Shaker Pond Ice Cream

Shaker Pond Ice Cream, owned by Ryan Whitten and David Swett, has been serving up delicious treats since 2008. What started as an ice cream stand in Alfred, Maine, has now grown to include a retail location in Sanford and a production facility in the same town. Their wholesale business began in 2011, and they continue to expand their offerings to this day.

When asked about how they got started in the ice cream business, Ryan and David explain, “Both of us used to work at another ice cream company and decided to go at it on our own.” They knew they needed financing to make their dream a reality, so they turned to Kennebunk Savings for a loan. That’s when they were referred to Southern Maine Finance Agency (SMFA), and their relationship with SMFA began.

Over the years, as Shaker Pond Ice Cream has needed more equipment to keep up with demand, they’ve turned to SMFA for help with financing. “Working with SMFA was easy and simple,” says Ryan. “It removed a great deal of stress. The SMFA staff was so good we hardly had to do anything. They made it quick and painless.”

Shaker Pond Ice Cream has now been working with SMFA for over 5 years, and their experience has been so positive that they’ve recommended SMFA’s services to other small businesses. “We’ve chosen to stay with SMFA for almost all our needs because of the ease of the overall process,” explains David. “With a traditional bank, it took years to overcome the process. It slowed things down. There is something to be said about making it easy, and SMFA does just that.”

Most recently, Shaker Pond Ice Cream turned to SMFA for help with financing a new, larger ice cream machine. “They continue to help us with each of these [financing needs],” says Ryan. “Very easy to work with.”

Ryan and David credit SMFA with helping them grow and expand their business over the years. As they continue to offer their delicious ice cream to more and more customers, they know they can count on SMFA for help with financing their equipment needs.