“I never thought I’d be driving an ice cream van, but I knew what I wanted. I wanted to work for myself, I wanted to be autonomous, and I wanted to work with people but not have the pastoral responsibility that came with teaching,” Russell said.
“Mr Whippy ticked all the boxes for me, and I haven’t regretted it.”
Mr Whippy franchisee Rebecca Russell took the Herald on a ride-along during her daily route. Photo / NZ Herald, Annaleise Shortland
Taking the Herald on a ride on her Auckland Central route, Russell explained the diversity of her customer base, ranging from residential areas and business districts to sports clubs and lunch runs.
She said Mr Whippy cut across all generations and demographics, with staff from businesses including Halter and MediaWorks meeting Russell throughout the run.
The business has seen many ups and downs during her time as owner, including the pandemic, but Russell said the period had an interesting upside – business picked up rapidly once lockdowns ended.
Russell owns two Mr Whippy vans, one called Big Dipper and another Snowflake, both turning over hundreds of thousands in sales a year.
Post-Covid, consumer confidence and the cost of living have hampered spending, while business costs such as insurance have risen.
“The business is constantly changing; we’re having to adapt all the time. One of our biggest assets is our mobility, and you think about the challenges fixed-site businesses have had, especially in Auckland, over the last five years. We have mobility, so we’re able to adjust immediately.
“There’s a lot more card payments and fewer cash payments now, and obviously the price of everything’s gone up. We’ve had to reflect that in our prices as well.”
Being a mobile business, fuel costs have had an immediate impact on operational costs. Russell said the business had absorbed most of the increase and was hopeful prices would come down from recent highs.
Customers from Mediaworks came out on their lunch breaks to meet Rebecca Russell’s Auckland Central Mr Whippy van. Photo / NZ Herald, Annaleise Shortland
Mr Whippy New Zealand director Nathan Brand said, like many food businesses, Mr Whippy had experienced pressure from rising ingredient and other operating costs over the last few years.
“However, demand for New Zealand’s favourite soft serve has remained strong, and overall sales across the network have remained resilient over recent years,” Brand said.
“The strength of the Mr Whippy brand, loyal customer demand, and the variety of locations and events our franchisees serve have helped the network continue to perform well despite broader cost pressures.”
Brand said the hands-on approach was central to the business’s franchise model and helped ensure each territory retained a strong local connection while benefiting from the recognition, systems and support of a national brand.
Ingredients for the soft serve come directly from the company’s head office, with fuel and operational costs managed by the franchisee.
The cost of dairy has risen over the past few years and one would assume that would impact the cost of ice creams, but Brand explained the biggest short-term impact on the business’ operators is an extended period of poor weather or the cancellation of major events.
“There is naturally a perception that Mr Whippy is primarily a summer business, and the warmer months are certainly an important part of the year. However, there is still a strong level of activity through winter, with franchisees adapting their locations and trading opportunities to suit the season.
“The strength of the Mr Whippy brand, loyal customer demand, and the variety of locations and events our franchisees serve have helped the network continue to perform well despite broader cost pressures.”
Despite the cost of ingredients going up, Rebecca Russell has still been able to grow her business. Photo / Annaleise Shortland.
As the summer season approaches and costs continue to add pressure, Russell said she had no intention of slowing down, confirming she’s already taking bookings for the months ahead.
She hinted a third van could be in her sights as the business grows, along with expansion to other territories.
But the self-described workaholic was candid and says the feeling behind the business is what keeps her and the brand around.
“It’s got this incredible nostalgia, and there’s very few jobs where you’re working with happy people the whole time, so I feel very lucky. It’s an integral part of Kiwi life.
“Perhaps the nicest thing is at rest homes where I’m serving older people. They often reminisce about getting Mr Whippy when they were younger. There’s not many businesses in New Zealand that can say that.”
Brand echoed the sentiment and acknowledged that while there will always be room in the market for new operators, customers continue to look for their favourite.
“Mr Whippy’s greatest strength is that people already know and trust the brand. With 94% brand recognition in New Zealand, we have a level of familiarity and nostalgia that is difficult for competitors to replicate.
“Our focus in the years ahead is to build on that heritage while continuing to evolve. Supporting our franchisees, maintaining consistent product quality, strengthening our presence at events and in local communities, and ensuring the Mr Whippy experience remains relevant to the next generation of customers.”
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.
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