Ice cream is much more than just a sweet treat. It’s a powerful culinary art form that affects all our senses. Rich, cold, and refreshing, this creamy confection has long been a source of joy and comfort, transforming a modest moment into a delightful state of bliss. It’s a staple at holiday gatherings, summer picnics and, of course, birthday parties, thereby making it the ultimate symbol of celebration. Simply put, ice cream rules.
Probably no organization knows more about ice cream than Alden’s Organic of Eugene, which has been making ice cream products since 2004. A brand of the Oregon Ice Cream Company, Alden’s products are certified organic, non-GMO, and are available at more than 10,000 natural and specialty stores throughout the nation. Alden’s also offers a full line of organic dairy-free and gluten-free options.
Joelle Simmons, chief growth officer with the Oregon Ice Cream Company, says Alden’s Organic takes great care to create products that meet the organic standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture. To be certified organic means that all the components that go into manufacturing must meet USDA rules, from the feed given to cows to the soil maintenance and any fruit products. “We have a strict policy regarding everything that goes into the manufacturing,” she says. “We are adamant that we do not use any artificial ingredients. We try to keep our ice cream as real and as authentic as we possibly can.”
Alden’s cream comes from small organic farms in Oregon, Washington, and California, Simmons says, and the produce comes from numerous organic sources. “Our practices are very sustainable,” she says. “We have an excellent rating, and we know that we are making high quality, safe ice cream for our customers.”
The company offers more than 50 choices of ice cream and frozen dessert products, including ice cream tubs (or square-round “sqrounds”), ice cream bars and sandwiches, and Greek yogurt bars. Recently, Alden’s launched a line of sorbet bars featuring such flavors as limoncello, margarita, and pina colada. “People are enjoying popsicles again,” Simmons says, and Alden’s has plans to expand on this line in the future.
Simmons says Alden’s most popular flavor is vanilla bean, though all the vanilla flavors, including French and old-fashioned vanilla, are big sellers. As for her personal preference, Simmons opts for cold-brew. “I’m a tea drinker, but coffee-flavored ice cream is my favorite,” she says. “You’ve got to have a favorite flavor to work here.”
Quality assurance is an important — and enjoyable — part of manufacturing ice cream, “sampling, tasting, weighing,” Simmons says. But Alden’s flavor and format development team is also an essential part of the company, dreaming up new ways to present ice cream. “Our brand is focused on crafting feel-good ice cream that’s fun, nostalgic (with flavors such as root beer float, orange swirl and rectangle ice cream sandwiches) and inclusive for everyone,” she says. “Everything we do, we try to do it in a really playful way — I mean, we’re making ice cream.”
Alden’s roughly 200 employees can eat the product they create and sometimes bring it home to share with their friends and families, and there’s not a lot of hierarchy or upper management, Simmons says. “We have a very low turnover rate. We have people who want to stay and we’re very proud of that.”
Simmons praised the organization’s leadership and their prioritization of qualities such as thoughtful growth, doing things in a mindful manner, and a high commitment to sustainability. And everyone works hard to reflect those values, she says. “We do a really good job of that.”
Alden’s Organic, 885 Grant Street, Eugene, 800/282-2202, aldensicecream.com
