Madeira Trading LLC Partners with Purity Ice Cream Co.

Madeira Trading LLC and Purity Ice Cream Co. marked the beginning of their new partnership at noon on June 26 when Purity Ice Cream premiered its new açai smoothie.

Erika Madeira, CEO of Madeira Trading, said it wasn’t until Heather Lane, co-owner of Purity Ice Cream, saw her pitch at a Networking@Rev event celebrating women in entrepreneurship that the two began hashing out the details about finally working together.

Madeira, a Cornell alum, got her start at Rev: Ithaca Startup Works as company in the Passenger to Pilot program. After graduating the program she became a Member, staying connected to the mentorship from Rev entrepreneurs-in-residence and the support system she built in the program.

“Rev helped me a lot, because at our graduation we had to pitch our company. I had been trying to sell to Purity for the last two years but I think it was not the right moment for Purity because they had only ice cream. Now they have breakfast and lunch — they have changed the menu,” Madeira said.

Madeira and Lane both agree that it was while at the Rev event Lane realized that Purity had grown to a place where they could use Madeira’s product.

“This naturally fits our shop,” said Lane. “Once I listened to her talk at Rev, and then I had some of her fruit and I was like ‘I’ve just gotta make this happen!’”

Lane also said she wasn’t originally expecting healthy foods to be as popular at Purity, since she originally envisioned the shop being an ice cream and burger shack. When she noticed, after opening up a breakfast and lunch menu, that Purity’s vegan and healthier options were outselling their burgers night after night, the decision to incorporate açai was easy.

“I am a person who wants to do it right. This was so easy I should hit myself over the head for not doing it sooner,” Lane said. “And I love smoothies!”

The 310-calorie purple smoothie contains pineapple, bananas, strawberries, apple cider, and — of course — açai berries, making it perfect for vegans and lactose-intolerate customers. The super-fruit is rich in antioxidants, fiber, iron, calcium, vitamin A and is clinically proven to be beneficial to your health.

You can find the açai smoothie on Purity’s menu during the lunch (11:00 AM – 2:30 PM) for now. Lane and Madeira are still smoothing out the details, but perhaps we may see an acai bowl in Purity’s future!

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