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thiseswagen jingleBrings back memories of hot summer days and cool treats. Seeing ice cream trucks passing your neighborhood is less common these days than it used to be, but if you do, keep going. Ice cream vans are inherently nostalgic, but there are plenty of companies working to make mobile ice cream not just a distant memory of days gone by.
Ice cream trucks have a long and sweet history — when vendors first started selling ice cream, they did it from carts rather than trucks. These ice cream vans hit streets around the world for the first timeprohibition period; Many people desperately need an alternative to alcohol, and they've found it in these low-hanging fruit desserts. Since then, ice cream trucks have grown in popularity despite multiple recessionsSweetAmong us wandered the streets with familiar voices. Even though prices have risen over the years, that hasn't stopped people from flocking to their favorite trucks on warm summer afternoons.
Ice cream trucks became popular during Prohibition
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In 1920, Congress passed the Volstead Act, enacting nearly 15 years of prohibition in the United States. Most bars and breweries closed during Prohibition, but a few discovered a new product that kept them selling until 1933, when alcohol became widely available again. The product is ice cream. Between 1920 and 1929, when alcohol sales plummeted, ice cream sales increased by 40% (via).conspiracy）。
According to historical records, the first ice cream truck hit the market in 1923good moodTreat brands (companies that are still popular to this day). In her book "Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla: A History of Ice Cream in America," author Anne Cooper Funderburg describes how bar-going men chose frozen ice cream. Instead of spending nights at bars, people headed to ice cream trucks—indulgence was a different form during Prohibition, but there was no shortage of indulgences thanks to the abundance of candy readily available.
Ice cream sticks were an early treat on the ice cream truck
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Harry Burt, a Youngstown, Ohio, confectioner known for opening the first ice cream truck in the United StatesMahoning Valley Historical SocietyWhen Bert was 18, he owned a candy store. His storefront is simple, but his desserts are known for being delicious.
As Bert's business grew, the candy store became a full-fledged restaurant, including:Soda Brunnenand ice cream options. In the early 1920s, as Burt's business grew, he developed a chocolate coating to hardenice cream. Burt's kids made him realize that while chocolate ice cream is difficult to hold with bare hands, it can be easily held. Bert's son Harry suggested that consumers could hold the ice cream with a wooden stick, and "a new, clean, and convenient way of eating ice cream" was born. These ice cream sticks are perfect for sale in Burt's refrigerated truck, which he purchased between 1922 and 1926, when his business success coincided with the invention of the refrigerator.
The Invention of the Refrigerator Changed the World of the Ice Cream Truck and Prevented Disease
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When Harry Burt was making homemade popsicles, the invention of the electric refrigerator allowed his company to ship ice cream faster and farther. AppropriatelySmithsonian InstitutionBurt was the first company to use a truck-mounted freezer instead of the carts most ice cream vendors used at the time.
Before Burt's Ice Cream Truck, ice cream trucks made people sick. According to an 1878 article in the Candy Journal, it was "easily incorporated with ingredients that sacrificed health to cheapness." But when Burt's clean, white "Good Mood" coolers hit the market, consumers completely forgot about their food poisoning past. The drivers, dressed in crisp white suits that resemble nurses' uniforms, provide a hygienic environment for ice cream lovers everywhere.
Ice cream truck drivers made a lot of money in the 1930s
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drive an ice cream truckIt might not be very profitable now, but when the ice cream truck industry took off in the 1930s, ice cream truck drivers could make a tidy profit selling their frozen desserts. AppropriatelySmithsonian InstitutionOn the streets of cities like New York and Chicago, drivers earn the equivalent of $1,800 a day.
When ice cream trucks became more common, the Great Depression devastated the economy. During this period, many working-class workers struggled to find work, but the ice cream truck provided workers with steady wages in a sluggish economy.
Unfortunately, in the 21st century, making a living driving an ice cream truck is a little harder. Appropriatelya lotThe average annual salary for an ice cream truck driver is $28,524, while other estimates put it around $34,500. By comparison, a daily salary of $1,800 equates to more than $450,000 a year. Ice cream truck drivers may have enjoyed their prime for a while, but they don't live in luxury these days.
