Goodness So Close You Can Taste It!

What we know about some minority owned businesses in the Baton Rouge area is that they often go unrecognized by a portion of our own community. There are a number of reasons why this could happen. When there are a number of larger “big-box” competitors, the smaller businesses often have to work that much harder to get noticed. It is also true that these diverse businesses are sometimes in parts of our community that largely go unnoticed. However, LSU Athletics and the student-athletes we serve often get to experience the commodities of these businesses in the form of excellent food, consumer goods, or through events hosted by LSU Athletics. As part of our Diversity Supplier initiative, Healthy Tiger will feature some of the diamonds in the rough that make our city strong!

This focus feature is on Rita’s Italian Ice!

Right off of Lee Drive in Baton Rouge sits Rita’s Italian Ice, the first location of the franchise in all of Louisiana.

Local attorney Maria Finley is the founder this Baton Rouge spot. She first encountered the company while pursuing her master’s degree at Georgetown University, and completely fell in love with it. Finley decided to work with Rita’s corporate office to find the exact location she would commit to, and her work was brought to fruition when the location opened doors on October 15, 2018.

The South coins Italian ice with the term “snowball,” and Rita’s in Baton Rouge is eager to serve its customers with their favorite treat. Mango and cotton candy are the most popular flavors of Rita’s Italian Ice.

Rita’s products do not only include Italian ice. They also serve hand-scooped and soft-serve custard made fresh daily. Rita’s also serves Gelati, which is a fan-favorite dessert of layered Italian ice and custard. Trademark Blendinis feature a mixture of Italian ice and creamy custard, which can be finished with any desired toppings. Another trademark, Misto Shakes, also blend Italian ice with a dash of custard. Finley favors the Oreo cookie cheesecake concrete, which is creamy, rich and thick custard loaded with toppings. She opts for hot caramel in the middle with hot fudge on top. Rita’s rounds out its menu with homemade waffle cones and bowls, various Italian ice-based frozen drinks, milkshakes, cakes and cookie sandwiches.

Finley’s favorite aspect of owning a Rita’s Italian Ice is seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they try Rita’s for the first time. In addition to her store on Lee, Finley has been selling in Tiger Stadium for the last two years, and her trailer can be found at various events in Baton Rouge. More information regarding Rita’s Italian Ice and the Baton Rouge location can be found on Rita's Facebook page.