NuLu gourmet ice cream shop selling pints at local Kroger stores

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Anyone with a sweet tooth can now buy pints of Louisville-made gourmet ice cream at four different Kroger stores around the city.

Louisville Cream opened its doors three years ago in the NuLu district. The shop makes premium, small-batch ice cream with local ingredients, from scratch, all in house.

"We really, really care," said Darryl Goodner, co-owner of Louisville Cream. "Ice cream is like the only thing we think about. And we constantly think about how do we make the best version of it possible. If you buy and eat a pint of ours, you can definitely tell the difference."

Some of Louisville Cream's unique flavor combinations include Coffee with Bourbon Cream, Pistachio Honeycomb and Black Bottom Banana Pudding. Business was churning along, but the pandemic hit like an unwanted brain freeze. The owners had to close the shop’s doors to customers but found creative ways to continue satisfying their ice cream cravings.

First, they offered call-in orders and curbside pick-up. Then, they expanded online ordering options and added baked treats to their menu — all while pumping out more creative flavor combinations. Eventually, they started collaborating with local restaurants and cafes to reach a new customer base.

And then Kroger came calling. Goodner said Louisville Cream had attempted to partner with the grocery chain in the past, but it never worked out. So he was thrilled when the opportunity presented itself in the midst of the pandemic.

Louisville Cream in Kroger — You can find Louisville Cream ice cream at four different Kroger stores around the city. (WDRB Photo)

"It was the best, honestly," Goodner said about seeing his ice cream in Kroger freezer sections. "I had a personal list of goals like 10 years ago, and it just feels good to cross that one off."

Currently, you can find select flavors of Louisville Cream at four different Kroger stores:

St. Matthews Kroger on Hubbards Lane
Highlands Kroger on Bardstown Road
Holiday Manor Kroger on Brownsborrow Road
Middletown Kroger on Shelbyville Road

Louisville Cream can also be purchased at select Whole Foods and Rainbow Blossom locations. To see a full list of the stores, cafes, or restaurants where the ice cream is being sold, click here. The shop also regularly shares new partnerships and collaborations on its social media pages.

Goodner said the pandemic has not crushed the shop financially, but it definitely took a bite out of business. Selling pints in Kroger and other grocery stores is providing some much-needed stability.

"It slowly changed to where that became the bulk of our business," he said. "That’s been like our saving grace is that everyone started grocery shopping more. Kroger isn’t changing our whole business, but it is creating a steady stream of income that we would not have had."