AIC Hosts Food Truck Event on Capitol Hill with Van Leeuwen and Little Sesame
Innovate. Invest. Enjoy!
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, the American Investment Council partnered with Roll Call to host the “Innovate. Invest. Enjoy!” food truck event, highlighting small businesses that have scaled and succeeded thanks to private investment.
The AIC food truck rolled onto Capitol Hill, where visitors, including members of Congress and their staff, enjoyed Van Leeuwen Ice Cream sandwiches and Little Sesame hummus cups. Both brands are prime examples of how private investment helps turn great ideas into national favorites.
From Small Business to National Favorites
- Van Leeuwen Ice Cream launched in 2008 out of a retrofitted post office truck in New York City. Since 2020, with support from NextWorld Evergreen, the company has grown to more than 50 shops nationwide.
- Little Sesame began in 2016 as a 500-square-foot pop-up in Washington, D.C. With investment from Beliade Consumer Partners, its hummus is now sold in thousands of grocery stores nationwide, still made in D.C. but enjoyed everywhere.
By the Numbers: How Private Equity Fuels Small Businesses
- In 2025, 85% of private equity investments supported businesses with fewer than 500 employees.
- In 2024, private equity backed nearly 5,000 small and mid-sized businesses, up more than 200 from the year before.
- Private equity invested $654.1 billion in small and mid-sized businesses in 2024, over $100 billion more than in 2023.
Private equity provides innovative small businesses like Van Leeuwen and Little Sesame with the resources to grow, scale, and thrive. To learn more about how private equity partners with entrepreneurs across the country, read the latest Pitchbook report.
