Heather Bergsjo – Nils Swedish Creamery
BY JENNY GOLDSBERRY
When Heather Bergsjo’s second-oldest son was looking for work at 15-years-old, Heather didn’t go to Facebook, she’s a go-getter and do-it-yourself type.
Previously, she’d gone to school at Weber State University, but as she started a family with her husband, life got a little more complicated but she didn’t let that stop her. With four young kids at home, she went back to school to get an Associate’s of Science degree from Brigham Young University Idaho, taking classes online while she raised her family in Weber County. So when her son wanted a job, instead of sending him out to find one, she created a job for him by starting a family business: Nils Swedish Creamery.
Nils was the name of Heather’s husband’s great grandfather. He hailed from Sweden and perfected homemade ice cream. It was a family pastime of theirs to make ice cream together. Swedish ice cream is special because it’s extra creamier than the typical ice cream you’re used to. All of their flavors are made in-house with premium ingredients. Heather’s then 15-year-old now 18-year-old, is the one mixing it.
“We don’t skimp on anything,” Heather said. Their ancestors passed the tradition down all the way to Heather’s modern-day family. Some of their current flavors even are recipes handed down straight from Nils. This titular ancestor’s legacy lives on every day that their doors are open. They also experiment with new modern flavors. Heather’s personal favorite is a tie between banana cream pie and cookie butter. A unique customer favorite is white chocolate raspberry habanero. Nils Swedish Creamery has collaborated with Jam It Up, another local company that specializes in fruit jams.
“It made a really good ice cream,” Heather said. “And I love working with other women.” Previously, Nils Swedish Creamery used to close down for the winter. When the pandemic broke out in March 2020, Heather’s phone was ringing off the hook. Customers were begging her to open up. “The world needs your ice cream right now,” one customer told her so they gave it a shot and opened up while other businesses were shutting down. “It was actually fantastic because people were supporting small businesses, they wanted to socialize and they were happy to support us,” Heather said. “We were also happy to see customers’ faces.” Now they’re open for good, year-round. Her three youngest kids are still working for the family business. She’s even created more jobs for other young people, like her son.