Virginia’s Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches Secures ‘Much-Needed Expansion’

It’s a sweet day for Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches, as the Virginia-based company announced it is investing $5.8 million to move production into a refurbished manufacturing facility.

The small-batch ice cream brand headquartered in Richmond has doubled its production year-over-year and is “bursting at the seams,” said Nightingale director of brand marketing Molly Szkotak Hugel.

The company will move into a 29,000 sq. ft. facility (24,000 dedicated to production) in Richmond early in 2026, where it can meet its current capacity demands with “room to grow,” Szkotak Hugel said. The facility will allow the brand to expand its manufacturing and increase efficiency while adding 166 jobs to its current 80 full-time employees.

“It’s a much-needed expansion,” Szkotak Hugel said. “One of the most impactful investments we’re making is in a spiral freezer that significantly accelerates our production process…What used to take overnight can now be accomplished in minutes, allowing us to scale our output efficiently and meet growing demand without compromising on quality.”

Financing for the move comes from Nightingale reinvesting profits along with support from its regional bank, TowneBank. Adding financial assistance were the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the City of Richmond and the Greater Richmond Partnership.

The partnership includes support from the Virginia Jobs Investment Program, which provides consultative services and supports small businesses by reducing the human resource costs of new and expanding companies.

“What began in the kitchen of a Richmond restaurant has grown into something beyond what we ever imagined,” said Nightingale Ice Cream CEO, president and cofounder Hannah Pollack in a statement.

Pollack founded the frozen indulgence brand with her Belgian-born husband and chef Xavier Meers in 2016. The two bootstrapped the ice cream sandwich business from their home kitchen while working other jobs before devoting themselves completely to the ice cream brand.

The brand has six signature flavors along with a host of seasonal options that span Miso Churro to Banana Split. The brand even playfully teased an April Fool’s Day-themed gag promotion last year with Pizza Hut.

Nightingale makes over 80,000 ice cream sandwiches daily and about 2 million sandwiches per month. The brand is currently available in over 5,200 retail doors, including Whole Foods Market, Kroger, The Fresh Market, Harris Teeter and Costco.