How Two Bankers Built Arizona's Best Artisan Ice Cream
The story of two friends who left international finance, trained in world-class kitchens, and built one of Arizona's most celebrated artisan ice cream shops.
Two Friends. One Wild Idea.
Helen and Jan weren't supposed to end up making ice cream. They met during Citigroup's global training program in Manhattan while building careers in international finance — Helen across New York, London, and Tokyo, Jan through Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore. But every conversation drifted back to food.
When the financial world slowed and severance packages arrived, Helen saw something different: an opportunity. Corporate life had never quite fit. Creating something by hand did. What started as a leap away from Wall Street became the first chapter in the story behind one of Arizona's most beloved artisan ice cream shops.
Le Cordon Bleu to the Desert
Helen traded spreadsheets for pastry school, enrolling at Le Cordon Bleu in Australia before sharpening her skills in the kitchen at Berkeley's acclaimed Eccolo, led by a Chez Panisse alum. Meanwhile, Jan was still navigating corporate life in Asia.
When they reunited in San Francisco, they spent countless conversations imagining what they could build together. A bakery was tempting — but ice cream felt more exciting. Endless room for creativity. Enough science to stay endlessly challenging. A craft where unexpected flavors could become unforgettable experiences.
A tip from Jan's sister brought them to Phoenix. They came to explore Arizona's growing food scene. They never left.
May 2008. Shea Boulevard.
Sweet Republic opened its first neighborhood ice cream shop near 92nd Street and Shea Boulevard in May 2008 with a simple mission: make extraordinary ice cream from scratch, using the very best ingredients they could find.
Word spread quickly. National recognition followed. From Food Network and Bon Appétit to TIME Magazine and U.S. News & World Report, Sweet Republic earned a reputation for handcrafted ice cream that was as imaginative as it was delicious.
Today, four Arizona locations later, Helen still creates every recipe and Jan still keeps the business running. The batches may have grown, but the philosophy hasn't.
Scratch-Made. Every Batch. Every Day.
Every scoop starts the same way: fresh milk and cream from independent Arizona dairy farms and ingredients we'd proudly serve at our own table.
We slowly caramelize sugar by hand. Roast bananas until they're naturally sweet. Bake brownies from scratch. Press fresh waffle cones. Peel, pit, chop, and blend whole fruit for our sorbets.
No artificial flavors. No artificial colors. No preservatives. No shortcuts. Just real ingredients, crafted in small batches, transformed into premium artisan ice cream that's unmistakably Sweet Republic.
We left Wall Street to make ice cream. Best trade we ever made.
Proof We're Doing Something Right
Food Network
Featured on Alton Brown's Best Thing I Ever Ate
TIME Magazine
Named for our daring flavors: Sichuan Chocolate, Sweet Corn, Blue Cheese
Bon Appétit
Top 10 Ice Cream in America
Cooking Channel
Featured series appearance
Phoenix New Times
Valley's Finest Ice Cream — 18 consecutive years
James Beard Foundation
Fellowship recipient
U.S. News & World Report
America's Best Ice Cream
Good Ice Cream. Good Neighbor.
We use sustainably harvested birch wood sticks from Maine. We recycle all plastic and glass bottles — when you're done, hand it back and we'll take care of it. We believe in savoring the pleasures of ice cream while staying mindful of the world we call home.
Birch, Not Plastic
Sustainably harvested birch wood sticks from Maine.
Bring It Back
Hand back your plastic and glass bottles — we recycle them all.
Mindful Indulgence
Savoring ice cream while staying mindful of the world we call home.