Rays Ice Cream reflects on rapid growth over past five years

As the family-run business approaches the big five year anniversary in August, it has been reflecting on 8 per cent year on year growth since launching in the summer of 2011.

Making ice cream in about 200 flavours on site from locally sourced whole milk, double cream and fruit and specialist ingredients imported from Italy, Rays Ice Cream has seen demand for its product increase rapidly. As a result, the business now employs six people. It is currently open 5 days a week, Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 6pm and stays open seven days a week throughout spring and summer.

At the Rays Ice Cream shop in OldTown, Swindon, a minimum of 16 flavours of home made ice cream are available at any one time. They come in waffle cones or small tubs to eat immediately or in larger tubs to take home. Also available to order are Rays Ice Cream’s delicious ice cream cakes.

As the business has developed over the past five years, the team has introduced new products. Throughout the colder months their home made waffles prove to be a heart-warming winner for their customers. Rays Ice Cream has prided itself on being suitable for everyone, 95 per cent of their ice creams are gluten free, they offer gluten free cones and have just introduced gluten free waffles. 

To celebrate their anniversary, Rays Ice Cream is launching the #RaysStickerSelfie campaign. They’re encouraging their customers to take a selfie with a car sticker for the chance to win free ice cream. The car stickers can be collected in store and one winner is picked every month.

Rays Ice Cream’s reach, however, extends way beyond the confines of the shop itself. With its two mobile trailers, the business caters for some 40 events within an hour’s drive of Swindon every year. These include village fairs, weddings, school fetes, festivals and charity events. The trailers are also available for corporate events, making regular appearances at the Nationwide HQ in Pipers Way. Uniquely, Rays Ice Cream can cater for both indoor and outdoor events.

This year, Rays Ice Cream is planning to increase its events business with the acquisition of additional trailers.

Looking back on more than four years of impressive growth, Hadi Brooks co-founder of Rays Ice Cream, said: “When we started out in August 2011, with just one display freezer, we didn’t anticipate the business would grow so rapidly. It’s clear that the people of Swindon appreciate the combination of quality ingredients, creative thinking and attention to detail that go into the production and presentation of our ice cream. We thank all our customers for supporting us these last five years – and look forward to serving them for many more.”

As well as ice cream and ice cream cakes, Rays Ice Cream makes sorbets, frozen yogurts, waffles and shakes at its shop at 63 Devizes Road, OldTown, Swindon, SN1 4BD.

If you are interested in hiring Rays Ice Cream for your own event, please contact Hadi Brooks at info@raysicecream.co.uk.

For further information, visit www.raysicecream.co.uk, like on Facebook and Twitter. 

For media enquiries, please contact Emma De Maio, redheadPR, 07921 160 134, emma@redheadpr.co.uk. 

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