Ice cream truck brings digital twist on classic treat

TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) – A mobile ice cream truck is putting a modern spin on a traditional neighborhood favorite.

Alsies, an ice cream franchise based in Durham, North Carolina, operates trucks across the Southeast.

Its Tupelo location is currently the only one operating in Mississippi, with co-owners Sarah and Richard Iser launching the local service last month.

“It’s a pretty special opportunity for Mississippi as a whole to have some ice cream trucks in town and sort of bring that to the community,” Sarah Iser said.

Instead of having customers wait to hear music on the street, the business operates through a free mobile application available on iPhone and Android devices.

Users enter their address and enable notifications to receive alerts when the truck will be in their neighborhood, typically sent the evening prior or the day of service.

The app also provides a livestream of the truck’s location so customers can track its route.

On-demand delivery and menu offerings

Sarah Iser said the tracking feature recently helped a customer find a treat for a sick child who had missed the truck when it initially passed their home.

“I had one customer last night with a sick kid coming off strep come in and track down a strawberry lemonade popsicle. You know how when you have that sick kid, you just want them to come and enjoy something that comes and soothes their throats,” Sarah Iser said. “They missed us when we were by their house. They still came by and grabbed it, and she felt better. So it’s fun.”

The truck features a modern design and a digital screen, offering a menu of gourmet ice cream bars, ice cream sandwiches, character pops, and specialty items such as a “not-so-fried chicken” ice cream bar.

The business plans to operate in Tupelo throughout the winter before resuming full routes and hosting an official grand opening in the spring.

Alsies also plans to expand service into Oxford.

“We’re really excited to bring this to Tupelo,” Sarah Iser said. “We will be here all winter. We look forward to resurrecting routes in the spring once it gets warmer. Our grand opening will be in the spring as well. We’re really excited to bring the community back with one treat at a time.”