Franchising

Clementine’s Ice Cream secures $6M for expansion

Source: Clementine's Ice Cream

March 17, 2026

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Clementine's Ice Cream landed $6 million in funding from New York-based growth investment firm Next Phase Capital to support the micro-creamery's national expansion strategy.

The St. Louis-based company plans to launch its franchising program in the second quarter of 2026, supported by a vertically integrated supply chain and co-pack margins shared with franchisees. Clementine's also plans to grow its grocery and e-commerce operations while investing in production efficiencies designed to preserve its small-batch, handcrafted approach while increasing capacity.

The company is one of a handful of micro-creameries in the United States and said it was the first American company to offer dairy-free ice cream at scale.

Founded by Tamara Keefe in 2014, Clementine's has grown from a single shop in St. Louis to 11 locations across Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois and Kansas. The company operates a 25,000-square-foot production facility in north St. Louis.