Epworth Ice Cream debuts their brand at Craves Artisan Specialty Market on Millwood Avenue.

Three of the four Epworth Ice Cream flavors on display.

Ice cream for the win – the sweetness and feeling it gives you after eating your favorite kind is irreplaceable and now a children’s home in Columbia has released their own brand.

Epworth Children’s Home in Columbia officially started serving its own brand of ice cream to benefit children at the home.

According to Epworthicecream.org, “Epworth Ice Cream was born in Columbia South Carolina during the Great Depression.” For decades, Epworth has kept their secret weapon of sweetness from the public but it’s here now.

Dave Mackey is the president of Epworth Ice Cream and he was happy with their brand.

“We think it’s realistic and we think we have a unique product of ice cream that also has a social cause behind it,”Mackey said.

Epworth Ice Cream made its debut at Crave Specialty Market on Millwood Avenue last week where the home presented  its four flavors of ice cream. They gave everyone free ice cream on what was a very hot day.

Many of all ages showed up and most of them didn’t leave without buying a couple pints of the ice cream too.

In fact it was so popular, Mackey had to restock the ice cream twice during the recent debut.

Andrew Boozer, vice president for development at the  children’s home,  said the ice cream sales are the realization of a dream.,

“It’s been a long dream for generations at Epworth that the special treat these kids have enjoyed here for such a long time be available to the public in a way that it benefits the children here today,” Boozer said.

“We think we could potentially be profitable by the end of the year. We set this up in a way that didn’t require huge investment which makes it less risky than some small businesses,” Mackey said.

Currently, Crave Specialty Market at 2843  Millwood Ave, is the only place selling the ice cream at  $6.50 a pint. However, Mackey says that they are not done yet. He said  the goal is to sell the ice cream brand statewide to big and local retailers.