Innovation

The Blue Pig is the embodiment of eco-friendly and environmental practices. All of the business's daily operations revolve around safe, healthy, and beneficial practices that promote healthy consumption and a healthier environment. Lisa Moir is the owner and manager of the Blue Pig. Initially, she was a divorced single mom, and social worker, during a recession who was actively looking for work. She had no prior experience with ice cream or no vision of ice cream. Her goal was to give to the community while being there and able to support her daughter. She came across a failing ice cream business for sale. She was an avid customer and with each visit, she would think of improvements the ice cream shop could make.

Through the encouragement of another business owner, she purchased the Blue Pig in 2010 with no previous experience. Unfortunately, the business advertised “homemade ice cream” and Lisa was shown the recipes they used, all of which used canned items to make. She never realized that “homemade” meant “guck in a can that was put in a machine with a bag of milk product." With a desired opening time of 2 months, Lisa had to find ways to reinvent recipes, sourcing, and vendors.

The success of the Blue Pig and their growing business is driven by its practices that set them apart and drive in customers. Blue Pig uses various practices that make it sustainable and eco-friendly through its sourcing, product usage, and even consumption. They own various pieces of land to source its ingredients through their 12-and-a-half acre of farmland in Vermont and 3,500 square foot garden space. This farm is also solar-powered and completely off the grid to minimize energy usage. All of the fruits, seasonings, and milk are sourced in-house or through local farmers without the use of chemicals, preservatives, and steroids. They have plant beds instilled on the roof with an irrigation system to water plants so that they can grow some ingredients from their own establishment. Before the change in ownership, there was a lot of waste where there were garbage pickups twice a week. In Westchester, garbage is incinerated, so anything thrown out is then burned and inhaled by the community. Lisa wanted to eliminate this, so she reduced overall plastic consumption by using wooden or metal spoons and other non-plastic items. The only plastic item used is lids for to-go ice cream, but even these are hidden in the back and distributed only upon request. All of these actions led to the Blue Pig becoming one of the only certified green businesses in the area.

Inspiration

What really inspired Lisa was her love for ice cream and people. she also was an environmentalist, so she wanted her business to be different from others which got her more into it. Her environment-conscious thoughts had a big impact in the way she made her ice cream. Instead of using the canned artificial fruits, she drove all the way to the farmers market to handpick them all. Yes, it costed a lot more to do this, she said about 3 times more expensive than just using the canned fruits, but she did not care because she wanted her ice cream to be authentic. She does not want to feed her customers the fake stuff. What also really shows her love for people is that she does not use plastic. She explained how at the nearest dump everything gets incinerated, which causes pollution and she didn't want to be a part of that. She stated, "I cannot go to bed thinking that I'm a big part of ruining your future." So, in all she wanted to create an ice cream business that was not like any other. Many other ice cream businesses choose the cheapest way to make their product, which means they are feeding their customers low quality ice cream. So, Lisa did the total opposite. That was her main drive, to satisfy people to the fullest.

Overall impact

In Lisa Moir's efforts to make the Blue Pig an eco-friendly and sustainable business, she faced many challenges. Lisa reinvented the ice-cream recipes and changed from powdered flavoring to natural ingredients, such as home-grown strawberries, raspberries, mint, and thyme. Lisa also faced large amounts of plastic waste from spoons, cups, and covers. To overcome these challenges, she has switched to wooden and metal spoons, no more plastic cups, and plastic lids are given only to people who order to go. This allowed her to lower her waste and switch the garbage pickup to once a week instead of the previous owner's pickup schedule which was two time a week.

The Blue Pig's efforts to become environmentally friendly have so far been successful. Lisa has saved thousands of dollars on garbage and other waste. Also, Lisa has created a self-sustained solar farm in which she grows the resources needed to create her natural ice cream. She has found a way to have less of a carbon footprint as a small business owner. The biggest impact is the one The Blue Pig had on the community around it. During the summer, there are hundreds of people lined up at the door every weekend just to eat their ice cream. Finally, Lisa has created a place where people enjoy working and can learn and grow. When talking, Lisa referred to her workers as a family multiple times.

Business benefit

The creative practices at The Blue Pig, created by Lisa Moir's commitment to eco-friendly and sustainable operations, have translated into tangible benefits for the business and amplified their impact through a substantial and engaged social media following, word of mouth, and organic publicity. The Blue Pig has successfully leveraged social media and the natural world to reach a broader audience by consistently showcasing their dedication to high-quality, homemade ice cream from locally sourced ingredients.

The Blue Pig defies conventional marketing standards by forgoing paid advertisements and instead harnessing the strength of genuine recommendations, word of mouth, and organic publicity. Customers become enthusiastic advocates, spreading the word about the shop's commitment to homemade, locally sourced ice cream. This grassroots approach is further amplified through strategically sought-after write-ups in local publications and online platforms, creating a buzz around their unique offerings. Completing these efforts, a dedicated friend handles public relations, ensuring that The Blue Pig's fantastic story is communicated to newspapers. By prioritizing authentic connections and community-driven narratives, Blue Pig demonstrates that a personalized word-of-mouth strategy can be a powerful catalyst for business success. The social media following has been a marketing asset and enabled direct customer engagement. The Blue Pig can interact with their audience through platforms like Instagram, gather feedback, and even introduce new flavors or promotions. This direct line of communication enhances customer relationships, promotes a sense of community, and increases customer retention.

The Blue Pig's substantial social media following, word of mouth, write-ups, and the dedicated efforts of a friend managing PR scripts for newspapers are powerful testaments to the widespread appeal of their innovative and sustainable practices among a digitally connected audience. By prioritizing using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, the business achieved increased revenue, heightened customer loyalty, and successfully diversified its market. This accomplished approach has contributed to establishing a solid brand identity centered around environmental responsibility and community engagement.

Social and environmental benefit

Innovative practices implemented by The Blue Pig benefit the business and extend positive impacts to society and the environment. The Blue Pig is crucial in supporting local farmers and strengthening the community's economic fabric through their commitment to sourcing fresh, locally produced ingredients. This dedication fosters a sense of relationship between the ice cream shop and the local farmers, contributing to the well-being of the broader society. Moreover, their decision to operate a solar-powered farm off the grid showcases a model of eco-friendly agriculture, promoting sustainable energy practices that align with more general environmental goals.

The Blue Pig's waste reduction initiatives underscore their commitment to environmental responsibility. The business actively reduces ecological pollution and supports global sustainability objectives by minimizing plastic consumption, adopting non-plastic alternatives, and strategically managing waste. This conscientious approach resonates with environmentally conscious consumers, influencing societal attitudes toward responsible consumption. In this way, The Blue Pig's innovative practices have a dual impact, enhancing the local community's economic resilience and contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally aware society.

Interviews

Lisa Moir, Owner

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