The Ice Cream Man (Matt Allan)
About Us
Ice Cream Man's mission is to travel the country, eventually the world, giving away FREE ice cream.
Our growing team combines the minds, hearts, skills and resources of adventurous individuals who refuse to adhere to the old business paradigm. We fund this venture through advertising, sponsors, promotions and merchandising, building win-win-win relationships between everyone involved. To date, Ice Cream Man has given away over 125,000 treats. With the goal of giving away half a million ice creams, we’ve still got a long way to go.
If you would like to become a part of this movement, we sure could use your help. Everyone has something to offer, be it a kind word, a review of a band, a few dollars, or a new engine for a '69 Chevy step van. You can start by simply helping us spread the word. To join the crew, check out some ways to get involved.
We Like You!
FAQ
Q. Why do you give away free ice cream?
A. There are a few reasons: 1. Free ice cream makes people happy, 2. Because I know there’s a way I can give away hundreds of thousands of free ice creams, 3. It’s the best job in the world (I think), and 4. Hopefully, it’ll inspire and motivate people to get out and do stuff, like fulfilling their dreams.
Q. Do you ever run out of ice cream?
A. We do occasionally run out of ice cream. It’s not the easiest thing to keep frozen, especially when on the road. Sometimes, events are a lot larger than we expect. At Lollapalooza 2006, we ran out every day. We’ve been stocking more and more ice cream as we grow, so hopefully we don’t run out so easily in the future.
Q. How do you keep the ice cream cold?
A. There are a few ways to keep ice cream cold. Probably the best is dry ice. It’s solid carbon gas that’s 109 degrees below zero. That means the ice cream gets super frozen and you don’t have to worry about it melting, even if you’re opening the freezer all day long. We also use special ice packs that we freeze overnight sometimes. Those will usually last 4-5 hours. I have a generator on my truck that I can power up and plug the freezers into that. I’ve been using that a bit more now to cut down on the cost of dry ice, which can sometimes get a bit pricey (fifty cents to two dollars a pound).
Q. How do you pay for gas?
A. Levi’s was our main sponsor for Ice Cream Man’s 2007 Tour. They made it possible for us to travel the country and give away free ice cream. We go to a lot of music festivals and events and also stop by Levi’s stores and showrooms when possible to give everyone free treats. Technically speaking, I usually put gas on a credit/debit card. If I actually paid attention to all the money I spent on gas, it’d probably make me sad. Eventually I’d like to convert Bessie to run on alternative fuels. If you know of any companies that do conversions, (Bessie is gas powered, not diesel) we’re looking for a sponsor to help.
Questions originally from The Stich Bros. of Locals Guide
