TropicalShaveIce_DifferentFlavors

During the summer and beyond, frozen treats such as gelato, frozen yogurt and customizable sundaes are trending on food truck menus, according to data compiled by research firm Datassential.

According to a study by the firm that tracked menu trends on food trucks in 2011, frozen treats appeared on nearly one quarter of all food truck menus. The category came in second only to cakes — which included cupcakes — in a ranking of desserts tracked on food truck menus.

The study noted that food trucks that serve frozen desserts often make use of innovative toppings and twists on traditional items to set them apart from competitors — a reflection of a trend that is being seen on food truck menus across the board.

New York’s Big Gay Ice Cream, which began as the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck in 2009, is an example of a food truck concept that uses unique and high-end flavors to court adventurous tastes. While the frozen treat concept now has a brick and mortar shop, the truck still operates in the summer months, offering treats with names like the Bea Arthur and Cococone. The former is a vanilla ice cream served with dulce de leche and crushed Nilla wafers, and the latter is a vanilla cone dusted with toasted curried coconut.

Another example is Coolhaus, which has trucks in Austin, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami and New York, and specializes in customizable ice cream sandwiches. Customers can choose from cookie flavors such as Potato Chip & Butterscotch and Ginger Molasses, as well as ice cream flavors that include Baked Apple, Balsamic Fig & Mascarpone, and Beer & Pretzels.

Find out how two other food trucks concepts, Kelvin Natural Slush Co. and Tropical Shave Ice, are finding success with frozen treats.

Find the entire article by Sonya Moore at nrn.com <here>