jen and Andy put a huge emphasis on quality—not just the quality of the end product, but every single ingredient is top quality,” says Torres.

The only change Torres has in mind is doing more of what already works. “I want to have more flavors available, and I want to expand our footprint into more retail shops and e-commerce,” she says. So far, countless fans have seen her at the shop and thanked her for carrying on Weckerly’s legacy. “This place isn’t just ice cream. It means a lot to the community.”

Weckerly’s Ice Cream
9 W. Girard Ave.
215.423.2000
weckerlys.com

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