“WHATEVER YOU ARE thinking about right now,
just do it,” was the text Izaiah Ellis got as he sat
on his couch contemplating his plan to start a
business. After getting laid off from his job in 2020, Ellis was
wondering what to do next.
Bringing in his love of culinary arts, Ellis started recipe
testing for rolled ice cream as the craze filled his YouTube
suggestions. After a week, the perfect concoction of heavy
cream, condensed milk, and sugar was ready. The house-made
product is categorized as Super Premium, meaning the best of
the best.
“The FDA has rankings for ice cream which a lot of people
don’t know about. … Super Premium is a butterfat and air
content calculation,” says Ellis. “Not very many companies fall
into Super Premium.”
With this green light, 23-year-old Ellis started a small
business where he rolled ice cream from a cart at private
events—thus the birth of Cryo Rolls.
Like everyone in Gen-Z, Ellis then took to TikTok to
make videos on variations of rolled ice cream with the series
“Will It Roll?” Cryo Rolls has since garnered a whopping 1.7
million followers on TikTok and continues to engage with
customers worldwide.
With so much customer traction, Ellis relocated to a
storefront tucked away in a corner of the Granary Building.
Cryo Rolls opened its doors in September 2022 to curious
customers who couldn’t wait to get their hands on Bellingham’s
first rolled ice cream (and to cheekily get their face on the
famous TikTok Live that hosts thousands of followers daily).
Entering the bright space with swirls on the wall, customers
can immediately hear the clanking of metal spatulas as they
turn melted creations into frozen rolls. Employees live up to
the slogan, “We just love ice cream,” and from afternoon untill
evening, they work with customers to create their perfect treat.
Expect engaging conversations and toppings suggestions to
make your ice cream even more delicious!
Cryo Rolls offers a menu that satisfies everyone’s
needs, from the basic to the adventurous. Flavors range
from Strawberry Cheesecake, made with a sweet and rich
cream base, graham crackers, and tart frozen strawberries,
to Cornbread, made with the same cream base, moist
cornbread laced with butter, and finished with a syrupy
drizzle of honey and whipped cream. A vegan option is also
available with a coconut and soy base; just let an employee
know before starting.
Ellis takes a hands-on approach when creating flavors,
noting, “We’re pushing the boundaries a lot. It’s very hard; I
think I’ve created about 100 different flavors in six months.”
With a weekly rotating menu consisting of four different
flavors, the possibilities are endless.
The future of Cryo Rolls is promising as Ellis talks about
collaborations with local shops, the possibility of opening up
more locations, and even more delicious concoctions. Follow
Cryo Rolls on TikTok @cryorolls to see live updates or just say
hi.
