June 25, 2024 – What’s the first thing you think of when someone mentions New Zealand?
If—in there with kiwis, Maori culture, Sauvignon Blanc and The All Blacks—you had ice cream, wow.
And Nico Vergara is feeling you.
He’s a budding entrepreneur introducing Nico’s Ice Cream to Cannery Row next month, the dessert operation’s third location.
He’s also spent years in the field, working with a dairy company, popular Zed’s Ice Cream (another New Zealand style operation) and the Oregon Dairy Council.
That experience, paired with inspiration from British Columbia’s Alice + Brohm Ice Cream Co. and a trip to Kiwiland, converted him to what’s also called “real fruit ice cream.”
It’s basically a selection of fresh fruit (Vergara prioritizes blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or other items like mango or kiwi) blended directly into soft texture ice cream (Nico’s uses Tillamook vanilla).
That happens with the help of a special Little Jem commercial blending machine manufactured in New Zealand, producing a satisfying swirl predestined for social media. (Nico’s also does a vegan take with Coconut Bliss as the base.)
“I think people might be surprised by how light and refreshing it is,” he says. “There’s always a time and place for Ben and Jerry’s on the couch, but a lot of times you’re going to feel a little slow after. And part of the show is to see it all blended together.”
The flavor profile clicks with Vergara’s own palate.
“I’m not a big sweets guy, not really a big desserts person, and not a big chocolate guy,” he says. “At family dinners I was always the one asking for a frozen fruit bowl for dessert.”
He launched Nico’s three years ago, summer 2021, with a pushcart and a vision, in his native Portland.
“I knew there was a niche and we could put our own twist on things,” he remembers. “Selfishly, I love the product—an ice cream I was able to devour.”
In Portland, Vergara staked out a spot with robust nightlife (North Mississippi Avenue, for those scoring at home) and started slanging on the sidewalk. That led to a modest brick and mortar in Portland’s Fremont neighborhood, then a second in the Killingsworth district.
Then he went looking for another spot.
“Monterey is a beautiful town, filled with other amazing small businesses, and an amazing community in general,” he says. “As crazy as it sounds, we didn’t feel like it was a huge jump from Portland. We’re excited to be a part of the community and get to know so many new faces.”
Nico’s drops in at 711 Cannery Row, in the iconic Monterey Canning Company at the heart of the well-touristed district.
Thriving in the flavor capital of the Pacific Northwest, with its not-quite-ice-cream-friendly climate and a lot of competition, gives Vergara et al confidence further south.
“Portland is a foodie town. We’ve got a lotta delicious desserts, breakfast, lunch, dinner, you name it….and a lot of great ice cream,” he says. “If we can stay alive in Portland where it rains however many days, it means we can do it in other markets.”
The straightforward Oregon menu (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and marionberry) will largely travel to Monterey, without the marionberry grown in the surrounding Willamette Valley, but with regional sources.
The shop also spotlights occasional zanier offerings, swapping in Reese’s Puffs or Fruit Loops cereal for actual fruit.
As Nico seeks out local farm partners, he eyes mid-July as a conservative open date, pending city approvals.
“We’re dialed and pretty much ready to go,” he says.
Which, given breathy testimonials online—“Need, not want” and “Que ricoooooo” among them—bodes well for summer in New Monterey.
Nico’s opens its second Monterey Bay area location at 111 Locust St. in Santa Cruz on Saturday, November 9. Hours to start are noon to 9pm.
More, opening updates included, at Nico’s Ice Cream’s Instagram page.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
