Article

Ice cream chain scooping up digital menu boards

Carvel adding digital menu boards to draw more attention to the brand's signature treats as part of its 80th anniversary.

July 22, 2014 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

The Carvel ice cream franchise is marking its 80th anniversary this year with new products and birthday promotions planned throughout the summer — and it has also unveiled a new "shoppe" design featuring digital signage menu boards.

Carvel President Scott Colwell calls the new design “modern and inviting” with features such as new dipping cabinets and a toppings bar, as well as a large display area for the brand's ice cream cakes.

"We have also added digital menu boards so guests can easily see our broad variety of treats," he said. "The digital board has motion so it stands out compared to static signage, drawing more attention on items we are promoting along with other key brand messaging."

The digital board is standard in all new and remodeled locations. Carvel doesn't yet have a digital menu board provider, but is providing the specifications for a standard commercial digital board and the creative, Colwell said.

The implementation of the new design began in March, and so far the company is happy with the results, he said. There are a handful of shoppes completed, including the first ones in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Royal Palm Beach, Fla., and about a dozen more remodels in progress.

A long history in the ice cream business

Carvel has been in the ice cream business for 80 years. This year marks the milestone for the Connecticut-based concept, which specializes in soft serve, ice cream cakes and "novelties" promoted by its mascot, Fudgie the Whale.

While Carvel has stuck closely to its signatures throughout its long tenure, it has also changed just enough to maintain relevancy.

"(In 80 years) one thing that has influenced the ice cream industry the most is that consumers now have many more dessert choices, including yogurt, novelties, non-dairy, etc. They're better educated and looking for more choices," said President Scott Colwell.

Carvel has responded by dialing up the R&D process, with new items such as low-fat Carvelite ice cream, new flavors such as salted caramel and new indulgences such as the Sundae Dashers. Last month, the brand launched a full lineup of Nutella ice cream desserts that set the food blog world abuzz.

Despite the changing — perhaps more adventurous — consumer, however, Colwell said guests continue to love real ice cream as much as they did 80 years ago, and Carvel has stayed true to its roots.

In 2001, Roark Capital purchased Carvel and the brand continues to be a part of Roark's subsidiary Focus Brands, along with Auntie Anne's, Cinnabon, McAlister's, Moe's and Schlotzsky's. The brand's nearly 450 shoppes are franchises often located in nontraditional spots, such as airports, malls, stadiums and universities. According to Colwell, Carvel continues to add new franchised locations in its core markets of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and South Florida.

The new, modern shoppe design is a way for the brand to achieve long-term success, Colwell said. Despite the brand’s exterior modernization efforts, however, Carvel will stick to what it knows best in order to ensure 80 more years in the increasingly competitive foodservice industry.

"Carvel will continue to set itself apart by serving the freshest ice cream," he said. "All Carvel treats and soft serve are handmade daily at local shoppes so our guests can enjoy the freshest ice cream available."

Click here for a photo gallery of the new shoppe design, interior and exterior.

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