Meet a Maker: Tate Glasgow, VP Marketing at Killer Creamery
Killer Creamery caters to the growing market of low carb, keto enthusiasts.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for KETO ice cream! Killer Creamery caters to the growing market of low carb, keto enthusiasts who still have that hankering for something sweet. Founder Louis Armstrong, who has a background in food science and a passion for the ketogenic diet, started the company after friends begged him to make a zero-sugar ice cream. And, well, he killed it.
All products are made using a mixture of zero-sugar sweeteners, prebiotic fiber and high-quality c8 MCT oil. Originally available exclusively in pints, now, just in time for summer, the brand is making a splash with it's new line of keto, sugar free ice cream sandwiches... sweet nostalgia!
Read more about the company's products, story and mission here. Now, let's dive in to our interview with VP of Marketing, Tate Glasgow.
Let’s talk business...
What do you think customers are most drawn to with your products? How do you differentiate from other keto ice cream brands? Especially with keto being so big right now.
It’s such a beast of a category right now but I think consumers are drawn to our flavor profiles, our ingredients, and our texture. The big difference for us is the creaminess of our product, not going to lie, when we launched back in 2018 it was hard as a rock and you needed to let it sit out for 20 minutes. Today, with the effort put forth by our team it’s creamy like regular ice cream and scoopable right out of the freezer.
How has COVID impacted business? (The changes of employee relationships with remote vs. in-person dynamics since the pandemic and how it affects daily processes and overall business)
We were remote to begin with so that didn’t change too much. The biggest change for our business was the supply chain. There were a ton of delays in that world over the past two years.
With the absence of sampling, how do you get customers to try?
We have done a couple things. The first being a price reduction and an increase in promotion across the board. The second being a platform called Social Nature that helps drive trials in a digitally focused world.
Let’s talk about scaling a business in terms of growth. What are the pros and cons of fast growth?
It has been a crazy ride and we have bet the house on our brand and product. The biggest difference is that you need a ton of cash to scale quickly. Both are amazing options and it really depends on what your end goals are.
You have a very small team, do you outsource production, distribution, etc.? How did you identify this as a business strategy rather than bringing on a larger team of in-house employees.
We have a small team but a team of believers and doers. In order to keep the team small you really need to trust each other and trust the third parties that you work with. Again, I don’t think there is any one right way to do this, it just depends on your end goals.
Shipping and logistics for frozen food (especially ice cream) must be tricky… what advice do you have for makers in this area?
What a beast….. To be completely honest - DTC frozen shipping is crazy difficult. I would advise people to have a person dedicated to this channel if you decide it is the direction you want to go. Also, don’t try to nickel and dime yourself to better margins here. You need the correct packaging and correct partner to make it work. This is not a high margin part of your business.
Do you work with a co-man? If so, how is this relationship?
We have a few manufacturers that we work with. The relationships are great and a huge part of our success so far. Finding the right partner is key.
What’s next for Killer Creamery? Tell us more about the brand’s evolution and continued innovation?
We have a ton coming down the pipeline but we are really excited about our new product the ice cream sandwiches. They are AMAZING. You’ll see some new products and flavors being announced over the next 12 months that will have you saying “wow”.
On a personal note…
As an entrepreneur managing a growing business, how do you maintain balance?
I lean on my beautiful wife and my two kids for distractions when I am at home. They really help me separate in the evening and clear my head for the coming days.
What advice do you have for other early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs?
Be ready to raise those funds if you are going to grow quickly. Build a brand that consumers can relate to and have that store locked in early. Keep a close eye on distribution and retail shelves as you grow.
What 3 items do you always have in your grocery cart?
Killer Creamery Whale Trails
Killer Creamery Vanilla Ice Cream Sammies
Lily’s Chocolate Chips
What other brands and founders do you admire in the CPG space?
Love what Lily’s has done with such a small team. LevelUp CBD is another great one to keep your eyes on, and last but not least we love HighKey and keep an eye on what they are doing constantly.
