Meet a Maker: Jessica Weiss Levison of Peekaboo Organics
Peekaboo Organics is on a mission to make sweet treats with hidden benefits a norm.
You’ve probably heard of veggie-packed and superfood-studded cookies, crackers, chips, cereal and more. But ice cream? That's a bit of a stretch. But Peekaboo Organics founder and CEO Jessica Weiss Levison is on a mission to change that logic and make her sweet treat with hidden benefits a normal in freezers across the country. Founded in 2018, Jessica's fast-growing startup can now be found in retailers nationwide, and has since appeared on ABC's infamous Shark Tank.
You can learn more about Jessica and Peekaboo in these additional readings:
Now let’s get the scoop on how Jessica has been managing business during the pandemic and into the New Year.
Peekaboo isn't your first ice cream business… tell us a little about your entrepreneurial background!
I started making ice cream 12 years ago for my scoop shop, Serendipity, located in Surfside, FL. That’s where I first started innovating with hidden veggies.
So… Shark Tank. No big deal! What led to this, and what was your experience like?
Their casting director actually cold called me! It was a wild ride - from the casting process to filming to waiting to see if our episode would even air! Find out more about our time with the Sharks here.
Can we talk about your recent rebrand? What inspired this? Who did you work with?
We worked with the talented, Jacober Associates. We were getting a lot of feedback from consumers that our original packaging did not adequately communicate how innovative and awesome Peekaboo is! The veggies were so hidden on the original design that it looked like all other ice cream. Now, the rebrand puts veggies front and center!
What do you think customers are most drawn to? How do you differentiate from other “healthy” ice creams?
Peekaboo is an indulgent ice cream with hidden benefits - veggies! Low cal and low fat ice creams remove the very ingredients that make ice cream a treat, whereas Peekaboo leaves in all that goodness and adds vitamins and minerals.
How has COVID impacted business?
As a startup it’s so important to us (and fun) to engage with consumers in real life, and sample the ice cream. It has been really challenging since sampling and events have been cancelled. So we have tried to adapt by finding new and creative ways to accomplish the same.
With the absence of sampling, how do you get customers to try?
We partnered with Bazaarvoice, we have been using e-comm to get Peekaboo into more homes and our appearance on Shark Tank really helped show consumers that Peekaboo is really, really delicious! Spoiler alert: the Sharks loved Peekaboo.
As an entrepreneur (and working mom!), how do you maintain balance?
Balance? What’s that (ha!)?
What advice do you have for other early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs?
Stay true to your north star and know that you will be faced with what seem like insurmountable challenges almost daily. It is normal, you can handle it, so deal with it and move on to the next!
What 3 items do you always have in your grocery cart?
Peekaboo Ice Cream, honey crisp apples and Nutella!
What other brands and founders do you admire in the CPG space?
Matt Weiss (Rind), Gavin McClosky (Love, Corn), Mollie Cha (Hakuna Banana).
Follow Peekaboo Ice Cream on Instagram @eatpeekaboo
You’ve probably heard of veggie-packed and superfood-studded cookies, crackers, chips, cereal and more. But ice cream? That's a bit of a stretch. But Peekaboo Organics founder and CEO Jessica Weiss Levison is on a mission to change that logic and make her sweet treat with hidden benefits a normal in freezers across the country. Founded in 2018, Jessica's fast-growing startup can now be found in retailers nationwide, and has since appeared on ABC's infamous Shark Tank.
You can learn more about Jessica and Peekaboo in these additional readings:
Now let’s get the scoop on how Jessica has been managing business during the pandemic and into the New Year.
Peekaboo isn't your first ice cream business… tell us a little about your entrepreneurial background!
I started making ice cream 12 years ago for my scoop shop, Serendipity, located in Surfside, FL. That’s where I first started innovating with hidden veggies.
So… Shark Tank. No big deal! What led to this, and what was your experience like?
Their casting director actually cold called me! It was a wild ride - from the casting process to filming to waiting to see if our episode would even air! Find out more about our time with the Sharks here.
Can we talk about your recent rebrand? What inspired this? Who did you work with?
We worked with the talented, Jacober Associates. We were getting a lot of feedback from consumers that our original packaging did not adequately communicate how innovative and awesome Peekaboo is! The veggies were so hidden on the original design that it looked like all other ice cream. Now, the rebrand puts veggies front and center!
