History
A 60 Year Tradition of Quality
McConnell's Fine Ice Creams, Inc., was founded in 1949 by Gordon F. "Mac" McConnell and his wonderful wife Ernestine right on the corner of State and Mission streets here in beautiful Santa Barbara, California. The McConnell's built their legendary ice cream store/factory right on the former lot of the famous Flying A Movie Studios, makers of hundreds of silent movies from 1915 to 1929.
McConnell developed his now famous ice cream recipes and production methods as a healthful and happy occupation after sampling the great ice creams of Europe during his tour as an air force pilot during WWII (flying landing-gliders). He may have been the first in the United States to import the then cutting-edge "French Pot" method of quality, commercial ice cream production. In fact, to this day, McConnell's keeps as a highly guarded trade secret our one-of-a-kind French Pot Hybrid continuous freezer mutator that is a direct decendent of the original french pot machines that "Mac" McConnell's brought over to American in 1949.
McConnell created recipes which called for nothing but the most select ingredients available. McConnell's ice cream (then just the corner store) was purchased in 1963 by Mr. Jim McCoy (seen here on opening day!).
McCoy has since enjoyed tremendous success with his culinary adventure. Before McConnell's he worked for Shell Oil after servin in the infantry. After a degree from Claremont McKenna College he worked for Ringling Bros circus until he reported for duty as a Lt., in the infantry. In 1980 our Master Ice Cream Maker, Mike Vierra started with the firm.
In 1987 the retail store moved two blocks to Mission and De La Vina. It is still there, being owned and operated by Bob and Jean Moss since 2003 . Corporate headquarters and the plant have been located about 2 miles away at the corner of Canon Perdido and Milpas since 1975. Ice Cream was first made at the new plant on July 4th, 1976, helping commemorate our countries 200th birthday. The multi colored
cow on the roof is a has been painted and repainted by Santa Barbara High and the opposing football teams for over 40 years. You can now discover McConnell's in literally hundreds of markets, select restaurants and ice cream shops across the country in pint containers, 3-gallon bulk, as well as private label products.
Jim McCoy turned the day-to day management of the company over to Jimmy Young, his stepson in 1999. Among Jimmy's accoumplishiments were redesigning our pint line, increasing sales and adding the European or "gelateria" style of packaing of our bulk products. In 2009 Jimmy has built our first retail shop in many decades by opening and running McConnell's Fine Ice Cream & Yogurt in Ventura, Ca. We are working to develope this new Super premium ice cream/yogurt concept with the hopes of continuing its expansion nation wide!
What Makes McConnell's So Special?
When choosing our raw ingredients; from our local fresh cream to our bourbon vanilla beans, Guittard chocolates, Hawaiian macadamia nuts, Pacific Northwest fruit and blended coffees from Columbia; price is not a significant factor. McConnell's uses only the most select ingredients for all grades of our ice creams. And McConnell's pledges that no artificial ingredients or stabilizers are used, whatsoever, in our products. Our top quality Bourdon vanilla beans, (Vanilla planifolia) is the most popular variety of vanilla beans commercially available in the United States, One of the main flavor components in Bourbon vanilla is vanillin, which imparts the bean with its destinctive vanilla flavor Guittard Chocolate Company, the oldest family owned and operated chocolate company is the US, is one of the world's most respected purveyors of Premium chocolate.
It's no insult that our trademark Super Premium ice cream is called "The densest in town!" A 3-gallon tub weighs 24 pounds (A comparable competitor's brand can weigh as little as 13 lbs.). The relative density of ice cream is described in terms of "overrun", which is a percent measurement of air that enters ice cream during the manufacturing process.
We hold McConnell's Super Premium ice creams to only 15% overrun making them the creamiest available.
If a lighter brand is what you prefer for your store or restaurant, then McConnell's uses the same hand picked ingredients and expertise to produce our select Santa Barbara Ice Cream line. McConnell's Ice Cream is a delight, we produce our fine ice cream so you can enjoy the pleasurable taste.