Dunedin businesswoman Olive Tabor began her Patti's and Cream ice cream-making empire with a single white van back in 2018.
Now she's celebrating the opening of a sit-down ice cream diner restaurant in George Street, on the site of the former Capers Cafe.
The business is in addition to her popular Scoop Shop in Mornington, and the mobile Patti’s and Cream food truck van.
"I wasn't thinking about doing this just yet", says Ms Tabor. "But the opportunity just presented itself".
The decision meant a rapid scaling-up for Patti's and Cream, taking the number of employees across the businesses from four full-time and four part-time staff, up to seven full-time and "around six part-time staff".
Her original ice cream truck is off the road for maintenance until late Spring, but Ms Tabor says she's planning to continue operating all three ventures.
She admits it had been challenging to expand the business during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it was possible because she had "a versatile product" that was always in demand and was well-loved by her Dunedin customers.
And while she's focussed on the local market for the immedite future, she hasn't ruled out expanding operations into other South Island locations over the next few years.
