Allen Malberg, business owner of Homestead Ice Cream, contacted me explaining that almost 5 years ago he had purchased an iconic ice cream store in Saskatoon. He was enjoying great success and substantial growth in sales and profitability year on year. He wanted to know how he could make more of his already successful business. Very aware that while everyone knows his brand, loves his product and his store, (first established in 1978), that there still must be further opportunities.

As a young enthusiastic entrepreneur raised on a farm in Saskatchewan determined to achieve success in the business world, Allen purchased Homestead Ice Cream in 2012. Homestead is an integral part of the community in and around Saskatoon. Serving over 400 flavours of fresh ice cream and an extensive range of novelties, including his famous Frozen Triple Dipped Cheese Cake on a Stick. Homestead serves over 130,000 customers ice cream treats in Saskatoon every year, from its Flagship Store and Mobile Food Truck, and the numbers keep growing.

I was asked to review the overall business, how its structured, how its managed, marketed and finally how and where he can improve and also expand. “How can we do better and more with what we have?”

This business needed a full review of the existing business and management practises. This is not a project specific challenge but rather a whole business challenge and an exciting opportunity as a consultant.
During the initial business review it quickly became clear the full potential of this loved brand was not being fully exploited and enjoyed. Homestead brand had evolved quite organically and while that needed to be embraced into the re-branding it needed to be more professionally translated and shared. The new branding would help us refresh the shop, the truck and even more exciting re-design the packaging so we would be able to roll out Homestead Products into grocery stores throughout the province. The new branding also provided us the opportunity to truly make Homestead Allen’s business. The new logo includes an illustration of the Malberg homestead multigenerational farm and has a modernized yet traditional style and tone.

With the new branding implemented onto the shop, interior and exterior, as well as through the introduction of beautiful new packaging Homestead is enjoying stronger and better success than ever before. The success of the new packaging has resulted in an exponential increase in sales of pre-packed ice cream through Homestead’s flagship store, as well as through grocery stores in Saskatoon and soon to be in more stores province-wide. The newly branded Homestead Ice Cream truck served 18,000 customers in only 6 days at Taste of Saskatchewan Festival.
One of the more exciting recent achievements was CTV News out of Toronto named Homestead Ice Cream, Saskatoon, one of the top 15 places for Ice Cream in all of Canada.

We are enjoying further opportunities by introducing new additional and seasonal flavours into the grocery stores as well as a selection of novelties! There are a number of additional grocery stores set to come onboard soon. What was once a very seasonal business is now becoming a year-round wholesale, as well as retail, business.

The opportunities for this business and brand are excellent and very exciting, the new challenges will be managing the growth and building the systems to ensure Homestead enjoys a controlled and sustainable business for years to come.