# Dippin' Dots: Curt Jones

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-09-09
- Length: 1h 06m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones

## Summary

Kurt Jones, founder of Dippin' Dots, explains how he used liquid nitrogen to flash-freeze ice cream into pellets, turning a lab experiment into a $300 million brand sold in theme parks and malls. He details the early struggles of bootstrapping with credit card debt, the pivot to a kiosk model at Opryland, and the franchise expansion that peaked in 2006. Jones also describes the catastrophic loss of his company due to a costly patent lawsuit against Mini Melts, rising commodity costs, and the 2008 financial crisis, which forced him into bankruptcy and eventually out of the business he created. He concludes by discussing his new venture, 40 Below Joe, which applies similar liquid nitrogen technology to freeze espresso shots.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones#t=0) Introduction: Kurt Jones and Dippin' Dots
- [4:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones#t=287) Farm upbringing and microbiology background
- [8:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones#t=480) Inventing Dippin' Dots with liquid nitrogen
- [19:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones#t=1158) Bootstrapping and the first store failure
- [27:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones#t=1679) Pivoting to theme parks and kiosks
- [38:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones#t=2295) Franchise expansion and peak sales
- [46:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones#t=2770) The Mini Melts patent lawsuit disaster
- [51:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones#t=3074) Bankruptcy, recession, and losing the company
- [59:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-09-dippin-dots-curt-jones#t=3543) 40 Below Joe and new ventures

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Dippin' Dots (product)
- Alltech biotechnology (company)
- Opryland (company)
- Mini Melts (product)
- 40 Below Joe (product)
- Bohana (product)
- Kennedy Space Center (other)
- Chaparral Energy (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [350 - Beyond the Dieline - Dr Juan from PNuff Crunch joins Tom Seymour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-05-27-350-beyond-the-dieline-dr-juan-from-pnuff-crunch-joins-tom-seymour) (People of Packaging)
- [Founder Feature: Jenifer Shwartz of Freezcake](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-03-28-founder-feature-jenifer-shwartz-of-freezcake) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Jen Liao of MìLà](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-08-23-founder-feature-jen-liao-of-mila) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Liv Truesdell of FROST Buttercream](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-12-12-founder-feature-liv-truesdell-of-frost-buttercream) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Hannah Pollack of Nightingale Ice Cream](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-10-founder-feature-hannah-pollack-of-nightingale-ice-cream) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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