Vince D’Amico is preparing to conquer new worlds in what used to be his off-season as he wraps up the seventh summer of making and selling ice cream from his north Trenton shop.
The entrepreneur and owner of Vincent’s Ice Cream has been wholesaling bulk ice cream year round for awhile. But this fall, a new venture has caught his attention.
In partnership with neighboring businessman, Mayank “Mike” Patel, D’Amico is producing ice cream specifically for the Asian Indian market.
The Hindu temples around the state are the center of Indian cultural life. Celebrations of all kinds are held there and ice cream is a favorite dessert.
“The Indian palate,” says Patel, “likes sweets.”
Whereas the children have more Americanized tastes that lean towards flavors like cookies and cream or almond joy, many of the adults miss the flavors familiar from their own youth.
Enter D’Amico.
A bit of a foodie besides having a keen sense for opportunity, he opted to try his hand at making some flavors of ice cream to appeal to the traditional Indian palate. Patel encouraged his friend’s experimentation and the result is a smashing success.
On the day the Downtowner visited, Patel and D’Amico were preparing to make a batch of fig ice cream. Other flavors in the lineup include pina colada, pistachio, mango, chicku (also known as sapota), guava and cashew and raisin.
All of Vincent’s ice cream is made with premium bases and flavorings, including fresh local fruits when available.
That care in choice and selection of ingredients carries over to the new line of products. The base uses no eggs or gelatin in accordance with the Hindu dietary laws.
The process D’Amico uses introduces less air into the product during the freezing. That leads to a denser, richer texture to the premium product regardless of whether it is made for the American or Indian market.
All of the ice cream is made in a five-gallon batch freezer. D’Amico is ready to purchase a second one to meet the expected demand from the new venture.
New Jersey’s Asian Indian population grew more than 70 percent from 2000 to 2010, making it the state’s largest Asian ethnic group. And the number continues to rise.
After introducing the products at a couple of catered events at his temple, Patel started getting inquiries from other halls and churches in the New York/New Jersey area.
In a matter of months, according to D’Amico, the new line of flavors was accounting for about 10 percent of his overall sales.
So, as he prepares to shutter the take-out window for the winter, D’Amico looks toward the demand for this new product line to heat up.
Vincent’s Ice Cream is located at 902 N. Olden Ave. in Trenton. Phone: (609) 396—3341.
Mayank “Mike” Patel and Vince D’Amico show off some of the new flavors at Vince’s Ice Cream in Trenton. (Photo courtesy of Vince D’Amico.)
