38|Retail News|May 2019|www.retailnews.ie
Summer Stocking: Smooch Ice Cream
Say Hello to Smooch Smooch is a nationally recognised ice cream brand that you can trust to turn your store into a destination.
€100,000 with a gross profit of 65%, according to the Brand Manager. Smooch’s energetic marketing team supports the brand in-store with funky seasonal flavours and branded events, driving customers directly to your door. “With a fanatical following on Instagram and a supportive Facebook community, we offer weekly shout-outs that guarantee increased in-store foot fall,” Smith proclaims. “As a team, we are passionate about all things ice cream. If you’re still not convinced, get in-touch with some of our retailers: if we can’t persuade you, they will.”
THE Smooch story began with an idea to sell premium ice cream, but the brand has proven so successful that it has now grown to providing fully managed services on their Gelmatic ice cream machines, as well as a fully managed Smooch brand concept. In the process, Smooch has grown from a family run company to employing over 30 people, outgrowing its original premises and moving to a larger home in Bray, Co. Wicklow. A Complete Service There are currently over 140 sites with the Smooch parlour concept, and the company plans to continue to roll-out this offering nationwide. “Copied by many, Smooch remains the leading ice-cream solution, offering far more than just a name on the wall,” explains Alexandra Smith, Brand Manager. “We provide a complete managed service solution with our inhouse team of refrigeration engineers; we even clean your ice cream machine every month. All you do is top up the ice cream. “Smooch is more than just a great tasting Irish dairy ice cream: we install, fit, supply and maintain your parlour so you get all the benefits without any of the hassle,” Smith continues. Minimal Disruption The Smooch concept can be installed in-store with minimal disruption. In fact, their engineers are usually in and out of the shop within a single morning. They survey the existing retail
Smooch is a great tasting Irish dairy ice cream, without any of the hassle. space in advance and design the unit to minimise disruption, while their team of experienced fitters and technicians ensures everything goes to plan. All the Smooch team require from the retailer in advance is for water, waste and power connections to be available locally. “We keep it simple and hassle free,” Smith explains. “We provide the latest in ice cream machine technology, offering remote WiFi automation - we’re inside your machine at all times, ensuring optimal quality and less down-time. With branded uniforms, regular training and re-training, we prioritise your store and it shows in your turnover!” With an investment from as little as €12,995, your annual sales can exceed
There are currently over 140 sites with the Smooch parlour concept, and the company plans to continue to roll-out this offering nationwide.