Katye Freelon
Coco Fro – MICRO Spring 2025
Published August 13, 2025
As part of our ‘Meet Our Founders’ series today, we introduce Katye Freelon, Co-Founder of Coco Fro based in Durham, NC. Coco Fro produces delicious, freeze-dried, dairy-free, (n)ice cream.
Q: What are you most excited about right now? What keeps you up at night?
A: I am excited about the growth of Coco Fro. We far exceeded our Q1 2025 predictions and are on track to continue that trend for the rest of the year. I believe this year we will partner with a national retailer – making Coco Fro more accessible.
Q: When did you know you wanted to take an entrepreneurial path?
A: I have a distinct memory of my parents teaching me the word “entrepreneur” as a child. I spent hours pretending to be a businesswoman – imagining working at a desk, using office supplies, and taking the train into the city for meetings. My stuffed animals were my colleagues, and my workspace was a bright red craft table. Somehow I knew becoming a business owner was in my future. During the pandemic, I decided to go back to school and earned a master’s degree in International Business.
Q: What other passions do you have besides your business?
A: Another passion of mine is learning American Sign Language. I have always been drawn to the expressiveness of the language, and I love learning about the culture. I hope one day to become fluent and then become certified as an interpreter.
While visiting Durham, Katye recommends:
- Attend a show at DPAC, go to a Durham Bulls game, shop at Exotique and Bright Black Candles, eat at MSushi and the Parlour, spend some time at the Museum of Life and Science, stay at the Durham Hotel, and attend a Blackspace cypher at CCB Plaza.
Support Coco Fro and Katye by:
- Post about Coco Fro or purchase it at Packaging Express, Weaver Street Market, Kaleideum, or the Museum of Life and Science.