Next year there is every chance a very special new flavoured ice cream may emerge from a truly special slice of the Hawke's Bay fine fare foodscape.
Rush Munro, the country's oldest icecream maker and still privately owned and operated, will be 90 years old.
It was back in 1926 that an English chap by the name of Frederick Charles Rush Munro arrived in the Bay.
Armed with the skills he had learned from his father who worked in the confectionary trade, he and wife Catherine set up shop in central Hastings and they eventually scooped the local ice cream market.
They first set up shop in the centre of the city but it later moved on to the site it is today where generations of Hawke's Bay people have enjoyed the memorable setting off Heretaunga St West. A perfect spot to escape into the world of premium and natural ice creams. There are no preservatives and no colourings - just 100 per cent natural fruit and flavours. Basically they are made from good old Kiwi dairy, fresh eggs and the best locally sourced ingredients. The ingredients are hand crafted and batch churned to create the finest of tastes - so little wonder Rush Munros consistently picks up gold medals for its fare, and in 2014 was presented the Supreme Award for Boutique Manufacturer at the New Zealand Ice Cream Awards. It was the maple and walnut flavoured ice cream that did it, and it is a favourite over the counter. The passionfruit, mango and vanilla bean treats are also high on the "that one" list for people who call in. Rush Munro's also took out the top award in the inaugural 2015 Canstar Blue customer satisfaction survey in the highly competitive ice cream market category. General manager Chantelle Ramage said that accolade was a "fantastic start" to the coming summer season.
