The Cutthroat World of $10 Ice Cream

Small scoop shops fueled the innovation that made frozen treats a hot market. What happens to indie favorites in the golden age of the freezer aisle?

Put the ice cream near the cash registers. That is traditional grocery store wisdom, mainly so the product won’t melt in the cart as it winds through the aisles. For shoppers worn down by the journey through a hangar-size Whole Foods, it’s also a reward: an ultradecadent bounty in an ever-multiplying variety of daring and imaginative flavors.