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Mobiler of the Year 2023 – New Sponsor Ice Cream Direct, Soft Ice Creams

Calling all ICA Mobilers! 

Entry for Mobiler of the Year 2023 is now open!

Mobiler of the Year is a fantastic opportunity to market your business and raise your profile but don’t just take it from us, here is what some of our previous winners had to say:

“Since the award I have had more media attention than in the last forty years as a mobiler”

“I’ve noticed new people on the round coming out and congratulating us on winning and then buying an ice cream at the same time”

“We have been getting a lot more bookings from new companies and event organisers”

“Even from just reaching the final you will see the rewards”

Main Sponsor

Soft Ice Cream

We are delighted to announce this year we have a new sponsor for this prestigious mobiling competition Ice Cream Direct.Ice Cream Direct are a well-established company providing national coverage for Kelly’s Dairy Soft Ice Cream Mix, their own Softee Whip brands and other ice cream mixes and have been a supporter of Ice Cream Alliance for many years.

“We are proud to sponsor the 2023 Mobiler of the Year competition, providing us with the opportunity to support and celebrate the Great British tradition of mobiling and the dedicated people within the industry”.

Rules

  • You have to be an ICA member
  • You must be available for an interview at the Expo, should you reach the finals 
  • Last year’s winner and anyone from the same company cannot enter

How to Enter

Please contact Kashif via email at kashif@ice-cream.org or call on 01332 203333 to register your interest and arrange to pay your entry fee which is £99.00 plus VAT. Once you have paid your fee, a link to a SharePoint folder will be given for you to send your entry form and supporting documents to us.

  1. Contact Details
    • Name
    • Business Name
    • Membership Number
    • Address
    • Telephone Number
    • Email
  2. Entrant’s trading history (For example how you began and how long you have been running)
  3. Usual round worked by entrant (You can include specific venues)
  4. Brief description of Vehicle used
  5. What are the entrant’s thoughts on mobiling?
  6. How does the entrant promote themselves and the UK industry?

Please include a maximum of 20 photos (especially of you in/with your vehicle/s) and any evidence of activities (such as news articles, charity events etc). 

Your application must be submitted to the ICA’s SharePoint folder account by 4.00p.m on Friday 25th November 2022. The link will be sent to you in due course.

How does the judging process work?

All applications will be reviewed and narrowed down to three finalists by the ICA Board of Directors during the December Board Meeting. The finalists will be notified of their entry into the final stage of the competition in mid-December.

All three finalists will attend an interview at the Ice Cream & Artisan Food Show on Wednesday 8th February 2023 in Harrogate. During this interview you will be asked to present your portfolio and several relevant questions regarding your role, which will be sent to you in advance.

What will I gain from winning this competition?

  • The winner will be announced at the ICA Award Night Dinner on Wednesday 8th February at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Harrogate. You will be awarded a silver trophy and certificate
  • Given valuable publicity in regional and national press through our PR partners 
  • Standard ICA membership (worth £242)
  • £1000 of product from our main sponsor Ice Cream Direct
  • Opportunity to write four articles in our ‘Ice Cream’ magazine
  • Runner up and 3rd place winners will also be awarded at the ICA Award Night with a trophy and certificate.

*All finalists receive digital artwork*

Please note, due to COVID 19 – dates and judging location indicated are subject to change. The ICA reserves the right to delay judging and therefore amend the dates associated with it, according to Government advice.

DOWNLOAD RULES AND HOW TO ENTER

SALSA Plus Ice Cream Certification – Issue 1

Salsa plus Ice Cream Certification

HOW TO GET STARTED!

