The World's First Oat Milk Ice Crème Shoppe is Coming to Los Angeles!
That's right. Whipped - Urban Dessert Lab is opening its second location in Los Angeles (2022). We are proud to be a Black women-owned brand which is allergen-friendly and 100% vegan/plant-based and we are extremely excited to bring our shoppe to the West Coast.
CHECK OUT FAQs to see how you can win FREE ice crème for a year!
Our Background
The Founders & Owners: Zan (left) & Courtney (right)We are a sisterly duo (Zan and Courtney, PhD) with backgrounds in science and entrepreneurship. We have created a proprietary formula using OATS, to create a smooth, creamy, indulgent experience without any dairy, nuts, or tree nuts that even dairy-lovers cannot resist. Our shoppe also offers other plant-based desserts, including cakes and truffles that are available for nationwide shipping on Goldbelly.
So how did we start?
We began as a pop-up shoppe in a food hall in Brooklyn, NY Summer 2019. Because of the overwhelming positive response to our product and brand, we took the plunge and opened our own brick and mortar location in Manhattan in February 2020.
But the pandemic hit and two weeks later, we had to temporarily close. We reopened in May 2020 for limited hours and have been pushing through ever since. Opening our shoppe right before the pandemic, operating during the pandemic, and surviving the pandemic in one of the hardest hit cities (NYC) has given us a unique perspective and experience. It was tough, but we are tougher.
We survived the pandemic!
And we would not have been able to push through without our supportive fans. Check out a clip of our 1 year anniversary!
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Customers wait in the rain...
Customers wait in the rain for our famous ice crèmeAnd in the snow...
Customers waiting in line after NYC blizzardTo get their hands on...
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As one fan has put it...
A few of the publications we have been featured in
We are coming to West Hollywood.
We are bringing our plant-based customizable ice crème shoppe to Los Angeles early 2022! Our shoppe will be the first of its kind on the West Coast.
Sneak peek of our new space.
But we need your help.
Funds raised during the campaign will be used for items necessary to open and operate the shoppe including: equipment (ice cream machines, refrigerators, freezers, etc.), a display case, tables, seating, signage, licenses/permits, supplies, ingredients and staff training.
So why support this campaign? Check out the rewards if any of the following apply to you!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORTTHANK YOU!
Whipped – Urban Dessert Lab is excited to expand! Please show your support by purchasing one of the amazing reward packages we have put together and please share our campaign with family and friends. Our minimum goal is $60,000 but our stretch goal is $80,000. Thank you and we are happy that we have supportive people like you becoming part of our story and journey.
Risks and challenges
We opened our Manhattan, NYC shoppe right before the pandemic and have been growing our brand ever since. Operating during the pandemic has been very difficult, especially for small businesses. In addition, according to the Small Business Administration, minority-owned businesses are less likely to secure funding, and for minority-led businesses that do secure funding, interest rates average higher. Therefore, even though we have experience in opening and operating a shoppe in a new market, securing capital as a black female-owned business has been an arduous task. But we are confident in our skill set and drive, and are extremely proud of our proven track record in successfully operating an emerging brand. We will be competing with the likes of other dessert and ice cream shoppes in LA. However, our creamy ice crème is unmatched and we are the World's First Oat-Milk Ice Crème Shoppe! Our shoppe also appeals to both people who follow a plant-based lifestyle AND regular dairy lovers (people often say they can't tell it's plant based) which makes us a fave pick for everyone.
