Hot is cool for selling ice-cream
The lingering sunshine has kept ice-cream vendors beaming as kids and the young at heart keep the soft-serve flowing in Perth.
Mr Whippy-style vans selling the traditional soft-serve that has delighted families for generations since the 1960s have been out in force as people make the most of the warm weather.
Mr Super Whipp owner Giovanni Court, who has been selling ice-cream for the past 10 years, said West Australians loved ice-cream and the April heat meant people were still making the most of the frozen delight – particularly his biggest seller: the chocolate-dipped Rocket served with a Flake.
Cold Rock franchisees Todd and Rachel Perry said the heat had kept people in the “summer-holiday spirit”, which had been lengthened by the Easter holidays being so close to the Anzac Day long-weekend.
“Traditionally, the Easter holiday is the last weekend before sales slow down and winter sets in, but this April has been unusually warm, so sales have been pretty good,” said Mr Perry, who produces more than a tonne of ice-cream a week.
Sales at their Fremantle and Hillarys stores had increased this month compared to previous years.
Azzura Gelati owner Marco De Campi noticed the same spike in sales figures for his O’Connor-based company.
“The longer summer has been really good for us because people are making the most of the great weather and are going out,” Mr De Campi said.
“We’ve noticed that Perth people are embracing a more cosmopolitan lifestyle and are enjoying eating out more and they appreciate the food-truck movement, so even sales for our Miss Tartufo Gelati caravan have increased this month.”
Ice-cream served from food trucks continues to delight West Australians, 50 years after Mr Whippy’s pink-and-white vans started visiting Perth neighbourhoods; announced by the Greensleeves tune blaring from speakers.
Katie Earl, who sells artisan ice pops from her Delish Ice vintage caravans and popsicle carts, said the “awesome weather” would extend her sales season.
“I’ve really been blessed with the weather – I can’t believe how good it is,” Ms Earl said.
“Sales have been crazy all season.”
