Icecream sales up at Rush Munro's in Hastings up as Kiwis try to beat the heat

Rush Munro's icecream sales have shot up 33 per cent this summer, averaging about 1600 litres per week. Photo / Supplied

Kiwis looking to beat the heat in recent days have kept a local Hawke's Bay ice cream maker busy trying to keep up with demand.

Vaughan Currie, of Rush Munro, said they had been having a fantastic summer, with Hawke's Bay a popular "favourite summer escape" for many travellers.

Normally the Hastings-based store sells about 1200 litres across 39 flavours of dairy and dairy free ice cream and sorbet in a week, he said.

However, this year they are averaging about 1600 litres a week.

"To keep up with demand we have had the factory operating seven days a week since October and despite some supply chain pressure due to packaging shortages we have managed to ensure a largely uninterrupted supply of New Zealand's favourite Rush Munro flavours.

"This summer we have doubled the team members to ensure customers don't have to wait too long to get their hands on a Rush Munro ice cream."

Currie said the team was certainly doing its bit to help people beat the heat this summer and keep cool.

"We appreciate our Kiwis' support of buying original ice cream from New's Zealand's oldest ice creamery ... our national treasure."

Rush Munro was started in Hawke's Bay in 1926.