Mercedes-Benz Sprinters 'deliver the moment' for Häagen-Dazs Direct

When luxury ice cream retailer Häagen-Dazs needed a pair of vans to launch an innovative new delivery service, one vehicle stood out – the premium brand Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.

Häagen-Dazs Direct is now up and running within the M25 and in central London. If it proves as popular as the company confidently expects, more vans will be taking to the capital’s roads next year before the process of ‘rolling out’ to other cities begins.

The service is targeting London’s key ‘impulse’ sector – convenience stores, theatres, cafes, department stores, offices and the like – in which Häagen-Dazs already outsells its main competitor by a margin of two to one.

As well as introducing new customers to a range of ice creams renowned for their “intensely irresistible” flavours, Häagen-Dazs Direct is ‘topping up’ existing account holders with low-volume orders ahead of their main deliveries.

The new service was launched last week (22nd November) at the UK headquarters in Uxbridge, Middlesex, of General Mills, the world’s sixth largest food company and owner of the Häagen-Dazs brand.

Striking in full vinyl wraps that feature a mouth-watering image of Häagen-Dazs ice creams and the evocative slogan, ‘Delivering the moment’, the vans were supplied by dealer Sparshatts of Kent, with support from Mercedes-Benz UK.

Both are Sprinter 313CDI models powered by low-emission 129hp Euro 5 common-rail turbodiesel engines, while their bodies were insulated and fridges fitted by Manchester-based Coolfreeze.

The new service is being operated on behalf of Häagen-Dazs by its commercial partner Direct Wholesale Foods, which is based in Woodford Green, Essex, and specialises in the distribution of frozen foods and ice creams.

Häagen-Dazs Direct is selling 500ml and 100ml tubs of ice cream in sumptuous flavours such as Cookies & Cream, Strawberry Cheesecake, Belgian Chocolate and Pralines & Cream. As well as delivering stock the two van drivers also have sales roles, taking orders and offering category advice – they are supported back at base by a small team responsible for business development and tele-sales.

“We produce a premium quality product so it is only fitting that it should be delivered in a premium quality van,” declared Häagen-Dazs Project Consultant Henry Chambers. “The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter offers a winning combination of reliability and durability, comfort and practicality, and environmental compatibility and safety.

“The three-pointed star also complements our own brand image perfectly, while their eye-catching liveries mean these new vans are great mobile advertisements for our new service.”         

And he added: “The Mercedes-Benz team have been very supportive in helping us to launch this exciting new venture and we look forward to working closely with them over the months and years to come.”

The Sprinters are the subject of an operating lease arrangement with Mercedes-Benz CharterWay, the manufacturer’s in-house commercial vehicle arm, and a Service Package Plus deal, under which all routine maintenance costs will be met by Mercedes-Benz in return for an up-front payment. Service Package Plus covers potentially expensive friction items such as brake pads and discs, clutch linings and plates, as well as labour, lubricants and other materials, and represents outstanding value for money, as well as offering operators complete peace of mind.

For more information, visit haagendazsdirect.co.uk.