The ice cream sandwich was the first frozen treat to corner the market
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As ice cream became a popular frozen dessert, ice cream makers began developing different ways to serve it. There are also several other classic desserts, such as cheese bite-sized Neapolitan-style ice cubes and penny licks, which are regular ice cream served in a glass instead of a cone (courtesy ofdental floss）。
The ice cream sandwich has become one of the most coveted items on the ice cream truck, and has even become known for bringing people together. A 1900 article states, "Brokers buy their own ice cream sandwiches and enjoy them democratically on the sidewalk with couriers and office workers." I wouldn't object to trucks parked outside offices (especially if Wall Street paid ).
The Mister Softee Ice Cream Van is a Historic Site
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In 1955, Conway brothers William and James were working at a manufacturer of ice machines called Sweden Freezer. That's how her idea for what became the Mister Softee truck was born. AppropriatelyEthelThe Conway brothers discovered that the freezers their company had installed on their ice cream trucks were not for public use.
"They bolted the ice machine to the truck, but that didn't work out well for a number of reasons," William Conway's son Jim told Eater. “You needed shock absorbers, and you needed to be able to keep the machine cool.” Conway realized that to avoid the constant repairs required in the original version, a freezer specifically designed for continuous use in a moving vehicle was needed. So they quit their jobs at a Swedish refrigeration plant and started touring.
The Conway brothers originally planned to sell their ice cream van to other companies, but as their business grew, they realized that profitability depended on promoting their ice cream van as their own. “They decided that if they wanted to make money, they should start franchising so they could generate an income stream from each sale,” Conway said (viaEthel）。
Ice cream trucks announce their arrival with bells, not catchy tunes
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Harry Burt contributed even more to the ice cream truck business than his chocolate ice cream topping. Appropriatelymahoninga historyBurt fitted his ice cream truck with a bell—it wasn't the deep-sounding ice cream truck it's now known for, but he did. During the drive, the bell on Burt's truck rang, alerting passers-by that dessert might be just around the corner. Burt was so pleased with the success of his new marketing trick that he fitted bells to 12 more Good Humor trucks.
Soon, the bells became music. California businessman Paul Hawkins has developed a system that plays music directly from his truck and replaces the bell with actual music. Soon, composers were writing music specifically for the ice cream truck, and drivers had a selection of songs to choose from. The sound of the ice cream truck blaring from its deafening speakers quickly turns into a tantalizing call for children and adults with a sweet tooth.
The usual ice cream truck jingle has a history of racism
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Ice cream truck bells have long conjured fond memories of summertime desserts, but it's fittingNPRSome of the most popular ice cream truck songs have a dark history. While not all ice cream trucks have the same tune, the most played song has overtly racist lyrics.
The song, based on the traditional British tune "The (Old) Rose Tree," received new lyrics from immigrants in the United States, reflecting attitudes towards blacks in that country at the time. The lyrics were inspired by the bard show, in which actors wore blackface, performed degrading performances, and mocked black people for their own entertainment (and, as NPR pointed out, for profit).
Luckily, ice cream truck drivers have the common sense to omit the lyrics to their favorite songs, thus preventing neighbors from hearing the N-word through speakers designed to appeal to sensitive little ones.
Famous rapper penned a new song for the ice cream truck
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After word spread about the racist origins of a song about ice cream, one of the rappers decided it was time to take ice cream into his own hands. When Good Humor, Harry Burt's ice cream truck empire, wants to have a change of heart, RZA, a member of the Wu-Tang family, steps in.
"To create a new song, we knew we had to partner with the creators of some of the most memorable songs of our time," said Russel Lilly, Senior Director of Unilever US Ice Cream.noble. RZA joined the project because he has fond memories of eating ice cream on a hot summer day and wanted to give kids the chance to experience a similar experience without having to listen to a racist theme song.
"I remember the days when I heard the iconic ice cream truck outside and I would stop everything and chase it for something delicious," RZA told Highsnobiety. When it comes to history, I know I have to get involved and do something about it."
