Downtown Wilmington now has a new ice cream joint at 8th and Market, operated by UD students.
Wilmington's UDairy Creamery held a grand opening event on Tuesday.
It was a hoppin’ block party on Market Street that afternoon, with UD students - both inside and outside - serving scoop after scoop of ice cream.
“I applied to UDairy cuz I love ice cream," said freshman psychology major Naiyla Richardson, who goes by Nay. "Can’t go wrong with ice cream!”
While Nay studies in Newark, most of the approximately 20 part-time student employees at the Market Street creamery study at UD’s Wilmington Associate of Arts program.
UDairy Creamery Manager Jennifer Rodammer is excited about the new location. UD also has classes tied to the shop – like “From the Cow to the Cone: The Science and Business of Ice Cream.”
“We feel it’s a great opportunity for them to see where the food is really coming from, it gives them hands-on experience making the ice cream since we are going to be making it on site here," Rodammer said.
Rodammer says students will also have a say in what new flavors are developed – and the ingredients incorporated.
At the Wilmington grand opening, a new flavor - 8th and Market - was distributed in honor of UDairy Creamery’s first off-campus location.
Rodammer described the flavor.
“So it’s a chocolate ice cream –and it has mini marshmallows and a chocolate sandwich cookie swirl, so kind of the road not traveled in a way," she said.
Rodammer says for now the shop’s hours are 11 am to 8 p.m., 7 days a week. And they won't serve just ice cream.
They'll offer burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches in the coming weeks.
“And the exciting part is the burgers are coming from the Angus herd on our campus," Rodammer said. "So we’re actually using grass-fed locally-sourced meat for it.”
Rodammer says one of her goals is for the shops to start making their own cheese, and using it in those grilled cheese sandwiches.
Other items produced on the UD campus – like honey, wool, and blankets – will also be sold at the shop.
