Stewart’s Shops’ Create-Your-Own Flavor Released

This week, Stewart’s Shops is debuting the limited-edition “Carmine’s Holiday Spumoni” ice cream, a combination of three distinct flavors; chocolate, pistachio, and cherry, named in honor of Carmine DeCrescente, former President of DeCrescente Distributing Company.

After a once-in-a-lifetime bidding frenzy that resulted in a dazzling display of generosity at the Saratoga Hospital’s 43rd Annual Gala Auction in July, the “Next Big Scoop”, an opportunity to name a new Stewart’s Shops’ limited-edition flavor and tour the plant with guests, stole the show when the live auction item soared from an opening bid of $5,000 to a final bid of $50,000 in less than a minute. 

In an unprecedented display of generosity, at the auctioneer’s request, Stewart’s Shops doubled the prize, awarding it to both the winner and runner-up. Mike and Linda Toohey, and C.J. DeCrescente, (with his family there egging him on) each paid $50,000 for the auction item, one of 21 featured (ranging from one-of-a-kind experiences to adventurous getaways) that raised more than $495,000 in critical funds to support community health services for thousands across the region – making it the highest grossing live auction in Saratoga Hospital Gala history.

“It’s just a really cool idea,” said C.J. DeCrescente, the President of DeCrescente Distributing Company, who followed in his father’s footsteps and took on the role in 1997. “Stewart’s Shops and the Dake family are good customers of ours. We’re big on supporting local, and obviously, hospitals are real important for everybody. It was a really unique opportunity to honor my father, so it just all made sense – and we had some fun with it.” 

Making Auction History

“It’s only natural to give back to the community supporting us,” said Stewart’s Shops President Chad Kiesow. 

“It’s certainly an honor to offer a live auction item that generates so much passion. I didn’t know it would have the horsepower it did. I underestimated it, but there was a great auctioneer there rallying the troops.”

“When it passed the $5,000 and $10,000 level, it created a little bit of a buzz around the room,” he said. That buzz hit fever pitch when the auctioneer switched from raising bids in $1,000 increments to $5,000 increments. “You felt the energy and excitement picking up,” said Kiesow. When the second-place bidder offered to match the winning $50,000 bid, however, jaws hit the ground, he added. “We’re flattered that what we do, and the involvement of Stewart’s Shops brings that much excitement to the cause.”

In addition to their donations to other local nonprofit organizations, including through their popular Holiday Match Program, donations from Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Foundation to the Saratoga Hospital and the Saratoga Hospital Foundation have totaled more than $865,000 since 2020.

Joining the Stewart’s Shops’ Ice Cream Legacy

Dreaming up the flavor was the work of five, plus DeCrescente, who chose an Italian-inspired spumoni recreated from a holiday flavor released more than a decade ago that hadn’t seen store shelves since. 

The flavor is akin to the classic Neapolitan, but with the satisfying smoothness of chocolate balancing out the rich nuttiness of crunchy pistachios, and the tender tartness of maraschino cherries, in a modern twist on the beloved holiday dessert. 

“I always joked with Gary (Dake) that they should have an Italian ice cream flavor,” said DeCrescente. “Now, I feel fortunate to have the privilege to be able to do stuff like this.”

Stewart’s Shops has a long history of naming ice cream flavors to honor local teams, events, and anniversaries. Notably, this year, on October 1st, Knox Cannonball Crunch, a limited-edition cookie dough ice cream flavor created in collaboration with the Saratoga 250 Commission to commemorate the 250th anniversary of General Henry Knox’s “Noble Train of Artillery” during the Revolutionary War, was unveiled and made available at more than 40 Stewart’s Shops locations. In the past, other limited-edition flavors have, including Cookies and Cannons, recognizing Fort William Henry’s 70th Anniversary last year, and Siena Mint Madness, which debuted in 2018 to honor the college’s NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball teams. 

Sweetening the Deal 

In a move befitting the generosity of its creators and the dollar value bid, 50,000 half-gallon cartons of Carmine’s Holiday Spumoni will be distributed throughout Stewart’s Shops 400-plus locations in New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. 

Stewart’s Shops is currently making a $10 million multi-year investment in upgrading their plant and distribution center, beginning with a commissary expansion and improvements to the ice cream production area. Auction winners are invited to tour the facility through the renovations or choose to see it after they are complete. 

The Tooheys have also chosen their flavor, said Kiesow, but everything has its season, and that sweet treat will be revealed next spring.