A new campaign, the Great British Ice Cream Staycation, is encouraging businesses of all types and sizes to get involved.
“Ice cream parlors and ice cream vans have been hard hit in this pandemic losing a total of £289m ($398m) in income in 2020,” said ICA CEO Zelica Carr.
“And that’s 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, flavor houses, wholesalers and many others.”
Carr said the campaign is not about dictating to businesses how to market their products.
“It’s about harnessing everyone’s creative flair and dynamism and providing them with the tools – across digital marketing, PR, influencer marketing, POS – to maximize sales and bounce back from a truly horrid 12 months,” she said.
“We are providing marketing materials, guides and templates free to everyone who wants it – not just to ICA members.”
The free, downloadable DIY Marketing Toolkit is available here.
The ICA surveyed members on the effects of the pandemic on business in 2020. It revealed 90 ice cream parlors have closed in the last 12 months, and that 800 mobilers have ceased trading over the same period. However, the governments furlough scheme has been utilized by many businesses, with up to 62% of staff furloughed at some point during the pandemic.
Carr said, “The ICA was founded just after the Second World War to promote a fledgling sector during the post-war years. The ice cream industry successfully expanded since then but has faced its biggest threat since the war from the pandemic. We felt the ICA had to play a major role in helping our sector to recover and flourish again.”