Vampire Penguin. A unique name for a unique treat. Nicole Jacobson was skeptical when family in Florida brought her to their local Vampire Penguin. But after the first bite, she and her husband knew they wanted to bring this fresh take on shaved ice home to North Dakota.
“We were just flabbergasted,” Jacobsen said. “Everything about it was so intriguing. The thing that really sold it for me, though, was I didn’t get sick. I flirt with lactose issues. As someone who has sensitivities, there are some things that are just worth the risk. I fully anticipated I’d be paying for indulging, but it never happened. We were back the next day, and I learned that their products are water-based, rather than dairy-based, making it possible for someone like me to enjoy guilt-free.”
Bringing a brand-new product into an area is always challenging, but Jacobson and her team have learned to lean into what makes their product, and their community, special.
What is Shaved Snow?
The Vampire Penguin brand began in California, the monstrous creation of two Filipino brothers with a taste for sweets and a love of horror movies. Blending traditional Hawaiian, Taiwanese, and American traditions, they created a shaved ice dessert with a rich flavor and snow-like texture.
“The texture and flavor are what set our products apart from the snow cones most people are familiar with,” Jacobson said. “We blend our flavors into the water before freezing it, so there’s a consistent flavor from the first bite to the last. And because we’re not adding flavor over the top, we’re able to get light, fluffy, compacted snow. Like the perfect snowball.”
The first shop opened on October 31, 2013. Since then, the brand has expanded to 11 states and 35 cities, including Fargo.
Weathering Challenges
The first challenge Jacobson had to overcome was how to sustain a shaved snow business during the North Dakota winters.
“There’s always a risk when it comes to opening a new business,” Jacobson said. “Winter was definitely a big concern. I have a sweet tooth. I’m always excited for treats. But not everyone is looking for a cold dessert in winter. So that’s why we added our coffee bar.”
While all locations’ primary business is the brand’s iconic shaved snow, Jacobson took advantage of a flexible licensing agreement to add a coffee bar and even offer hot cocoa flights.
“It gives us an opportunity to keep traffic up on colder days,” she said. “We even used our Vampire Penguin chocolate flavor in our cocoa flights for something really unique.”
The ability to adapt has been an important part of Vampire Penguin’s success in the area. In addition to hot cocoa and coffee, Jacobson has added boba tea to the menu and created to-go and catering opportunities. Jacobson also works with local organizations and groups to utilize the business’s seating space for networking events and other small gatherings.
Snow Time
With a young staff and limited marketing dollars, Vampire Penguin Fargo has really leaned into social media as a way to engage with the community. From highlighting staff creations to fun tie-ins with holidays, local events, and social trends, Jacobson and the teamwork to produce consistent, engaging content.
“I try to think of things that I would like to see or that would be relevant to me,” Jacobson said. “We try to keep it active, and we try to keep our customers at the heart of our photos, videos, and other content since the community is what’s really important to us.”
At the end of the day, Jacobson admits there is some stiff competition in the frozen treat industry around Fargo-Moorhead, but she is excited to see a lot of familiar faces walk through the door of Vampire Penguin.
“We’ve literally had people come back the same day with someone,” Jacobson said. “They say, ‘I know I was here earlier, but I had to bring so and so.’ And that was exactly my reaction. It’s really such a treat to see people show up again and again.”
Vampire Penguin Fargo
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