January Business of the Month: Cone Heads Real Fruit Ice Cream

January Business of the Month: Cone Heads Real Fruit Ice Cream (Cottage Grove, Oregon)

Cone Heads Real Fruit Ice Cream was voted January’s Business of the Month by the Groovin’ in the Grove community. This family-owned ice cream shop has quickly become a favorite in Cottage Grove, Oregon, offering a unique New Zealand–style ice cream experience that combines real fruit, premium ingredients, and a welcoming small-town atmosphere.

Located in downtown Cottage Grove, Cone Heads is known for its creative menu, friendly service, and commitment to bringing something joyful and different to the local food scene.

How would you describe Cone Heads to someone who’s never visited?

“Our ice cream style originated in New Zealand at Berry Farms. We take premium hard ice cream and locally sourced frozen fruits whenever possible and swirl them together in a hopper cone. The result is a premium soft-serve–style ice cream rather than an overly sweetened mix straight from a carton.

What you get is a rich, less-sweet, creamy, fruity flavor with a texture you don’t experience many other places. It’s not chunky — it’s closer to gelato. It’s less sweet, contains no food dyes, and the product comes out beautiful. It’s really something you have to try to understand the difference.”

What inspired you to start Cone Heads Real Fruit Ice Cream?

“The concept actually came from boredom. Tim was reading a magazine while looking for something new outside of barbering. His food journey started long before that — he grew up around chefs and went to culinary school about 25 years ago in Astoria, Oregon.

Food has always been an interest of his, and that passion came back strongly a few years ago. While living in Baker City, we traveled often and noticed that ice cream shops are some of the happiest places you can be.

We wanted to recreate that feeling for our friends and family. When we discovered New Zealand–style ice cream and later tasted it in Portland, everything clicked. We knew we were onto something.

When we looked at relocating back to the Willamette Valley, we noticed Cottage Grove didn’t have a dedicated ice cream shop. After years of research and finding the right location, we finally made it happen. We always say we don’t really make ice cream — we make smiles.”

Why has Cone Heads become such a favorite in the Cottage Grove community?

“We are kind and accepting of everyone. We go the extra mile to create a smile. People feel comfortable talking with us, and we genuinely love what we do — and that shows.

Bringing something new to town, collaborating with other small businesses, and staying involved in the community really helped us grow.”

What are some customer favorites on the menu?

“Our waffle dogs, dessert waffle dogs, pizza cones, and ice cream are all popular. One of the most-loved ice cream combinations is raspberry with honey and graham cracker crumbs. Kids especially love the Pop Rocks topping.

We also keep Hot Cheetos as a topping — not because everyone orders it, but because it’s fun, unexpected, and gets people talking.”

Do you offer specials or seasonal items?

“We’ve learned what our customers love most, so we don’t rotate fruits as often. We do offer specials, sometimes monthly, and we plan to do more of that moving forward.

We’re also expanding our grab-and-go options so people can easily take our ice cream with them.”

What’s new or coming next for Cone Heads?

“We’re launching a toasted marshmallow fluff–style hot chocolate inspired by Glace New York, which we’re really excited about.

Our pizza has also become surprisingly popular, so we’re working toward adding a food truck with full-size pizza to cater events in and out of town.”

Anything else visitors should know?

“We now offer gourmet hot food, including waffle dogs, Belgian waffles, waffle pops, and our cone pizza. Just to clarify — it’s not ice cream pizza. It’s real pizza shaped like a cone.

The cone pizza is temporarily unavailable, but we’re actively working on bringing it back.”

Why the Community Chose Cone Heads Real Fruit Ice Cream

Cone Heads Real Fruit Ice Cream was selected as January’s Business of the Month for its creativity, warmth, and positive impact on the Cottage Grove community. By combining real fruit ice cream, welcoming service, and innovative menu items, Cone Heads has created a space where locals and visitors alike can gather, connect, and leave smiling.