Scoop: Betty Rae’s Ice Cream in Kansas City has a new owner. He plans more locations

Kansas City’s popular Betty Rae’s Ice Cream has a new owner.

Matt Shatto bought the beloved ice cream company to “preserve and grow” the brand. The sale, which closed May 12, includes the two shops — 7140 Wornall Road in Waldo and at 412 Delaware St. in the River Market, as well as its ice cream truck.

Shatto is the son of the founders of Shatto Milk Co. in Osborn, Missouri, and is vice president of the company. He also owns Shatto Home Delivery, which brought the milkman back to the metro.

“We’ve loved Betty Rae’s for a long time and wanted to make it available to more families throughout the metro area,” he said.“The product is fantastic, a very high quality product second to none.”

He plans to add new shops in the metro and region, and make it available in area grocery stores and restaurants. He also wants to add more ice cream truck stops for family, corporate and neighborhood events. Betty Rae’s will have ice cream pop-ups around the metro starting June 5 to take the brand out to the community and gauge interest.

It opened in Waldo in 2016 and later added the River Market shop and the food truck. Alec Rodgers was front of the house manager when he purchased the company two years ago.

In a statement, he said he did not plan to own it for the long term, planning to sell it after “realigning and recommitting the Betty Rae’s brand to its core of high-quality ice cream and a respected local brand.” He couldn’t be reached for comment immediately Thursday morning.

Shatto has nearly 30 years of experience with local brands, including at his family’s dairy farm and with the brands offered through Shatto Home Delivery.

Betty Rae’s will continue to offer its 26 house-made ice creams, including vanilla bean, brown butter and toasted pecans, chocolate brownie, cinnamon, cookie dough, lavender honey, gluten-free creme brûlée, and goat cheese, apricots and candied walnuts.

Rotating flavors include tiramisu, miso caramel, cake batter and the dairy-free Red Hot (ice cream with crushed cinnamon red hots mixed in).

It also has seasonal flavors such as cult favorite Joe’s KC BBQ & Burnt Ends, and the current Bees Knees (honey bark ice cream, one of its most popular options). It has house-made waffle cones, ice cream sandwiches, sundaes, boozy shakes, and ice cream flights.

Shatto said Betty Rae’s has about 40 employees who plan to stay with the company.