An ice cream truck is an essential service
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In early 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic swept the world, most companies were forced to close their doors. Even as communities around the world are plagued by deadly diseases, essential services like grocery stores and hospitals remain open, with frontline workers enabling people to meet their needs. One of the surprisingly important services is the ice cream truck. AppropriatelyAARPMost ice cream trucks are operating during the pandemic. Their drivers took as many precautions as possible, but many felt it was important to deliver ice cream during these dark times.
“We are critical,” said Godfrey Robinson, an ice cream truck driver in New York City. "We provide services that will keep you and your family happy during the pandemic, without the pandemic, rain, sleet and snow. I feel like I can bring that joy to people" (viaNew York Times）。
Ice cream trucks are getting greener
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In the UK, Nissan is working to ensure that the ice cream van's age doesn't pose a threat to the environment. On the occasion of the UK's annual Clean Air Day 2019, Nissan has unveiled a zero-emission ice cream van powered by Nissan's electric models. Most ice cream vans use outdated equipment that has been around for years. When these electrical systems work, they emit large amounts of carbon dioxide into the air. Many trucks are equipped with diesel engines, allowing the refrigerator to keep running even when the truck is not moving.
"Ice cream is popular around the world, but consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of our production of such foods," said Nissan's CEO. "By eliminating harmful exhaust emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy, we can Help make the world a better place" (fromTechnology De Lead）。
Operation Meltdown exposes ice cream vans evading traffic fines
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In the summer of 2019, it was revealed that at least 50 ice cream vans in New York City were involved in a citywide scam that resulted in $4.5 million in losses. AppropriatelyCBS New YorkOperation Circuit Breaker, which targets ice cream truck drivers who refuse to pay for traffic violations, received more than 22,000 traffic fines between 2009 and 2017.
New York's ice cream vans are notorious for parking illegally, running red lights, speeding, and other basic infractions. "It's scary because if kids run up to the ice cream trucks and don't stop them, don't stop at red lights or stop signs, they can get run over," said a Long Island City resident.
Instead of paying the fines as soon as they were received, the drivers set up front companies and registered the trucks in their names. The program worked until the Treasury found out that the companies weren't real companies and paid out millions of dollars.
Ice cream is not as cheap as it used to be
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There was a time when ice cream trucks brought people from different socioeconomic backgrounds together. Appropriatelydental floss,ice cream sandwichesDelivered on carts, they are a popular summer treat for workers and employees. Ice cream is so cheap that everyone can afford it, and it's so delicious that everyone wants it. People lined the streets for ice cream and dined together on the sidewalk. "They introduced ice cream as a street food," said Laura B. Weiss, author of "Ice Cream: A Global History."
Unfortunately, this is no longer the case today. Hamidu Jalloh, a 25-year ice cream truck veteran, tells the storywashingtonIce cream preferences have mostly stayed the same (ice cream sandwiches, popsicles) over the years, but prices have changed. A cone that used to cost 50 cents now sells for about $2.
Ice cream trucks don't always do well on turf
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The controversy began in 2013. Along with established giants of the ice cream industry like Mister Softee, a new ice cream truck company has hit the streets of New York. Mister Softee has been the most famous ice cream van in the city for 61 years, when Dimitrios Konstantakakakos bought 12 ice cream vans and named his business Master Softee. The following year, Master Softee was sued for misappropriating Mister Softee's name, and soon after, the Mister Softee franchise sued its competitors again for using their jingle.
After a brief hiatus, Master Softee returns as New York Ice Cream. But the war didn't end there. As the lawsuit continued, word spread that the ice cream truck driver in New York had threatened Mr Sofodie's driver. become oneNew York Times"If one of my drivers pulls into the city center, they (NYC Ice Cream) will surround them with the truck ... and they will start banging on the windows," employee Mr. Sophie said in a report.
One ice cream driver in New York said each company has its own designated area. "You'll never see a Mister Softee truck downtown. If you do, there's a problem, and you don't see him there for long." As of 2017, New York Ice Cream had bought 30 new trucks . As they continue to rebel against Mr. Softee's rule, Mr. Softee's years of experience give them a strong advantage (viaEthel）。