Case Study: The Taste of Sweet Success

Melt Ice Creams finds its sweet spot with help from KPS Global

Melt Ice Creams is a husband-and-wife-owned and operated ice cream shop located in the Magnolia district, one of the most eclectic areas in Fort Worth, Texas.

The idea to start the business came to Mark Seher and his wife back in 2014 when they noticed their Fort Worth neighborhood didn’t have any sweet treat options. Not long after, they opened their first location on Rosedale, but quickly outgrew the small space. Their next stop was their current location on Magnolia which opened July 1, 2016.

MELT Storefront

The Challenge:

After experiencing great success, the owners were once again challenged with expanding the business to a larger location. This time, they were faced with the challenge of finding space equipped with a production kitchen or building a centralized kitchen that handles all of the manufacturing and distribution. They chose the latter and selected a unique location in Fort Worth’s oldest building, the O.B. Macaroni building.

“The building has been a food manufacturing facility since the 1890s and we’re elated that Melt will carry on in that tradition,” says Mark.

Choosing The Right Vendor:

The company took into account several factors while selecting a walk-in vendor. The most important was the need for a centralized kitchen that would allow them to open smaller retail locations in spaces not already equipped with a kitchen.

Before selecting a vendor, Melt reached out to industry peers and did a fair amount of online research on prices, lead times, the manufacturing process and the latest innovations in manufacturing. In addition, the company became very well-versed in the importance of using high quality foam in-place polyurethane versus inferior, cheaper alternatives.

Ultimately, Melt turned to KPS Global for help with its expansion in large part because of the performance and durability of the existing KPS Global cooler in its current retail location.

MELT Testimonial

A Partner For Future Success

Melt was equally impressed by the seamless experience of working with KPS Global. When asked to describe his experience, Mark doesn’t hesitate.

“KPS Global and Mike Thayer at Manufacturer’s Direct handled everything for our centralized kitchen – design, manufacturing and installation – making my life easier on the path to purchase” states Mark. “In addition, we were continually impressed with the responsiveness and knowledge of everyone we encountered.” An investment of this magnitude is an important decision for the company because a centralized kitchen enables Melt to maintain consistent quality and product standards and will make adding retail locations easier. “With KPS Global as our partner, Melt is now posed for future growth,” says Mark.

The cold chain is critical for those who serve or sell refrigerated or frozen items, particularly when you’re in the ice cream business. Parlor owners must be able to store gallons of product at continuously controlled temperatures; thus, unwanted temperature changes can be detrimental to quality, safety, and the bottom line, making professional, reliable freezers a necessary component for creameries.

When Mark Seher opened his ice cream parlor, Melt Ice Creams, he did his research. He began by asking fellow industry peers who they used and personally visited locations to investigate their walk-in coolers and freezers. He followed up with online research and in-depth assessments of customer reviews. He interviewed several different manufacturers to compare technologies and manufacturing processes. But the one company name that surfaced time and time again as the most trusted, highest quality manufacturer of walk-ins was KPS Global. KPSG’s staff was vaunted as the most responsive alongside extremely short lead times and competitive prices, KPS Global was an easy decision.

Check out this video to see MELT’s own Mark Seher describe the various factors that played into his decision to choose KPSG for his centralized kitchen.