This CEO Took Over a Beloved Ice Cream Brand — and Built Growth Without Cutting Corners

Michael Palmer, CEO of McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, oversees the evolution of a historic California brand. As a brand builder and operator, he’s focused on alignment, patience, and protecting what made the product special.

Watch now to learn about taking over a legacy ice cream brand, building partnerships rooted in shared values, and growing nationally without sacrificing quality.

Sponsored by:

• TOAST AllIn1 Restaurant POS

Chapters:

[01:39] - The Fire That Changed Everything

[05:50] - The See’s Candies Partnership

[07:03] - Why Great Collaborations Work

[12:33] - Events, Community, and Giving Back

[15:19] - Playing the Long Game

SPONSORS:

RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS IS PRESENTED BY TOAST —

Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.

• Toast AllIn1 Restaurant POS

Episode Links:

Michael Palmer LinkedIn

McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams

McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams X

McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams Facebook

McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams Instagram

See’s Candy

See’s Candy and McConnell’s Collaboration

Palm Tree Music Festival with eero

Key Takeaways:

Respect the Brand: Michael Palmer stepped into McConnell’s not to rewrite its story, but to protect what made it special. By preserving the product, relationships, and identity people already loved, he proved that legacy brands grow stronger through care, not disruption.

Alignment Creates Real Partnerships: The collaboration with See’s Candies worked because both brands shared values around quality, patience, and restraint. Instead of forcing a co-branding moment, Palmer focused on trust and long-term alignment, letting the product earn its place.

Discipline Wins in Retail Growth: While competing against private equity-backed brands, McConnell’s expanded into grocery with intention. By prioritizing product quality over speed, Palmer showed that national growth does not require sacrificing identity or standards.

***

ABOUT MICHAEL PALMER —

Michael Palmer is the co-owner of McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, a 76-year-old family-run institution based in Santa Barbara. In 2012, Michael, a former executive in brand and marketing communications, along with his wife, chef Eva Ein, became the third family to take ownership of the iconic McConnell’s. Under their leadership, the company has transformed from a beloved local brand on California’s Central Coast to a nationally recognized producer of premium ice creams, once hailed in TIME Magazine as “…the best ice cream in the world.” Michael continues to oversee McConnell’s operations from Santa Barbara while also pursuing his passion for winemaking through Mail Road Wines, a Sta. Rita Hills winery he co-owns with a business partner.

ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS —

Restaurant Influencers is a weekly video podcast series presented by Entrepreneur Media and Cali BBQ Media. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with business leaders like Shaquille O’Neal, Rob Dyrdek, Emeril Lagasse, Mayim Bialik, Jon Taffer, Robert Irvine, Toast co-founder Aman Narang, and more, about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling, marketing, branding, and how to show up where customers are engaging online.

Published by Entrepreneur Media

Produced by Cali BBQ Media