I grew up in Durham, North Carolina, walking distance from the Museum of Life and Science. I was thrilled to discover Space Ice Cream in their gift shop, but I was lactose intolerant, so the dairy, refined sugar, and preservatives put a gas giant in my tummy. As a result, my older siblings crowned me “The Poot King”. Later in life, I learned that 65% of the human population is lactose intolerant, with the highest rates among Asian (90%), Indigenous (79%), and Black (75%) folks. My wife Katye and I created Coco Fro for all the other Poot Kings, Queens, and Monarchs in the galaxy to have better health and enjoy ice cream without the negative impacts.

I have a distinct memory of my parents teaching me the word “entrepreneur” as a child. I spent hours pretending to be a businesswoman - imagining working at a desk, using office supplies, and taking the train into the city for meetings. My stuffed animals were my colleagues, and my workspace was a bright red craft table. Somehow I knew becoming a business owner was in my future. During the pandemic, I decided to go back to school and earned a master’s degree in International Business. Coco Fro is the business of my dreams! Our family business combines a few of my favorite things - better-for-you sweets and working as an entrepreneur. I can’t wait for Coco Fro to land in your lunch boxes, hiking packs, and briefcases!