What do you think customers are most drawn to? How do you differentiate from other “healthy” ice creams?
Peekaboo is an indulgent ice cream with hidden benefits - veggies! Low cal and low fat ice creams remove the very ingredients that make ice cream a treat, whereas Peekaboo leaves in all that goodness and adds vitamins and minerals.
How has COVID impacted business?
As a startup it’s so important to us (and fun) to engage with consumers in real life, and sample the ice cream. It has been really challenging since sampling and events have been cancelled. So we have tried to adapt by finding new and creative ways to accomplish the same.
With the absence of sampling, how do you get customers to try?
We partnered with Bazaarvoice, we have been using e-comm to get Peekaboo into more homes and our appearance on Shark Tank really helped show consumers that Peekaboo is really, really delicious! Spoiler alert: the Sharks loved Peekaboo.
As an entrepreneur (and working mom!), how do you maintain balance?
Balance? What’s that (ha!)?
What advice do you have for other early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs?
Stay true to your north star and know that you will be faced with what seem like insurmountable challenges almost daily. It is normal, you can handle it, so deal with it and move on to the next!
What 3 items do you always have in your grocery cart?
Peekaboo Ice Cream, honey crisp apples and Nutella!
What other brands and founders do you admire in the CPG space?
Matt Weiss (Rind), Gavin McClosky (Love, Corn), Mollie Cha (Hakuna Banana).
Follow Peekaboo Ice Cream on Instagram @eatpeekaboo
You’ve probably heard of veggie-packed and superfood-studded cookies, crackers, chips, cereal and more. But ice cream? That's a bit of a stretch. But Peekaboo Organics founder and CEO Jessica Weiss Levison is on a mission to change that logic and make her sweet treat with hidden benefits a normal in freezers across the country. Founded in 2018, Jessica's fast-growing startup can now be found in retailers nationwide, and has since appeared on ABC's infamous Shark Tank.
You can learn more about Jessica and Peekaboo in these additional readings:
Now let’s get the scoop on how Jessica has been managing business during the pandemic and into the New Year.
Peekaboo isn't your first ice cream business… tell us a little about your entrepreneurial background!
I started making ice cream 12 years ago for my scoop shop, Serendipity, located in Surfside, FL. That’s where I first started innovating with hidden veggies.
So… Shark Tank. No big deal! What led to this, and what was your experience like?
Their casting director actually cold called me! It was a wild ride - from the casting process to filming to waiting to see if our episode would even air! Find out more about our time with the Sharks here.
Can we talk about your recent rebrand? What inspired this? Who did you work with?
We worked with the talented, Jacober Associates. We were getting a lot of feedback from consumers that our original packaging did not adequately communicate how innovative and awesome Peekaboo is! The veggies were so hidden on the original design that it looked like all other ice cream. Now, the rebrand puts veggies front and center!
What do you think customers are most drawn to? How do you differentiate from other “healthy” ice creams?
Peekaboo is an indulgent ice cream with hidden benefits - veggies! Low cal and low fat ice creams remove the very ingredients that make ice cream a treat, whereas Peekaboo leaves in all that goodness and adds vitamins and minerals.
How has COVID impacted business?
As a startup it’s so important to us (and fun) to engage with consumers in real life, and sample the ice cream. It has been really challenging since sampling and events have been cancelled. So we have tried to adapt by finding new and creative ways to accomplish the same.
With the absence of sampling, how do you get customers to try?
We partnered with Bazaarvoice, we have been using e-comm to get Peekaboo into more homes and our appearance on Shark Tank really helped show consumers that Peekaboo is really, really delicious! Spoiler alert: the Sharks loved Peekaboo.
As an entrepreneur (and working mom!), how do you maintain balance?
Balance? What’s that (ha!)?
What advice do you have for other early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs?
Stay true to your north star and know that you will be faced with what seem like insurmountable challenges almost daily. It is normal, you can handle it, so deal with it and move on to the next!
What 3 items do you always have in your grocery cart?
Peekaboo Ice Cream, honey crisp apples and Nutella!
What other brands and founders do you admire in the CPG space?
Matt Weiss (Rind), Gavin McClosky (Love, Corn), Mollie Cha (Hakuna Banana).
Follow Peekaboo Ice Cream on Instagram @eatpeekaboo
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