Muddyboots

Follow the fortunes of Muddyboots & Family on their East Yorkshire farm which has changed from dairy farm to luxury ice cream manufacture

Tuesday 26 February 2008

Spring and large mixes

Well l feel it is time to once again, hit the keyboard and start to write.

Yes, busy week yet again. Yesterday saw myself and Hazza attending the Regional Food group's Meet the Producer event held at Escrick, near York. I think that about 2000 invites had been sent out and 150 buyers were expected? So there we were, with our packaging, info, inclusion samples, but with no real ice cream!

Oh, what a nightmare.......... someone, and will mention no names.... forgot about the freezer, you need a FREEZER to take SAMPLES to show and hand out to potential customers! Did we feel pratts? My goodness most definitely! How do you sell ice cream to potential new clients when all you have is a selection of brightly coloured pots? Well, folks, you talk, you gesticulate, you draw upon your imagination to describe the delicious, rich creamy ice cream bursting with pure natural flavours, an ice cream that contains real dairy cream & fresh whole milk producing a dense, wholesome ice cream that you just can't get enough of! An ice cream that sends celebrity chefs into raptures and leaves everyone beaming wildly clamoring for more!

On the way home, my son & l, discussed the afternoon's work and came to the conclusion that we were better off without the ice cream. Customers knew exactly what they were in fact looking for, a good strong brand image plus a top quality, bespoke 15% butterfat ice cream made locally using top class ingredients. We took away with us one definite order plus several strong leads! Not bad for mere dairy farmers who some people believe have no industry knowledge, make poor ice cream, are uncomfortable in a retail environment and have little or no brand exposure etc. Pie in the sky Matey!

Some people, l ask you! Well, time rolls on, end of February in fact, Easter just around the corner, the CL site is fully booked, the large caravan sites have re-opened and day trippers are starting to head out to the coast. The new machinery has already been press ganged into work, the pasturiser has just belched out its first batch of creamy base mix all ready for tomorrow.

All is well, so far, in Mr Moo's mad mad world!

14 comments:

Westerwitch/Headmistress said...

Well you sound all geared up and ready to go . . . but it is blowing a gale here and very cold.

Well done for securing an order even without the product there - now that takes a REALLY good salesperson . . .

Sally Townsend said...

When are you going to send Mr Moo's most delicious ice cream over here to us foodies in France ? that takes some skill to sell produce by description alone, mind you once they taste the real thing they will be smitten I'm sure. You must have all competition licked !! All power to Farmers who cleverly diversify with success.

Cait O'Connor said...

Well done and good luck for the coming season.

mountainear said...

I'm sure we eat with our eyes and imagination - for heaven's sake if it looks good in the bowl/plate and our brain's raring to go then that must be half the battle. Sounds pretty good to me.

Wish you did mail order!

Frances said...

Oh, how I wish I could have a double scoop. You pick the flavors, I am sure that I would be in ice cream heaven.
xo

Pondside said...

What a day you had - you must have had people salivating at your descriptions! I love the photo of your shop! It looks exactly like what an ice cream parlour should be!

Mopsa said...

the phrase "creamy base mix" doesn't do it for me somehow - not like cream does...

muddyboots said...

mopsa - slip of the tongue, creamy means just that, cream, sugar, milk - a base mix waiting for the addition of flavours.

Milkmaid said...

Where do you get your processing equip from, I am looking into getting a small pasturising machine to sell a small quantity of milk through the box scheme

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Who is that very tall woman reflected in the mirror behind the counter? She seems to be holding an expensive digital camera while dressed in an outfit from Primark!

Jane said...

Made me hungry just reading about the ice cream. Well done and good luck!

Pig in the Kitchen said...

oh the freezer, I can imagine your horror and 'heart sinking into boots' feeling...
Pigx

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Kitty said...

Hello, haven't popped in for ages... nice to catch up. I know that feeling - everyone else knows what they're doing and you're just masquerading as an expert... but it sounds like you came out well in end anyway.
Rhubarb and ginger mentioned somewhere? Save me a pot - I'm on my way!

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