Startup Star: Popscoops

As the popularity of craft cocktails increases, a Hudson native is offering alcohol-infused ice cream with an emphasis on fun and locally made. 

“A few mom-and-pops have done this, and booze-infused products are a growing market, but it’s still a niche and I wanted to do it differently,” says Cynthia Mugariri, founder of Popscoops New England. That difference is to keep the product as local as possible, so while she is approved to distribute nationwide, Mugariri is focusing on New England. 

To make her business idea a reality, Mugariri partnered with Goss Farm, which has locations in Massachusetts and NH, to produce the ice cream. “Owner Wes Goss has 13 years of dairy experience,” says Mugariri. “He had dabbled with infused products and loved the idea and was eager to work with me.”

It took Mugariri three years of planning and refining recipes to launch her business in October 2022. While Mugariri gets creative developing flavors, she says there is also a science to it. “My mixology team has a lot of bartending experience but not all things freeze well, so we try out ideas and if it tastes good to us, we make it. ‘PB and Joe’ is our biggest seller right now,” she says referring to a flavor that combines peanut butter whiskey with coffee brandy.

Popscoops sells its cool cocktail concoctions in sizes ranging from 8 oz. containers to 2.5-gallon tubs and Mugariri has connected with several restaurants that are creating unique desserts with her products.

As she focuses on brand awareness in New England, Mugariri says if she does branch out to other parts of the country, she would still want the products to belocally sourced. 

Mugariri says one of the biggest challenges has been trying to identify her target demographic, as well as coming to terms with the “reality of entrepreneurship. You are thinking you quit your job to work when you want, but you really quit your 9-5 to work 24/7.”