Follow Killer Creamery on Instagram @killercreamery
I scream, you scream, we all scream for KETO ice cream! Killer Creamery caters to the growing market of low carb, keto enthusiasts who still have that hankering for something sweet. Founder Louis Armstrong, who has a background in food science and a passion for the ketogenic diet, started the company after friends begged him to make a zero-sugar ice cream. And, well, he killed it.
All products are made using a mixture of zero-sugar sweeteners, prebiotic fiber and high-quality c8 MCT oil. Originally available exclusively in pints, now, just in time for summer, the brand is making a splash with it's new line of keto, sugar free ice cream sandwiches... sweet nostalgia!
Read more about the company's products, story and mission here. Now, let's dive in to our interview with VP of Marketing, Tate Glasgow.
Let’s talk business...
What do you think customers are most drawn to with your products? How do you differentiate from other keto ice cream brands? Especially with keto being so big right now.
It’s such a beast of a category right now but I think consumers are drawn to our flavor profiles, our ingredients, and our texture. The big difference for us is the creaminess of our product, not going to lie, when we launched back in 2018 it was hard as a rock and you needed to let it sit out for 20 minutes. Today, with the effort put forth by our team it’s creamy like regular ice cream and scoopable right out of the freezer.
How has COVID impacted business? (The changes of employee relationships with remote vs. in-person dynamics since the pandemic and how it affects daily processes and overall business)
We were remote to begin with so that didn’t change too much. The biggest change for our business was the supply chain. There were a ton of delays in that world over the past two years.
With the absence of sampling, how do you get customers to try?
We have done a couple things. The first being a price reduction and an increase in promotion across the board. The second being a platform called Social Nature that helps drive trials in a digitally focused world.
Let’s talk about scaling a business in terms of growth. What are the pros and cons of fast growth?
It has been a crazy ride and we have bet the house on our brand and product. The biggest difference is that you need a ton of cash to scale quickly. Both are amazing options and it really depends on what your end goals are.
You have a very small team, do you outsource production, distribution, etc.? How did you identify this as a business strategy rather than bringing on a larger team of in-house employees.
We have a small team but a team of believers and doers. In order to keep the team small you really need to trust each other and trust the third parties that you work with. Again, I don’t think there is any one right way to do this, it just depends on your end goals.
Shipping and logistics for frozen food (especially ice cream) must be tricky… what advice do you have for makers in this area?
What a beast….. To be completely honest - DTC frozen shipping is crazy difficult. I would advise people to have a person dedicated to this channel if you decide it is the direction you want to go. Also, don’t try to nickel and dime yourself to better margins here. You need the correct packaging and correct partner to make it work. This is not a high margin part of your business.
Do you work with a co-man? If so, how is this relationship?
We have a few manufacturers that we work with. The relationships are great and a huge part of our success so far. Finding the right partner is key.
What’s next for Killer Creamery? Tell us more about the brand’s evolution and continued innovation?
We have a ton coming down the pipeline but we are really excited about our new product the ice cream sandwiches. They are AMAZING. You’ll see some new products and flavors being announced over the next 12 months that will have you saying “wow”.
On a personal note…
As an entrepreneur managing a growing business, how do you maintain balance?
I lean on my beautiful wife and my two kids for distractions when I am at home. They really help me separate in the evening and clear my head for the coming days.
What advice do you have for other early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs?
Be ready to raise those funds if you are going to grow quickly. Build a brand that consumers can relate to and have that store locked in early. Keep a close eye on distribution and retail shelves as you grow.
What 3 items do you always have in your grocery cart?
Killer Creamery Whale Trails
Killer Creamery Vanilla Ice Cream Sammies
Lily’s Chocolate Chips
What other brands and founders do you admire in the CPG space?
Love what Lily’s has done with such a small team. LevelUp CBD is another great one to keep your eyes on, and last but not least we love HighKey and keep an eye on what they are doing constantly.
