Tour The World’s Largest Ice Cream Cone Factory Right Here in Arizona

Who would have thought that aside from being home to one of the world’s greatest wonders, Arizona is also a wonderland for ice cream lovers? In case you didn’t know, the largest ice cream cone manufacturer in the world, Joy Cone, is right here in Flagstaff, Arizona. Yes, ice cream cones. These crispy, tasty, and sweet treats that complement ice cream so well, you just can’t imagine eating ice cream alone.

Give your itinerary list a sweet change and come tour Joy Cone for FREE:

But before that… we’re here to give you some interesting facts.

Inside Scoop: History of Ice Cream Cones

The use of yummy and crispy ice cream cones have been going on since the 1890s by many New York City street vendors. But it saw its official boom during the St. Louis 1904 World’s Fair. While many candidates qualify for the ice cream cone’s invention, there’s one story that stands out the most. The International Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers hailed Ernest A. Hamwi as the official inventor of the ice cream cone.

Mr. Hamwi was a Syrian immigrant and a pastry vendor present during the 1904 World Fair. He sold a sugary and crisp warm waffle called “zalabia,” which is cooked over an open fire in a waffle iron. Mr. Hamwi thought it was a good idea to pair his waffles with another sweet treat. So he took the warm waffles and wrapped them into the shape of a cone before giving it to the nearby ice cream vendors. Those who tasted it immediately fell in love, and the rest is history.

Today, most people just can’t get enough of the ice cream cones and think it’s as good as the ice cream itself. Well, it’s true!

The Largest Ice Cream Cone Manufacturer in the World

Joy Cone founded by Mr. George & Mr. Thomas, who were once partners in a small grocery store. They started a side business known as the George & Thomas Cone Co. Eventually, they learned how to run the machinery, and they worked on it until the cone business prospered. They’ve been baking only the highest quality ice cream cones since 1918, and have already perfected the whole process.

Here’s the thing: Joy Cone facility is where the ice cream cone magic happens!

Have a Sweet, Joyful Tour at Joy Cone

Did you know that you can tour the sugar-scented facility for free? Yes, you can just be wide-eyed behind the glass windows while seeing the process of creating ice cream cones. You will surely marvel at the interesting engineering feats, but be prepared to do a fair amount of walking.

First off, all the ingredients are mixed together in giant vats in a fully automated process using machines. Joy Cone uses a time-tested family recipe that’s been passed down for generations. Then, the batter travels through the tubes into ovens for baking. That’s where the cone-shaped molds are.

You only need to wait for 90 seconds before smelling and seeing the creamy and crunchy ice cream cones. Wait, the machine bakes that fast? Yes, that’s why Joy Cone is also able to produce over 1.2 million cones in cake, sugar, and waffle cones each day. Amazing, right? Once the cones are done, they’ll be transferred to a conveyor belt, and workers will be on standby to discard either the misshapen or broken ice cream cones.

The factory still relies on personal attention to ensure product quality. That is their practice of cone baking for over 100 years. You can say it is pretty old-fashioned, but’s their secret to keeping their ice cream cones the best in the world.

After the tour, you can even pick your own box of cones to go home with, so you can eat it with yummy ice cream!

Tour Details

You can visit the Joy Cone Flagstaff Facility for free, but make sure you have scheduled a tour in advance. The tours are open from September through February and take place on most Wednesdays and Thursdays. It can be tricky to schedule a tour because they receive many bookings from schools and other community groups. While they set aside several dates for the general public, it’s still best if you can contact their Administrative Assistant to inquire about availability dates.

Website: https://www.joycone.com/
Location: 2843 W. Shamrell Blvd.Flagstaff, Arizona, 86005
Contact No.: (928) 774-0225

What are you waiting for? Book a Joy Cone tour now!