Shatto Milk scoops up River Market ice cream parlor

By Leslie Collins, Kansas City Business Journal, May 18, 2023

A new owner has scooped up Kansas City-based Betty Rae’s Ice Cream. And he knows a thing or two about dairy-based products.

New owner Matt Shatto also owns and independently operates Shatto Home Delivery and is vice president of Shatto Milk Co., which is known for its unconventional milk flavors such as cotton candy and banana. The Osborn-based company also sells ice cream, cheese, butter, soap made with milk and non-dairy products.

Previous owner Alec Rodgers purchased Betty Rae’s in 2021 and reopened the ice cream shop business after its original owner, David Friesen, closed it in January that year.

Rodgers started working at Betty Rae’s two years before while in college and was a front-of-house manager. In 2021, he left his financial analyst role at Kansas City-based H&R Block Inc. to focus on Betty Rae’s full time.

Rodgers wanted to stabilize the business and refocus on fostering the right culture. But the intention was never to own it long term, according to a release.

To continue growing Betty Rae’s, he began exploring a sale, and Shatto brought the right experience. Rodgers will continue with the company in the coming months to assist with the transition.

Betty Rae’s was founded in 2016 and has an ice cream truck and two Kansas City stores, one in the River Market and the other in the Waldo neighborhood.

Moving forward, Shatto is charting a path for growth and wants to open additional stores and expand the company’s reach through retail sales at area grocery stores and restaurants. He also foresees catering more events with Betty Rae’s ice cream truck.

To celebrate the new ownership, Betty Rae’s will host ice cream pop-ups the week of June 5, which also will help it determine potential places for expansion.

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