Follow Killer Creamery on Instagram @killercreamery
I scream, you scream, we all scream for KETO ice cream! Killer Creamery caters to the growing market of low carb, keto enthusiasts who still have that hankering for something sweet. Founder Louis Armstrong, who has a background in food science and a passion for the ketogenic diet, started the company after friends begged him to make a zero-sugar ice cream. And, well, he killed it.
All products are made using a mixture of zero-sugar sweeteners, prebiotic fiber and high-quality c8 MCT oil. Originally available exclusively in pints, now, just in time for summer, the brand is making a splash with it's new line of keto, sugar free ice cream sandwiches... sweet nostalgia!
Read more about the company's products, story and mission here. Now, let's dive in to our interview with VP of Marketing, Tate Glasgow.
Let’s talk business...
What do you think customers are most drawn to with your products? How do you differentiate from other keto ice cream brands? Especially with keto being so big right now.
It’s such a beast of a category right now but I think consumers are drawn to our flavor profiles, our ingredients, and our texture. The big difference for us is the creaminess of our product, not going to lie, when we launched back in 2018 it was hard as a rock and you needed to let it sit out for 20 minutes. Today, with the effort put forth by our team it’s creamy like regular ice cream and scoopable right out of the freezer.
How has COVID impacted business? (The changes of employee relationships with remote vs. in-person dynamics since the pandemic and how it affects daily processes and overall business)
We were remote to begin with so that didn’t change too much. The biggest change for our business was the supply chain. There were a ton of delays in that world over the past two years.
With the absence of sampling, how do you get customers to try?
We have done a couple things. The first being a price reduction and an increase in promotion across the board. The second being a platform called Social Nature that helps drive trials in a digitally focused world.
Let’s talk about scaling a business in terms of growth. What are the pros and cons of fast growth?
It has been a crazy ride and we have bet the house on our brand and product. The biggest difference is that you need a ton of cash to scale quickly. Both are amazing options and it really depends on what your end goals are.
You have a very small team, do you outsource production, distribution, etc.? How did you identify this as a business strategy rather than bringing on a larger team of in-house employees.
We have a small team but a team of believers and doers. In order to keep the team small you really need to trust each other and trust the third parties that you work with. Again, I don’t think there is any one right way to do this, it just depends on your end goals.
Shipping and logistics for frozen food (especially ice cream) must be tricky… what advice do you have for makers in this area?
What a beast….. To be completely honest - DTC frozen shipping is crazy difficult. I would advise people to have a person dedicated to this channel if you decide it is the direction you want to go. Also, don’t try to nickel and dime yourself to better margins here. You need the correct packaging and correct partner to make it work. This is not a high margin part of your business.
Do you work with a co-man? If so, how is this relationship?
We have a few manufacturers that we work with. The relationships are great and a huge part of our success so far. Finding the right partner is key.
What’s next for Killer Creamery? Tell us more about the brand’s evolution and continued innovation?
We have a ton coming down the pipeline but we are really excited about our new product the ice cream sandwiches. They are AMAZING. You’ll see some new products and flavors being announced over the next 12 months that will have you saying “wow”.
On a personal note…
As an entrepreneur managing a growing business, how do you maintain balance?
I lean on my beautiful wife and my two kids for distractions when I am at home. They really help me separate in the evening and clear my head for the coming days.
What advice do you have for other early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs?
Be ready to raise those funds if you are going to grow quickly. Build a brand that consumers can relate to and have that store locked in early. Keep a close eye on distribution and retail shelves as you grow.
What 3 items do you always have in your grocery cart?
Killer Creamery Whale Trails
Killer Creamery Vanilla Ice Cream Sammies
Lily’s Chocolate Chips
What other brands and founders do you admire in the CPG space?
Love what Lily’s has done with such a small team. LevelUp CBD is another great one to keep your eyes on, and last but not least we love HighKey and keep an eye on what they are doing constantly.
Follow Killer Creamery on Instagram @killercreamery
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