Rhino Foods
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food manufacturing |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Anne Castle, Ted Castle |
| Headquarters | Burlington, Vermont , United States |
Key people | Ted Castle (Founder and CEO) |
| Products | Ice cream novelties, ingredients, cookie dough, baked inclusions, ice cream cookie sandwiches |
Number of employees | 150+ |
Rhino Foods Incorporated, established in 1981 by Anne and Ted Castle, is a manufacturer specializing in ice cream novelties and ingredients, headquartered in Burlington, Vermont, USA. The company originated from a modest ice cream shop called Chessy's Frozen Custard and has grown to employ more than 150 individuals. In 2013, Rhino Foods achieved certification as a B Corporation, joining a network of almost 5,000 businesses dedicated to leveraging commerce for positive social and environmental impact. Locally, the company is renowned for its ice cream sandwich known as the Chesster. In 1991, Rhino Foods partnered with Ben & Jerry's to create the first cookie dough designed specifically for ice cream. Today, it supplies cookie dough and baked inclusions to leading ice cream brands and provides co-packing services for ice cream cookie sandwiches on both national and international levels.
Employee Exchange program
To manage seasonal workforce variations, Rhino Foods developed the Employee Exchange Program (EEP), which temporarily reallocates factory staff to affiliated companies during high-demand periods. For instance, during the busy holiday season, 15 employees were assigned to Autumn Harp, a lip balm producer. Initiated in 1993 through collaborative employee input, the EEP effectively addresses winter labor shortages while offering advantages to both the workforce and the company.
Income Advance Program
In 2007, Rhino Foods introduced a financial assistance initiative aimed at improving employee economic well-being. Workers who have completed at least one year of employment are eligible for same-day loans up to $1,000 via Rhino’s partner credit union. Loan repayments are automatically deducted from weekly paychecks. Upon full repayment, these deductions are redirected into savings accounts unless employees opt out, thereby encouraging banking engagement and enhancing credit profiles.
Ted Castle
Ted Castle, Rhino Foods' founder and CEO, was an All-American hockey athlete at the University of Vermont during the 1970s. His career includes coaching roles in Vermont and Maine as well as professional play in Italy and Sweden. Castle is actively involved in causes such as child abuse prevention, Shelburne Farms, the United Way, and Vermont Special Olympics.
In recognition of his commitment to ethical business practices, Castle received the Terry Ehrich Award from Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility in 2009. He promotes refugee employment and founded the HELP (Helping Employees Live Productively) Wellness and Health Awareness Team in collaboration with the United Way. Additionally, he was an early adopter of open-book management to transparently communicate financial data and organizational goals.