It’s officially opening weekend for the ice cream bar that introduced Sudbury to cereal-infused ice cream last spring.
Picture Fruit Loops, Captain Crunch, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Golden Grahams and other cereals married with scoops of flavoured ice cream for intriguing combinations.
The stand, on Regional Road 15 in Chelmsford, became a reality after owners Marc-André Marseille and Lauren Williamson visited a similar concept shop in New York City four years ago.
“My husband always dreamed of owning a flavoured soft serve ice cream shop since he was a pre-teen,” Williamson said.
The dream pivoted and went even a step further in many ways with cereal as an additive.
The first favourite among customers was always the “Froop Loop” ice cream that incorporates vanilla ice cream, colourful Fruit Loops with berries and a strawberry syrup drizzled on top.
But Lauren said the Sweet and Salty has quickly become the frontrunner with about 2,500 sales last season. It is a combination of Captain Crunch cereal, pretzels, Skor bits and salted caramel sauce.
“It is built on nostalgia for all those lovers of Captain Crunch back in their heyday,” she added.
The third top choice is the Cinn-sational. It’s a combination of vanilla ice cream and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. It’s also garnished with a cinnamon cookie and a mini cinnamon bun on top.
Lauren’s favourite is by far the Cafe Mocha ice cream as it combines a coffee flavour thanks to finely grounded espresso and Nesquick cereal along with Teddy Grahams and whipping cream to finish things off.
She said they even made some tweaks to it this winter to perfect the flavour.
Her husband is a fan of the Sweet and Salty cone and the Campfire ,Milkshake which is a play on the traditional summer favourite, s’mores. It’s extra special as the cup is lined with marshmallow fluff.
There are five other milkshakes on the menu, including The Leprechaun, the Chai, Cheesecake and Apple Pie.
In recognizing dietary restrictions, Lauren has brought in a lactose-free vanilla ice cream that is also sugar free with a line of healthier cereals that will be introduced later in the season.
Lauren, who deals with a severe allergy herself, is also trying to find a way to ensure the bar can cater to those with allergies. They are doing extensive research and trouble shooting on this matter.
The ice cream bar shares space with Nickel City Cheese and its other family businesses like NCC Poutinerie and the NCC Sweetest Delights, mini donut shop.
Those businesses are run by other family members with her mother-in-law, Nicole Paquin, paving the way for it all on the property with the cheese curd business.
This summer, a third generation will join the ranks. Lauren and Marc-André’s son will be running the cash register and serving up ice cream and cereal combinations with a smile.
The ice cream bar is also a finalist for the 2023 Bell Business Excellence Awards for Young Entrepreneur of the Year held later this week on May 25.
CEREALously Creamy Ice Cream Bar is located at 3888 Regional Road 15, Chelmsford next to the Poutinerie and Mini Donut stands.
While it is closed today for Victoria Day, patrons can visit from 12-8 p.m. Saturday and Sundays. It’s also open Wednesday to Friday between 3:30 - 8 p.m. Hours will be extended once school is out at the end of June.
Anastasia Rioux is a writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s Eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
