-Courtesy of Aversa PR & Events
photo by Ritchie D. King Jr. / @Dvvinci
Lokal Artisan Foods and owner Charisse McGill has teamed up with Cloud Cups and owner Galen Thomas on a smooth and creamy new summer treat debuting just in time for National Ice Cream Month. French Toast Bites Gelato makes its debut this weekend on July 1st at Spruce Street Harbor Park, Cherry Street Pier, Pizza Brain, Manayunk Pizza and Ashley’s Deli – as well as at select local street fairs and festivals. The new collab brings together two of the region’s celebrated award-winning Black-owned businesses for a new product collection that is a pivot for both businesses as both recover out of the pandemic. Cloud Cups is a local artisan gelato and sorbet company. The Today Show recently named Cloud Cups’ gelato top 50 in America. For Lokal Artisan Foods, the new French Toast Bites Gelato, in two flavors to start, is the most recent product for a company that started with an investment from the owner’s daughter’s lemonade stand, that then created a nationally recognized brand and collection that now includes French Toast Bites shakes, spice, beer, coffee and now gelato.
“FrenchToast Bites has evolved so much over the past few years from just being a street food,” said McGill. “During on-set and height of the pandemic, I had to partner and pivot our way through it by extending the product line. The energy behind the products have inspired more products, like now the Gelato. I am proud to partner with a fellow Black-owned business and congrats to Cloud Cups on being named one of America’s top 50 gelatos by the Today Show.”
“Being able to create one of a kind products with one of a kind friends has always held a special place in my heart and this new gelato with Charisse’s FrenchToast Bites is definitely something special…it’s made with real FrenchToast Bites,” said Thomas.
French Toast Bites Gelato brings together a creamy and sultry mix of sugar, spice and everything nice in an artisanal gelato that is available in two flavors to start. It is available in scoops and cones, as well as by the pint. The gelato is made with real French Toast Bites and French Toast Bites Spice, which is made special for Cloud Cups who then has created a creamy and smooth gelato that now comes in French Toast Bites Strawberry and French Toast Bites Stracciatella. The strawberry version is made with made with real FrenchToast Bites and infused with real strawberries. French Toast Bites Stracciatella features French Toast Bites blended smooth and mixed with shavings of chocolate throughout. The two flavor profiles mirror the most popular way McGill’s customers order FrenchToast Bites.
The new gelato is available at Spruce Street Harbor Park and Cherry Street Pier at the French Toast Bites physical locations, by the scoop, cone and pint. Pints are also available for delivery on DoorDash and GrubHub. Additional locations include: Pizza Brain, Manayunk Pizza and Ashley’s Deli, and others to be announced.
For this new collaboration and product line, McGill met Thomas through mutual friends. She tried Cloud Cups’ gelato and fell in love at first spoonful. The two companies also shared similiar vision and values. She also took note of the diversity of flavors and felt the two could make a top quality product they both could be proud of. They began the process of perfecting the recipe with real French Toast Bites and the French Toast Bites Spice.
Lokal Artisan Foods and McGill’s newest French Toast Bites creation joins a growing collection of products that celebrates McGill’s love and passion for French Toast, plus this represents the company’s survival and expansion out of the pandemic that saw the company loose tens of thousands of dollars in event revenue. Over the pandemic, McGill pivoted into two new brick-and-mortar locations, and she expanded her offerings to include the gelato, plus Bites, Shakes, Spice, Beer and Coffee. For the expansion, McGill has teamed up with heavy hitters from the region, including Yard’s for the French Toast Bites Beer and Bean2Bean Coffee Company for the French Toast Bites Coffee.
French Toast Bites at Cherry Street Pier is located at 121 N. Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Hours are 4:00pm to 10:00pm on Fridays, and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00am to 8:00pm. French Toast Bites at Spruce Street Harbor Park is located at 401 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Hours are Monday to Thursday, 5:00pm to 10:00pm, Friday 5:00pm to 11:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 11:00am to 11:00pm.
To celebrate, FrenchToast Bites at Spruce Street Harbor Park is hosting a special launch party and FrenchToast Bites Gelato Social on Saturday, July 2nd from 1-6:30pm. McGill said, “We’re opening our private deck, just for you. Join us at our Spruce Street Harbor Park location on our private deck overlooking the Delaware River. Be one of the first in the city to try our new FrenchToast Bites Gelato in collaboration with local Gelato company, Cloud Cups.”
Reservations includes a shareable pint of choice of FrenchToast Bites Gelato (Strawberry or Stracciatella) and access to the private deck with service (no need to stand in line) during your time slot. The purchase supports the launch of the new product – with more to come!
For more about Lokal Artisan Foods, visit https://www.lokalartisanfoods.com/. Connect on social media at @lokalartisanfoods on Facebook and Instagram.For more about the French Toast Ale, visit https://www.lokalartisanfoods.com/french-toast-bites-beer
Lokal Artisan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lokalartisanfoods/
Cloud Cups on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cloudcupsdc/
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