To start your journey to certification with the ICA and SALSA you are first required to be a member of both associations. If you are reading this in the magazine or on social media you are undoubtedly a member of the ICA already (or thinking about renewing your membership in the months ahead)! We are here to make the journey as easy as possible for you…let us guide you through the steps…

YOU MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE ICA (STANDARD MEMBERSHIP PRICE OF £242) TO APPLY FOR SALSA PLUS ICE CREAM CERTIFICATION

STEP 1– Making the enquiry

You can either visit our new website where you will find a page where you can register your interest. This page will also give you access to download the SALSA plus Ice Cream Standard to ensure it’s a good fit for you and your business, OR, you can pick up the phone and speak to one of the team members at head office who will talk you through what’s involved and send you the SALSA plus Ice Cream standard for consideration. We will ask you a few questions to ensure you are eligible – these will include:

  1. Are you a Small/Micro (SME) business with a turnover of less than £10 million and have less than 50 members of staff?
  2. Do you operate from commercial (not domestic) premises?
  3. Do you have a HACCP plan in place?
  4. Have read or received the SALSA standard?

If you answer yes to the above, you will have started your path to certification!

STEP 2 – Joining the Scheme

If you are a member of SALSA and have undertaken SALSA audits in the past and wish to participate in the SALSA plus Ice Cream Standard, then you should book your next audit and renew your membership of SALSA through the ICA Head Office Team. Remember to also renew your ICA membership if required! If you are an ICA member but have never undertaken SALSA certification, contact the ICA Head Office Team to pay your audit subscription and start your journey. If, for whatever reason, you are not a member of the ICA or SALSA, then contact the Head Office Team to become a member of the ICA and pay for your SALSA plus Ice Cream audit subscription. Once we have received payment, we will ask you to register with the SALSA website (link available on our website). Once complete we will send you the SALSA plus Ice Cream Interpretation Guide to explain in detail what each section of the standard requires from you.

STEP 3 – Your Journey Begins

You can complete a self-assessment questionnaire to see how far away you are from being ready to undertake the audit. The ICA has developed a generic Quality Manual template which you can adapt to your business to make the journey toward your audit easier. This is available from the Head Office so please get in touch for this. You may also wish to purchase the ICA’s Industry Code of Practice to make procedures and principles clearer. Once you have paid your fees and completed your registration SALSA will contact you within a week to allocate you with an auditor and book a day for your audit, normally within 28 days but you are given up to a year from payment to arrange the audit whenever you think you are ready.

STEP 4 – Your Audit

Once you have the date of your audit, your allocated auditor will arrive and go through your procedures and check you are complying with each section of the audit. Nobody’s perfect…if you do have a few corrective actions from your audit you will have up to 3 months to correct them and demonstrate your compliance. You will then be sent your full audit report and a certificate. This will be published on the SALSA website. You will be issued with the full SALSA plus Ice Cream Logo pack to use in your correspondence, business marketing, social media as well as your premises!

STEP 5 – Keep it up!

Well Done! Just keep up the same level of compliance over the next year and re-book your annual audit with the ICA for the same time next year!

Find out more visit the Salsa plus Ice Cream Section of the website.

Content of the Audit Standard Click Here

To Register for SALSA plus Ice Cream Click Here

Contact Head Office if you have any questions: Call on 01332 203 333 or email info@ice-cream.org 

Hexham Ice Cream Van has been Voted the Best in the UK

Zoe Philipson of Tyne Valley Ices in Hexham has won the biggest prize in the ice cream sector – Ice Cream Mobiler of the Year! 

Zoe was voted best Ice Cream Van at the Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show 2022, run by the Ice Cream Alliance, the UK’s ice cream industry trade association.  Zoe was up against two other finalists and won after being interviewed by a panel of industry experts.  Zoe won the award for her exceptional customer service and dedication to the industry and to her local community: 

“Winning Ice Cream Van of the Year means the world to me,” explains an excited Zoe.  “After many years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice its fantastic to be crowned the best in the country.  It was a fantastic experience from start to finish and I can’t wait to see what the future brings.”

Tyne Valley Ices was founded in 1974 by Zoe’s parents and has a fleet of ice cream vans as well as manufacturing and wholesaling ice cream and sauces made in a factory just outside Hexham.

“My childhood summers were spent with both my parents in an ice cream van, eagerly awaiting customers. It was truly idyllic – a child’s dream.”

