From pandemic project to business: Waconia family starts ice cream company

WACONIA, Minn. (FOX 9) - When pandemic life was giving out lemons, the Hillesheim family made ice cream.

"We were looking for something to do as a family, and then just one night, the kids were like, well, can we try making ice cream?" said Kristen Hillesheim with Frozen Five Ice Creamery in Waconia.

"When Life Gives You Lemons" was one of the first flavors the Hillesheims made. But, with family and friends giving opinions while demanding more ice cream, the Hillesheims quickly moved from a kitchen ice cream mixer to a commercial kitchen.

The Frozen Five Ice Creamery stands for the Hillesheim family of five but also for the five ingredients: cream, milk, sugar, xanthan gum and corn syrup. Then there are a lot of mix-ins to the perfect pint, like brown butter struessel.

"Our goal is to get a bite of mix in every time you take a bite of ice cream," Kristen said.

Right now, there are five flavors: Wedding Night, Over the Salted Rainbow, When Life Gives You Lemons, Breakfast in Bed, and Chocomallow.

"I like the Chocomallow cause there’s marshmallow and marshmallow fluff, and then there’s my favorite candy, chocolate," Harper Hillesheim said.

After the Hillesheims’ ice cream was a hit with family and friends, it was only natural to start thinking big. But, an ice cream store wasn’t initially what they had in mind.

"It all started with an ice cream bike…we never got around to doing that. This dream kind of took over, so we just went bigger," Kristen said.

Now, an old jewelry store in Waconia will soon be the Frozen Five Ice Creamery.

"It’s really crazy to be in here now and look at everything and see our vision actually coming true. It’s very cool."

Soon, 12 flavors will be on the menu, with the goal of opening by the Fourth of July.