From found trailers on Folly Beach, South Carolina to a now recognized side hustle, McKowell’s Dole Whip is busy bringing delightful frozen treats to many dessert lovers. Spawned from over 35 year lineage founded by the Dole Corporation 1984, diverse flavors of pineapple, mango, cherry, watermelon, lemon and lime available in the truck-made treat have brought the delight in every unique time enjoyed.
The Dole corporation proudly developed their iconic soft-serve frozen treat in 1984, making it available at the Disney parks and Dole Plantation in Hawaii. This delicious, plant-based, dairy-free treat is available in an array of tantalizing flavors – pineapple, mango, cherry, watermelon, lemon, and lime. In 2022, McKowell’s Dole Whip moment happened on a vacation to Folly Beach, South Carolina – where they stumbled upon a trailer selling this much-loved treat. One taste was enough for them to develop an all-consuming craving for it, yet it seemed impossible to find anywhere else.
Seeing an opportunity, McKowell decided to make their own Dole Whip and turn it into a side hustle. With their passion for feeding people combined with their love of baking and creating exciting new flavors, they’ve been able to successfully launch their business and bring this favorite treat to many more people.
They found a 1997 Chevy P30 step van, painted pink, on eBay for $20,000. With a fascinating history starting as a DHL delivery truck in Michigan and then becoming an ice cream truck in Florida and a juice truck in Ohio, their brother, Josh Horvath, was inspired to create graphics and signage for the truck. Although McKowell had planned to have it ready for the 2022 ice cream season, they faced challenges when trying to get parts for the twenty-five-year-old vehicle due to supply chain issues. Despite these obstacles, they persevered and have now created something special that brings joy to many.
After spending another $5,000 to fix it up, they passed their city pre-opening inspection in mid-September and set out to find places to do business. With Ann Arbor’s strict rules about food trucks not being allowed to sell on any city property, they took the truck to a number of private events, including a West Side block party, where they received an enthusiastic reception.
The McKowell family have been delighting customers since April with their Treat Truck business, which sports a quieter generator than before. With the help of husband Mason, brother Josh, sister Emma and friend Natasha Doan-Motsinger, they’ve created a successful venture that can be found at the South Lyon Farmers and Artisans Market and the Howell Food Truck Rally, among other places. Their website, TheTreatTruckMI.com, provides an up-to-date schedule of locations and social media outlets on Facebook and Instagram at #thetreattruckmi keep customers informed. To top it off, they have added an array of vegan baked goods to their menu from the Growing Hope Incubator Kitchen in Ypsilanti. Most recently, a sticky toffee pudding cake has been added to the mix. Along with those goodies, they offer Temptation, an oat-based, nondairy soft serve ice cream with two flavors and a twist, as well as four different flavors of hand-dipped ice cream and floats made with root beer, pineapple juice, Vernors or cold brew coffee, all topped with chocolate sauce, dairy-free whipped cream, and house made toffee sauce. Customers can enjoy these delicious treats for prices ranging from $4 to $8.
McKowell’s Dole Whip is a creative and talked-about success story that has grown exponentially due to an unlikely combination of perseverance, novelty, and opportunity. What started as a spontaneous idea while on vacation, quickly blossomed into a burgeoning business that can now be found delighting customers all over the country with its amazing flavors. Whether you find them at the steps of their vintage pink Chevy step van, or in stores nationwide, one bite of McKowell’s Dole Whip reminds us why they are one of the hottest up-and-coming food businesses around.
