Pricewatch Group has high hopes for a Korean-inspired ice drink concept which is set for its first summer at two of its forecourts this year.
The south east of England petrol station operator says that the Icemänn-branded freezers with pre-filled cups of ice cubes, and accompanying ambient drink pouches, have been growing in popularity at its Wivelsfield and Selmeston sites in East Sussex.
Over the past eight months the Wivelsfield outlet has sold over 200 pouches, and 142 ice filled cups, with a respective retail price of £2.50 and £1.25. Each component can be sold separately, and Pricewatch Group general manager Tom Buckley says there is potential to grow sales with consumers purchasing the cups to combine with other drinks too.
“The pouches have been selling all year. They have a bit of a following now,” says Buckley. “The ice cups have been slower in the cold weather, but have picked up a bit.
“I expect sales to significantly increase from May onwards. Like ice-creams, it is very seasonal. We also expect the cups to sell with other drinks on hot days.”
The waist-high freezer is on wheels and is easily moveable, and Buckley plans to move the small bucket-shaped lidded unit to a more prominent position to encourage sales as the weather improves.
German supplier Icemänner says it has identified UK forecourts as an area of growth after much take up on the Continent, and it plans to open a warehouse in Liverpool this summer. The business is also expanding the range of five-strong drinks sachets next month, with a matcha lemonade joining the peach, green grape, lemon, lychee, and hazelnut Americano flavours.
Tom Haberland, chief executive and co-founder of Icemänner, says that sites around cities, where there tends to be a younger customer and students, would do particularly well with the drinks, and freezer units which it supplies for around £180.
He says that once an operator is established with the brand it would be achievable to sell 200 cups and pouches a week, with a profit margin of at least 40%.
“Even in conservative countries like Germany it has been doing really well,” he says.
