RACHEL NALLY

THE IDEA:

Homemade ice cream and other treats

There’s no disputing Americans love their ice cream. The average American eats roughly 20 pounds of ice cream annually, or about four gallons.

Fortune Business Insights estimates the global ice cream market will reach nearly $98 billion in 2027, up from $71.52 billion in 2021—a 37% jump in less than a decade due to the world’s craving for ice cream.

Food entrepreneur Rachel Nally is capitalizing on these trends. As the founder of the Local Apple Cart, she has put her own twist on this beloved treat. The Local Apple Cart makes homemade ice cream. The menu includes premium, vegan, allergy free, and alcohol-infused frozen desserts — all served in a hip location. After test-marketing her concept as a food truck, the food purveyor recently joined the vendor community at Electric Works’ food hall. Union Street Market offers a range of regionally sourced food and beverages and is a destination for those looking for a taste of local flavor.

Rachel’s niche is that she only uses whole ingredients with no fillers to make premium ice creams and frozen desserts. She says Fort Wayne foodies are looking for varied and new products, such as alcohol-infused ice creams. Before opening her brick-and-mortar location, this concept simply wasn’t available in Fort Wayne or anywhere nearby. That all changed when she joined the vendor lineup at Electric Works.

Though development has proven to be a significant milestone, fun, flavor, variety and inclusivity are the hallmarks of her brand. In addition to their homemade soft serve, they serve hard-dip ice creams with plenty of creative and vegan options. The Local Apple Cart also entices customers with other treats like Dole Whip and fresh lemonade.

Her team serves Electric Works employees, visitors, nearby residents, downtown workers, regional residents and tourists.  Looking to the future, she plans to start manufacturing ice cream for local grocery stores, restaurants and other carryout retailers in the next 3-5 years.