Scooping Success: Arizona Entrepreneurs Debut “Natty” High-Protein Ice Cream

How Two Scottsdale Founders Turned a Late-Night Craving Into Arizona’s Next Big CPG Brand

Phoenix’s scorching summers and fitness-focused culture have given rise to an unlikely new startup: Natty Ice Cream. Founded in 2024 by two Scottsdale locals – a seasoned entrepreneur and a former filmmaker-turned-ice-cream-chef – Natty was born out of a personal craving. “We love ice cream. Always have. But when we decided to take our health seriously, we had to cut ties with it,” recalls co-founder Tyrel Johnson, noting that most ice creams are overloaded with high-fat cream and insane amounts of sugar. Rather than give up their favorite treat, the duo began experimenting in their apartment kitchen to reinvent ice cream for the health-conscious.