Velvet Ice Cream Company
A family-owned American ice cream manufacturer based in Utica, Ohio.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Velvet Ice Cream Company is a family-owned American ice cream manufacturer headquartered in Utica, Ohio. The company traces its origins to 1914, when Joseph Dager, a Lebanese immigrant, began making ice cream in the basement of a confectionery in Utica. The business remained connected to its founding family and developed from a local producer into a regional manufacturer serving both retail and food-service customers. A major turning point came in 1960, when Velvet moved from its original Utica location to Ye Olde Mill, a site approximately one mile south of the company’s first premises. Ye Olde Mill became more than a manufacturing and administrative location. It developed into the company’s principal public-facing destination, set within a 20-acre park-like property and incorporating an ice cream museum, visitor center, and operating ice cream shop. The site also hosts the Utica Ice Cream Festival, an annual event held on Memorial Day since 1974. The festival and visitor facilities give Velvet a heritage-oriented identity in addition to its role as a packaged-food manufacturer. Velvet is described as a fourth-generation family-operated company. In 2009, Joseph C. Dager became chairman of the board, while his daughter Luconda became president and Joanne and Andre Dager became vice-presidents. This leadership structure illustrates the company’s continuing family governance and succession model. Rather than being part of a large publicly traded food conglomerate, Velvet has retained a private, regional-company profile. The company manufactures ice cream and sherbet products. Its retail distribution has been reported across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia, while its food-service business reaches customers in 26 states. Reported annual production exceeds 5 million gallons of ice cream, and reported yearly sales exceed $30 million, although these figures are not accompanied here by a dated financial filing or company financial statement and should be treated as historical reference figures rather than current results. In 2015, Velvet began construction of a $3 million warehouse, freezer, and distribution center. The project represented an investment in storage and logistics capacity intended to support the company’s manufacturing and distribution operations. In April 2021, Velvet announced a voluntary recall involving ice cream and sherbet products because of possible listeria contamination. The recall is a food-safety event associated with the company, but the available reference material does not establish the extent of affected products, injuries, or regulatory findings. Velvet’s brand identity is therefore built around three connected elements: a long-running family enterprise, regional ice cream manufacturing, and Ye Olde Mill as a heritage and visitor destination. Its presence is concentrated in the United States, particularly the Ohio-centered retail market and a broader food-service network. The available reference material does not identify a parent corporation, public listing, current website, or international operations.
History
Velvet Ice Cream Company was established in 1914 in Utica, Ohio, by Joseph Dager, a Lebanese immigrant. Dager began producing ice cream in the basement of a Utica confectionery, creating the foundation for a business that would remain family owned and operated through four generations. The company’s early history is associated with small-scale local production, while its later development involved expanded manufacturing, distribution, and public-facing facilities. In 1960, Velvet relocated approximately one mile south of its original site to Ye Olde Mill. The property became the company’s headquarters and its best-known physical expression. Located on a 20-acre park-like setting, Ye Olde Mill includes an ice cream museum, a visitor center, and a working ice cream shop. It functions both as an operating company site and as a destination presenting the history and production tradition of the business. Since 1974, the property has also hosted the Utica Ice Cream Festival each Memorial Day. The festival has helped connect Velvet with the local community and reinforce its identity as a longstanding Ohio institution. The company continued under Dager family management. In 2009, Joseph C. Dager became chairman of the board. Luconda Dager became president, and Joanne Dager and Andre Dager became vice-presidents. These appointments marked a visible continuation of family leadership and succession within the fourth-generation enterprise. Velvet’s business includes the manufacture and distribution of ice cream and sherbet. Retail products have been distributed in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Its food-service distribution has extended to 26 states, giving the company a wider institutional and commercial footprint than its core retail geography. Reference material reports production of more than 5 million gallons of ice cream annually and sales above $30 million per year, but no dated audited financial source is supplied for those figures. In 2015, Velvet began construction of a warehouse, freezer, and distribution center reported to cost $3 million. The project was a capacity and logistics investment, reflecting the operational requirements of a frozen-food manufacturer serving retail and food-service channels. In April 2021, the company issued a voluntary recall covering ice cream and sherbet products over possible listeria contamination. The available material identifies the recall but does not provide enough detail to determine the complete product list, final investigation results, or subsequent financial impact. Velvet remains characterized by its combination of family ownership, regional manufacturing, and heritage tourism. Ye Olde Mill gives the company a distinctive visitor-oriented presence, while its distribution network places its products in a broader U.S. market. The available sources do not identify a parent company, stock-market listing, international operations, or a current corporate website.
- 2021
Voluntary product recall
[1]The company recalled ice cream and sherbet products because of possible listeria contamination.
- 2015
Warehouse and distribution expansion announced
[1]Velvet began construction of a warehouse, freezer, and distribution center reported at a cost of $3 million.
- 2009
Dager family leadership appointments
[1]Joseph C. Dager became chairman, Luconda Dager became president, and Joanne and Andre Dager became vice-presidents.
- 1974
Utica Ice Cream Festival begins at Ye Olde Mill
[1]Ye Olde Mill began hosting the annual Utica Ice Cream Festival on Memorial Day.
- 1960
Relocation to Ye Olde Mill
[1]Velvet moved from its original location to Ye Olde Mill, which became its headquarters and principal visitor destination.
- 1914
Company founded in Utica
[1]Joseph Dager founded Velvet Ice Cream in Utica, Ohio, beginning production in the basement of a local confectionery.
Products and positioning
A family-owned, regional American ice cream maker combining traditional manufacturing heritage with retail, food-service, and visitor-attraction operations.
Frozen dessert · 1914
Ice cream
Ice cream is Velvet’s core product category. The company manufactures products for retail distribution in its principal regional markets, including Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia, and for food-service customers across a wider U.S. distribution network. Available reference material does not provide a complete flavor list or current product catalog.
Frozen dessert
Sherbet
Sherbet is another product category manufactured by Velvet and distributed through retail and food-service channels. Sherbet products were included in the company’s April 2021 voluntary recall related to possible listeria contamination. Specific flavors, packaging formats, and current availability are not identified in the supplied material.
Controversies
2021
Velvet Ice Cream recalls products over possible listeria contamination
Velvet Ice Cream issued a voluntary recall of all ice cream and sherbet products sold in the past month over concerns about possible listeria contamination. The recall affects nearly 100 products sold after March 24; the company said no illnesses had been linked to its products.
Brand decisions
2021
Voluntary recall of ice cream and sherbet productsOtherBackground
The company reported concerns about possible listeria contamination in certain ice cream and sherbet products.
Action taken
Velvet issued a voluntary recall in April 2021.
Aftermath
The available reference does not specify the complete scope of the recall, the investigation’s conclusion, or its commercial impact.
2015
Investment in warehouse, freezer, and distribution capacityStrategyBackground
Velvet’s retail and food-service distribution required frozen storage and logistics capacity.
Action taken
The company began construction of a warehouse, freezer, and distribution center reported to cost $3 million.
Aftermath
The supplied material does not report the facility’s completion date or measurable operational results.
Recent events
Velvet Ice Cream recalls products over possible listeria contamination[2]
Reported:
Velvet Ice Cream issued a voluntary recall of all ice cream and sherbet products sold in the past month over concerns about possible listeria contamination. The recall affects nearly 100 products sold after March 24; the company said no illnesses had been linked to its products.
Sources3 sources
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