Since FGCU’s student-run creamery opened last fall, it has proven to be popular among students and staff alike. Webb Cheshire, the director of entrepreneurial ventures and the creamery said it is different and unique from other dining places on campus.
“The creamery was the brainchild of our former provost, Mark Rieger. He had previously had a creamery at his former university, and it was very successful,” Cheshire said.
From sourcing ingredients and managing production to developing marketing strategies and learning how to deliver good customer service. Students also learn how to navigate the life of an entrepreneur.
“Our student-run ice cream business provides a transformative learning experience for our student workers, offering them the chance to gain practical knowledge in every aspect of running a business,” Cheshire said. “It’s more than just learning about business. It’s about applying those lessons in a real-world setting and gaining the confidence to lead and succeed in future ventures.”
One of the creamery’s student workers, junior Julia Garcia, was looking for a job on campus in August when she was approached by Cheshire handing out flyers. She thought it would be fun to apply even though she had never worked in a kitchen before.
“It’s definitely given me experience in the kitchen, I’ve never washed dishes before, never handled big machinery before,” Garcia said. “It’s really fun because I get to be with other students and not just people who aren’t my age, I get to relate to.”
The creamery officially started selling on Feb. 5 but has been active for two years. They are on campus selling from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but the location changes depending on the day.
The creamery production area is located in the Sugden Hall Kitchen Lab. Students and staff can locate the mobile ice cream cart on campus through the FGCU dining website.
Though the creamery is entrepreneurship-focused, students don’t need to be entrepreneurship majors to work there.
The creamery serves four to five flavors that rotate every other day based on popular demand. The most popular flavors are chocolate and chocolate chip cookie dough. It also offers non-dairy sorbets and nut-free options, making sure to clean thoroughly before making them to not cross-contaminate.
Small cups are on a buy-one-get-one-free sale for $4. the FGCU Creamery takes Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit cards and debit cards.
Cheshire believes the creamery’s impact on FGCU will be great and that all profits will go to different student scholarships and programs.
“The ice cream has been a great success. We have a three and five-year plan to eventually have a stand-alone venue here on campus where students, faculty and staff will be able to get all their ice cream needs, from shakes to ice cream cakes,” Cheshire said.