Zoe joined the business full-time after finishing her A levels, a little over 10 years ago. When she took over the business it had one van.  It now runs five vans, two trikes and a barrow.  In addition to their weekly rounds, Tyne Valley Ices regularly attends corporate, charity, school, village and wedding events throughout Northumberland.  It also maintains regular slots at caravan parks, playgrounds and care homes. 

For more information on Tyne Valley Ices visit: @tynevalleyices

Ice Cream Van of the Year, known as the Mobiler of the Year in the trade, is awarded every year and has been running for over 70 years.  Entrants are judged on their customer service, product quality, local community support, food hygiene excellence and a host of other attributes.  All entrants are whittled down to three finalists who are interviewed by ice cream industry experts at the Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show 2022 in Harrogate.

“A big congratulations to Zoe and everyone at Tyne Valley Ices who have been recognised for being the best in the business,” commented Zelica Carr, ICA CEO.  “Ice cream vans, indeed, the whole ice cream sector, have had a challenging time over the last two years.  Zoe shows that the sector has overcome these challenges and has bounced back better than ever for 2022 and the future.”

Natasha’s Law – What food will require PPDS Labelling

From the 1st of October the laws surrounding the labelling of pre packed foods for direct sale (PPDS) are changing. 

As a result of Natasha’s Law, the UK Government have brought in more stringent rules surrounding how products and made, and packed at the point of sale, are labelled.  We have discussed the implementation of this law ever since it was laid before parliament back in September 2019, but thought it was worth reminding people again as the law will be in force from the 1st of October 2021.

PPDS is food which is packaged at the same place it is offered or sold to consumers and is in this packaging before it is ordered or selected.  It can include food that consumers select themselves (e.g., from a display unit), as well as products kept behind a counter and some food sold at mobile or temporary outlets.

The label needs to show the name of the food and the ingredients list with the 14 allergens required to be declared by law emphasised within it.  These need to be in line with the legal requirements that apply to naming the food and listing ingredients.

This handy graphic from the FSA helps you decide whether your product is classed as a PPDS product.

This applies to any food business that produces PPDS food, including mobile sellers, food stalls, food vans, stalls at farmers’ markets and street food vendors.

One example of PPDS food is prepacked small tubs of ice cream.  It is a single item, consisting of the food and its packaging, that is ready for presentation to the consumer before it is ordered or selected.  These changes in law will also affect mobile sellers selling food where the same business packages food at a different location.  So, for example, if your business sells food from a market stall or van, and you package this food yourself at a different location, this is PPDS food.

Food is PPDS if it is packaged as follows:

  • The food is fully or partly enclosed by the packaging.
  • The food cannot be altered without opening or changing the packaging.
  • The food is ready for sale to the final consumer.

Hot drinks made to order are not PPDS and do not require PPDS labelling, but if you pour and lid drinks before consumers order them, in anticipation of a rush, the drinks would be PPDS and would need labelling.

Whether you are selling via parlour or café, or whether you sell out of a mobile van, market stall or cart, these changes mean you must continue to provide consumers with allergen information orally or through displaying information on a menu, chalkboard or notice as you have previously done. These changes from the 1st of October are in addition to this requirement.

A Newcastle, Co. Down Business Scoops Prestigious Ice Cream Award

Lick Gelato of Newscastle, Co. Down has won a Gold Medal and Trophy at the National Ice Cream Championships 2021 run by the Ice Cream Alliance (ICA), the sector’s UK trade association. Their delicious toffee ice cream beat all comers in this, the most prestigious ice cream competition in the country which has been running for 76 years. 

“We are absolutely over the moon and back with our award,” exclaimed Lick Gelato co-founder Simon Welby. “When we were watching the presentation live it was a state of near disbelief and elation at the same time when we were announced as the winner. This award is a massive deal and achievement for us as a very young business in the ice cream world.”

