Advice Line with Jeni Britton of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (2025)

Jenny Britton, founder of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, returns as a mentor on the Advice Line to counsel three food businesses at different growth stages. The episode opens with context about Jeni's growth from a single location to 80+ scoop shops and presence in 12,000 retail locations, plus Jenny's new venture Flora, a fiber bar company using produce trimmings for sustainability.

The first caller, Jesse Koenig of Jesse and Ben's, sells premium frozen French fries made with grass-fed beef tallow and avocado oil in 400 grocery stores, launching nationally with Sprouts. Jesse asks whether to market to health-conscious consumers already avoiding seed oils or to educate mainstream consumers about the problem. Jenny and Guy advise that people primarily want great-tasting fries, and the health angle will attract those already interested without limiting broader appeal. They suggest in-store sampling with air fryers to demonstrate the product, citing successful examples like Sir Kensington's condiment sampling. Jesse notes they're currently at seven-figure sales after one year and are preparing for major expansion.

The second caller, Casey White of Jaju Pierogi, has built to $2.5 million in revenue across 2,700 stores by methodically growing for nine years without external investment. Casey asks how to sustainably scale in CPG without raising capital or whether significant fundraising is necessary. Jenny emphasizes that outside capital requires surrendering control and autonomy that entrepreneurs value. She suggests exploring SBA loans and bank financing first, which Casey confirms they've used. Jenny encourages Casey to tap their existing network of friends and family investors who've already supported the business rather than bringing in venture capital partners with different priorities. She also recommends establishing a board of advisors immediately, which helped organize her team at Jeni's and provided leverage later during her 2015 private equity partnership. Guy notes the current fundraising environment is tight, with investors seeking billion-dollar opportunities, making bootstrapping more realistic for food brands.

The third caller, Callie Say of Ube.co, has reached $50,000-$100,000 in sales selling organic purple sweet potato dog treats for sensitive stomachs through direct-to-consumer channels and 12 local stores. Callie, a full-time UCLA scientist, asks how to find a reputable PR firm to handle marketing so she can focus on product development. Jenny and Guy redirect her, arguing that she first needs to clarify her messaging before hiring external help. They emphasize that PR firms require a champion within the firm who genuinely believes in the product. Jenny suggests Callie instead hire a single in-house person focused on communications and message organization rather than outsourcing to an expensive PR firm. Guy suggests trying social media ads with a limited budget to test effectiveness. Jenny emphasizes Callie's authentic origin story—a scientist creating treats for her own sensitive-stomach dog using purple sweet potatoes—as powerful marketing material, and recommends she showcase this authenticity across social platforms and engage directly with pet communities. Callie notes she's already built a 30% returning customer rate and uses brand ambassador apps for content creation.

Throughout the episode, Jenny shares broader wisdom about entrepreneurship. She discusses why Columbus was ideal for launching Jeni's—proximity to dairy farms, lower startup costs, and community support—versus expensive coastal cities. She emphasizes that founders often surrender control when raising capital, losing the ability to explore and discover independently. On communications, she stresses that what entrepreneurs think resonates with customers often differs from reality, requiring direct feedback from selling and listening. She recommends having external advisors—a coach, business advisor, and attorney—even when bootstrapping, to help founders carry power effectively as they grow.

The episode concludes with updates on the callers' progress: Ube has seen stable growth with increased product inquiries; Jaju Pierogi secured SBA loans and grants, expanded into Giant and Target stores throughout the Midwest, and grew food service by 40%; Jesse and Ben's expanded from 400 to 5,000+ stores across Whole Foods, Sprouts, Target, and Costco, and raised $10 million from investors including founders from Organe, Poppy, and Sweetgreen.