Joe Nicchi: Creating the Soft Serve Empire
My guest on episode #484 of #thePOZcast is Joe Nicchi, the founder of CVT Soft Serve — the Los Angeles ice cream brand that started from a refurbished Mister Softee truck named “Charlie” and grew into a national phenomenon. Within months of launching, Joe made headlines for his bold stance on influencer culture and a surprise Bill Murray cameo that helped cement CVT as an LA staple. Today, his soft-serve empire spans from trucks to grocery aisles, with CVT’s first-of-its-kind ice cream pouch named “LA’s Food Item of the Year” by Eater LA and now sold in over 3,000 stores nationwide. His story is one of grit, creativity, and the sweet taste of turning a street-corner idea into an American brand success story. Let’s get into it. CVT Soft Serve is available in grocery stores across the country including Wegmans, Safeway, Price Chopper, Central Markets, Ralphs, Fred Meyer and available for delivery nationwide through Healthy Goodness—find a full list of stores at www.cvtsoftserve.com. Follow @cvtsoftserve on IG.
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Takeaways
- Joe Nicchi organized an ice cream social to meet Bill Murray.
- The event attracted the neighborhood and created excitement.
- Bill Murray eventually showed up, making the event memorable. The story went viral on Reddit, gaining massive attention.
- Media outlets like the Today Show covered the event.
- Community engagement can lead to unexpected outcomes.
- Celebrity encounters can create lasting memories.
- The power of social media in amplifying local events and the dangers of it.
- Creating unique experiences can draw people together.
- Sometimes, all it takes is a simple idea to go viral.