Lick Gelato specialises in handcrafted artisan gelato and was founded by Simon, Jo-Ann and Seth just six years ago. They spent approximately a year developing their own, secret recipe at Loughrey College with the help of their technical team before opening their bricks and mortar shop on Central Promenade. Lick Gelato employs a total of eight hardworking and dedicated ice cream engineers who provide a memorable experience when people visit their store.

The championships are normally held at the Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show in Harrogate and hundreds of products are submitted across thirteen categories. Because of the pandemic this show was cancelled.

“The ICA decided that despite lockdowns and severe restrictions on trading we needed to show our sectors resilience by continuing with these annual awards,” commented Zelica Carr, ICA CEO. “I want to thank all those who entered and our dedicated panel of judges who tasted the entries and selected winners in a socially distanced and Covid secure procedure at our head office.”

“Congratulations to Simon and his team,” added Zelica. “There was very stiff competition in all the categories so to win gold is a big achievement.”

Ice cream parlours and ice cream vans have been hard hit in this pandemic losing a total of £289million in income in 2020*. That is just the tip of the iceberg when you add lost ice cream sales in cafes, restaurants and hotels and the economic impact to businesses along the supply chain – manufacturers, flavour houses, wholesalers and others. That is why the ICA has launched Great British Ice Cream Staycation campaign, in which Pinks Parlour is participating, to support ice cream sales in the hospitality sector.

For more information on Lick Gelato visit: www.lickgelato.com /  @LickGelatoNI

For more information on the ICA visit:  www.ice-cream.org

*The ICA surveyed members in March 2021

Snowdonia Company Makes Best Sorbet in the UK – Say Experts

Its official. Glaslyn Artisan Ice Cream & Pizza in Beddgelert, Caernarfon makes the best sorbet in the UK according to the National Ice Cream Championships 2021. The ice cream parlour and pizzeria won for its Blackcurrant Sorbet. This is the most prestigious ice cream competition in the country, run by the Ice Cream Alliance (ICA), the sector’s UK trade association and has been going for 76 years.

“To actually win gold for the best sorbet in the UK is so special,” exclaimed owner Bonnie Rowley. “It has been a really challenging couple of years, firstly getting to grips with taking over the family business in 2019, and then steering it through the pandemic since 2020. So, to win such a prestigious award makes all the hard work worthwhile. I am so proud of our team. Our Trainee Production Manager Derwyn Roberts (holding the trophy in the photo) made the winning Blackcurrant Sorbet, along with Ryan Richards.”

Bonnie is the third generation to run this ice cream parlour, cafe and pizzeria in the beautiful village of Beddgelert in Snowdonia. They specialise in dairy free sorbets containing real fruit and are naturally stronger in flavour and lower in fat. They are also a fantastic alternative to traditional dairy ice cream for those who cannot eat dairy or follow a vegan diet. The company takes sustainability seriously and its priority over the next few years is to become carbon neutral or even negative. The business employs 20 people.

The championships are normally held at the Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show in Harrogate and hundreds of products are submitted across thirteen categories. Because of the pandemic this show was cancelled.

“The ICA decided that despite lockdowns and severe restrictions on trading we needed to show our sectors resilience by continuing with these annual awards,” commented Zelica Carr, ICA CEO. “I want to thank all those who entered and our dedicated panel of judges who tasted the entries and selected winners in a socially distanced and Covid secure procedure at our head office.”

“Congratulations to Bonnie and her team,” added Zelica. “There was very stiff competition in this category so to win gold is a big achievement.”

Ice cream parlours and ice cream vans have been hard hit in this pandemic losing a total of £289million in income in 2020*. That is just the tip of the iceberg when you add lost ice cream sales in cafes, restaurants and hotels and the economic impact to businesses along the supply chain – manufacturers, flavour houses, wholesalers and others. That is why the ICA has launched Great British Ice Cream Staycation campaign, in which Pinks Parlour is participating, to support ice cream sales in the hospitality sector.

Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour – Chocolate Champions Again

Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour in the High Street has been crowned chocolate champion at the National Ice Cream Championships 2021 run by the Ice Cream Alliance (ICA), the sector’s UK trade association. This is the most prestigious ice cream competition in the country and has been running for 76 years. 

“We are so excited to have won – especially during these tough times,” exclaimed Sheila Gray, owner of Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour. “We’ve been closed for four months this year and we were shut for four months last year too. But this gives us a massive boost and its good for the staff – I have a great team – and good for the village.”

This award-winning ice cream establishment has been going for 11 years and employs eight people. It is renowned for its multi-award winning Chocolate Ice Cream (they have won this Gold Medal four times!). Sheila added: “I’ve never made this much chocolate ice cream ever before!”

The championships are normally held at the Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show in Harrogate and hundreds of products are submitted across thirteen categories. Because of the pandemic this show was cancelled.

“The ICA decided that despite lockdowns and severe restrictions on trading we needed to show our sectors resilience by continuing with these annual awards,” commented Zelica Carr, ICA CEO. “I want to thank all those who entered and our dedicated panel of judges who tasted the entries and selected winners in a socially distanced and Covid secure procedure at our head office.”

“Congratulations to Sheila and her team,” added Zelica. “There was very stiff competition in this category so to win Gold is a big achievement – and to have won this award four times is unheard of.”

Ice cream parlours and ice cream vans have been hard hit in this pandemic losing a total of £289million in income in 2020*. That is just the tip of the iceberg when you add lost ice cream sales in cafes, restaurants and hotels and the economic impact to businesses along the supply chain – manufacturers, flavour houses, wholesalers and others. That is why the ICA has launched Great British Ice Cream Staycation campaign, in which Pinks Parlour is participating, to support ice cream sales in the hospitality sector.

For more information on Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour: www.fochabersicecream.co.uk

For more information on the ICA visit:  www.ice-cream.org

*The ICA surveyed members in March 2021

Harrogate Ice Cream Van Man Wins Gold

John Taylor from ice cream van business C and M Ices in Harrogate has won a Gold Medal for his fantastic Mr Whippy ice cream at the National Ice Cream Championships 2021 run by the Ice Cream Alliance (ICA), the sector’s UK trade association. This is the most prestigious ice cream competition in the country which has been running for 76 years. 

“Winning this award, especially given the unusual situation we all find ourselves in, was a massive surprise,” exclaimed John. “I am not often lost for words but the moment it was announced I was literally speechless. As an ice cream van operator you can’t get a much more prestigious award, and it proves to everyone we put quality products as a core part of our trading.”

C and M Ices was established in 1889 and remains a family business. John is the 4th generation and has been working in ice cream vans since he left school (over 25 years ago). John can be found in one of his vans pitched outside the Victoria Shopping Centre in Harrogate most days, weather permitting. He also has a van in the Coach Street car park in Skipton on market days. John and his team also cater for events and weddings.

The championships are normally held at the Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show in Harrogate and hundreds of products are submitted across thirteen categories. Because of the pandemic this show was cancelled.

“The ICA decided that despite lockdowns and severe restrictions on trading we needed to show our sectors resilience by continuing with these annual awards,” commented Zelica Carr, ICA CEO. “I want to thank all those who entered and our dedicated panel of judges who tasted the entries and selected winners in a socially distanced and Covid secure procedure at our head office.”

“Congratulations to John,” added Zelica. “There was very stiff competition in all the categories so to win gold is a very big achievement.”

Ice cream parlours and ice cream vans have been hard hit in this pandemic losing a total of £289million in income in 2020*. That is just the tip of the iceberg when you add lost ice cream sales in cafes, restaurants and hotels and the economic impact to businesses along the supply chain – manufacturers, flavour houses, wholesalers and others. That is why the ICA has launched Great British Ice Cream Staycation campaign, in which Pinks Parlour is participating, to support ice cream sales in the hospitality sector.

For more information on C and M Ices visit: www.harrogateicecream.co.uk

For more information on the ICA visit:  www.ice-cream.org

*The ICA surveyed members in March 2021

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