11-08-2025
People are realising the reason Mr Whippy ice creams with flakes are called 99s & it's nothing to do with price
MUCH of the UK is currently enjoying glorious weather - which also means cooling down with an ice cream.
Many sun-loving Brits will be racing to the nearest Mr Whippy van to get their hands on a frozen treat, whether that's Twister, Fab or rocket ice lollies.
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However, there's one ice cream more legendary than any other - the classic 99 flake.
Inflation means you can no longer pick up a Flake 99 for a mere 99p - leading many sweet fans to wonder where the name actually comes from.
Given that 99 cones used to be priced under a quid, many tend to assume that's how they acquired their iconic name.
However, contrary to popular opinion, the moniker derives from the flake rather than the ice cream itself.
Only cones featuring the chocolate are termed as 99s.
Reportedly, Cadbury - the brand behind the flakes - opted to choose the numeric name to attract Italian customers.
The sweet manufacturer disclosed that they initiated this practice back in 1930.
A spokesperson on the Cadbury website
"In the days of the monarchy in Italy the King had an elite guard consisting of 99 soldiers.
''Subsequently anything really special or first class was known as '99'.
UK Basks in Glorious Sunshine: Thousands Flock to Beaches as Heatwave Hits
"When Cadbury launched its small Flake for ice creams in 1930, the UK ice cream industry was dominated by expat Italians.
''So, to appeal to Italians we called our superb Flake a '99'."
An even more arcane fact is that the number 99 is IC in Roman numerals - the initials of "ice cream".
Millions of Brits are set to bask in glorious sunshine this week, with temperatures soaring to 33C in some parts of the country.
Yellow heat health alerts, issued by the UK Health Security Agency, are in place for most of England – excluding the north-east and north-west – from Monday to Wednesday.
The Met Office said: "A combination of high pressure and a southerly airflow will see temperatures rise for much of England and Wales in the first half of the week.
"Temperatures reaching in excess of 30°C for some on Monday and likely peaking towards the mid-30s in London on Tuesday.
In London, temperatures are forecast to reach 29C on Monday, rise to 32C on Tuesday and hit 28C on Wednesday.
Highs of 32C are expected on Wednesday while temperatures could reach 31C on Monday.
The Met Office says the official heatwave criteria will be met across many areas, with three consecutive days of temperatures above thresholds that range between 25C and 28C depending on location.
The warm spell marks a sharp turnaround from earlier in the week when Storm Floris brought heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the UK.
Forecasters say hot air will be drawn up from the south due to the interaction between high pressure drifting across southern Britain and an area of low pressure.
England and Wales will enjoy the best of the sunshine, although a few scattered thunderstorms are possible.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland and Scotland can expect outbreaks of rain at times, especially on Monday.
