Vanderwende’s Creamery Cools Off Sussex County

  

   When Donna and Jimmy Vanderwende opened Vanderwende’s Creamery in July of 2012, they were not expecting their small business to become such a staple during the sweltering summers in southern Delaware. "I don’t think I ever dreamt we’d be this busy," said Donna, who runs the creamery with her husband Jimmy and 20 employees. The family-owned dairy farm, located along Route 404 in Bridgeville, has been a part of the Vanderwende family for generations, but only started selling ice cream in recent years. Route 404 is a popular corridor for beach-goers heading to Lewes, Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany, Fenwick, and Ocean City, but lacked attractions for hungry or tired travelers. Vanderwende’s is in the perfect location for vacationers and locals to take a break and enjoy the creamery’s 31 ice cream flavors, all of which are made on location daily. The curious cows have also become an attraction themselves. Morgan, 20, who makes ice cream at the creamery, said "They like to see the people as much as the people like to see them."

   The biggest crowd pleaser at Vanderwende’s is the peanut butter fudge crunch ice cream, their most popular flavor. Donna enjoys seeing customers’ eyes light up in surprise when they see the portion size—much larger than what they were expecting. Man’s best friend isn’t left out of the fun either! Doggie-friendly sundaes are available for people who bring their dogs along. The grounds around the creamery also serve as a great place for pets to stretch their legs and get some fresh air. An ice cream truck is the newest venture for Vanderwende’s, which will travel to events rather than making rounds on a route. The truck functions as a shop on wheels, allowing the employees to do everything on the go that they can do in the store and bring 22 to 25 flavors of ice cream with them. A second creamery could be in the future for Vanderwende’s, although Donna says a decision hasn’t yet been made.