Schwan's Ice Cream man getting closed down

[Detective D]

Not sure how many people are familiar with this company. In rural WI, this was basically the ice cream man, drivers had routes through the country roads and had a truck full of ice creams, pizzas, chicken, whatever. Quality was generally high. Price was fair for quality, but not equally fair on everything, some items were obviously premium priced.

So I think it was late last year they got bought out. Changed the name to "Yello!"(what a stupid name, IMO) And now after firing the long time drivers and repricing everything over the last year they have decided to shut down the entire thing after being in operation since the 1950's.

My Grandfather used to get buckets of ice cream dropped off. Back when I was a kid, they had this "butter crinkle" ice cream. But it wasn't butterscotch, it was the melted form of those hard yellow butterscotch candies. They stirred it in and it cooled the candy in the little waves and made it crunchy again. Best ice cream cones in my life, Grandpa's favorite.
Lately, the ice cream sandwiches( #8 in the catalogue, an oldie!) were a great deal for what you got.

Anyway, lots of fond memories over the years. I am a little peeved that a mega corp bought the family out and proceeded to F it up so bad they are now closing it down in less then a year. But what's new I guess. The whole thing stinks of bean counters and share holders, where for 70 years it was a family run business with career drivers on routes that drove long enough to memorize your name and get to know you.

 

[WileE]

My favorites were

AND

. The ice cream trucks would come around the streets of Brooklyn in the early evening. We would stop playing ball to get a treat, or jump in the good humor truck to ring the bells. Mr, Softee cones were 10 cents for a single, 20 cents for a double.

 

[autoxcuda]

About 10 years ago Schawns started an office in Santa Paula CA. Town of 30K. Very close to the city of Ventura with 109K. Some farming in area but still just different demographic from the Midwest.

Never took off here. Closed pre pandemic.

Even with Amazon, postmates, and all these delivery services, an established delivery company can’t make it.

Reminds me of JC Whitney and PAW. The ball was right in front of them and they couldnt figure out how to grab it.

 

[autoxcuda]

My favorites were View attachment 1738013 AND View attachment 1738014. The ice cream trucks would come around the streets of Brooklyn in the early evening. We would stop playing ball to get a treat, or jump in the good humor truck to ring the bells. Mr, Softee cones were 10 cents for a single, 20 cents for a double.

Mister Softee has joined the Food Truck craze here. They don’t drive around neighborhoods for kids. Just go to high traffic areas and park.

 

[WileE]

Mister Softee has joined the Food Truck craze here. They don’t drive around neighborhoods for kids. Just go to high traffic areas and park.

Well, big difference from the crowded streets of Brooklyn 50- 60+ years ago that were teeming with kids.

 

[autoxcuda]

Well, big difference from the crowded streets of Brooklyn 50- 60+ years ago that were teeming with kids.

Nowadays kids don’t play outside as much and parents don’t let them run out and buy stuff. They probably wouldn’t know what to do with cash.

But their parents will drive a few miles to sit in a drive thru to just to buy a $8 coffee.

 

[#41]

If you think about it, with the AP food delivery services plus grocery store home delivery services, it's surprising Schwan survived this long. Whoever it was that made the case to buy out Schwan a year ago made a major blunder, and the whomever sold the company was lucky to get out with anything.

It's certainly a sign of change.

 

[RemCharger]

I remember them.
Here's a good read Schwan's Company - Wikipedia

 

[autoxcuda]

If you think about it, with the AP food delivery services plus grocery store home delivery services, it's surprising Schwan survived this long. Whoever it was that made the case to buy out Schwan a year ago made a major blunder, and the whomever sold the company was lucky to get out with anything.

It's certainly a sign of change.

My relatives in rural Iowa back in the day considered Shwans high quality frozen food that you don’t find at the grocery store. And their supermarket was one town over 10 miles away.

People don’t make meals as much anymore. Could be an opportunity.

Then again… grocery store frozen food has got better over years. Not exactly frozen Swanson TV dinners in tin foil anymore. Maybe the quality disparity in frozen food is closer now?

 

[joel snyder]

schwann's stuff was excellent. pricey but good.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I am a little peeved that a mega corp bought the family out and proceeded to F it up so bad they are now closing it down in less then a year. But what's new I guess.

I think those large companies buy them out smaller ones just to put them out of business by eliminating the competition and chalk up the loss as a business write off.

Nowadays kids don’t play outside as much and parents don’t let them run out and buy stuff. They probably wouldn’t know what to do with cash.

But their parents will drive a few miles to sit in a drive thru to just to buy a $8 coffee.

Lotta truth to that.

 

[1967coronet]

Our small town of 1200 has had a schwanns truck on a route for years.
Drivers/salesmen were long term employees and did a great job.
Then 5 or 6 years ago it changed, lots of driver turnover, never new what day they would run the route.
I think schwanns CEOs seen the future and sold out.
Their long term salesmen/drivers were aging out and good replacments could not be found.

 

[YY1]

IMO, they were likely not doing great before the sale.

They were basically a luxury item and had a semi-high pressure sales model.

Both of those things have been going out of favor the past decade or so.

 

[GTXDAN]

That's to bad as they had the best ice cream sandwiches, and their chicken strips were great. The little frozen pizzas they had were good, just right for lunch.

 

[1968rt]

Not only were there 3 different ice cream trucks in NY but there was also a chinese food truck! All good things come to an end sadly.

 

[toolmanmike]

We still have Schwans here. A lot of people don't want salesmen stopping by the house all the time. Those people are on commission and try to sell you everything on the truck. Their food is good but it's frozen in a bag and you can get similar at any grocery store for a bit less. You can also shop on your own schedule and not theirs.

For those of you that don't know, Schwans is not an icecream truck that wanders around the neighborhoods selling cones and push ups to kids.

 

[Hey-O]

Nowadays kids don’t play outside as much and parents don’t let them run out and buy stuff. They probably wouldn’t know what to do with cash.

But their parents will drive a few miles to sit in a drive thru to just to buy a $8 coffee.

X2. The problem with our country, that and the sick SOB's that live among us that we have to protect our kids from! ......... I miss the good old days.

 

[toolmanmike]

X2. The problem with our country, that and the sick SOB's that live among us that we have to protect our kids from! ......... I miss the good old days.

 

[toolmanmike]

Talk about selling treats to the kids.......I remember these and the bicycle ones as well.

 

[LowBikeMike]

Grew up in rural Southern Illinois. Our Schwans driver was around long enough and new us and what we ate. He'd arrive, throw a few ice cream treats to the dogs, walked right in the basement, checked the freezer and restock what was need, took the blank check that was on the clipboard. NEVER had a problem, always had what we needed. Was a great service for folks always out in the field.