Today, Cornell AgriTech encompasses a 900-acre research farm, 500,000 square feet of laboratory space and has 32 faculty members, 30 graduate students, 22 postdoctoral associates and more than 300 employees.Ĭornell AgriTech has developed and released more than 280 varieties of fruits and vegetables for both the fresh-market and processing industries. At the time, the station had only 130 acres of land, seven scientists, one building, a barn and some horses. “RVA is the home of Nightingale.When the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station – now known as Cornell AgriTech – opened its doors in Geneva, New York in 1882, it was the state’s first independent, state-funded agricultural experiment station and one of the first of its kind in the U.S. “It’s our passion, it’s our life, we really built this from nothing.”Īnd although the homemade ice cream sandwiches can now be enjoyed across the globe, “Everything we make says made in Richmond, Virginia,” Pollack notes proudly. “It is exciting to see where we came from and where we are now and where we’re going - it’s the best part for me,” Pollack says.
And while they’re aware that partnering with large corporations may be viewed as a sign that they’re ditching their grassroots origins, they believe the wide-scale growth is a mark of their tenacity, as well as the success of their product.
Moving into a dedicated production facility at Hatch Kitchen more than a year ago, the husband-and-wife team remains heavily involved in Nightingale’s day-to-day operations. Nightingale also made its debut on the global food website Goldbelly. And last year, after revamping its in-flight menus, JetBlue introduced Chomp as the exclusive dessert for international flights. It’s about making it more accessible for everybody.”Īlso starting at the end of March, Nightingale’s traditional, full-sized sandwiches in flavors such as Miso Churro and Fat Banana - and their newest creation, Cereal Bar - will be sold at every Fresh Market location across the country. “It’s the same recipe, the same quality, just a different size. “There are a lot of people looking for this product,” Meers says, noting that Nightingale can be hard to find in the Chesterfield, Henrico and Midlothian areas. “We wanted something that could be on freezer shelves,” Pollack says. At just under $5 per box, Chomp transforms the small-batch, chef-driven product from a splurge-worthy, one-time treat to a snackable and affordable option. While Nightingale’s ice cream sandwiches are typically found at specialty stores and feature higher price tags, Chomp allows Nightingale to reach a wider audience. Noticing the rise and success of grocers such as Whole Foods and neighborhood markets and hoping to appeal to a wider pool of purchasers, the superstore sought out a small-batch product with a local touch.
Chomp by Nightingale is another step for us.” “Walmart reached out to us, and they knew about our brand and wanted to just explore the opportunity to work together.
“This year is a really big year for us,” Pollack says. Nightingale began selling four-packs of its Chomp-branded treats - half-sized versions of its original ice cream sandwiches - at hundreds of Walmart stores along the East Coast in flavors such as Classic, Cookie Monster and Strawberry Shortcake. At the end of March, they entered the national grocery store arena with a new brand, Chomp. Originally created as a restaurant dessert by former chef Hannah Pollack, Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches became a ubiquitous local treat after she and her husband, Xavier Meers, founded the company in 2016.
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