Latest news with #LickIceCream
Sydney Morning Herald
05-08-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Eight tonnes of strawberries, 180,000 cones: What goes into the Ekka's famous sundaes
As the Ekka nears, in a room somewhere at the Brisbane Showgrounds, refrigerated containers hold some incredibly valuable ingredients – the components that make up the beloved strawberry sundae. Showground staff have worked for months to source everything for their stall. That includes ordering nearly 200,000 ice-cream cones. 'There are about 180,000 cones, it's about eight tonnes of fresh strawberries that we've got coming in, thousands of litres of Lick Ice Cream will go into it, as well as the fresh cream that will go on top. It's a huge operation,' RNA chief executive Brendan Christou said. Lick Ice Cream supplied an estimated 25,000 litres of strawberry ice-cream and 15,000 litres of white ice-cream – all handmade in Brisbane. 'Believe it or not, it's all handmade locally in Brisbane and production commences in early May every year. This is our 15th year of supplying to the Ekka,' Lick chief executive Simon West explained. This will be the first year the RNA is running the food stall after the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation handed over the reins. 'It's a real logistical effort, and we've got a whole team of food and beverage staff who are doing that for us this year, and it's going to be massive,' Christou said. While the sundae itself remained unchanged – 'the recipe is exactly the same, and it's what people have grown to love' – how it would be served would be upgraded.
The Age
05-08-2025
- Business
- The Age
Eight tonnes of strawberries, 180,000 cones: What goes into the Ekka's famous sundaes
As the Ekka nears, in a room somewhere at the Brisbane Showgrounds, refrigerated containers hold some incredibly valuable ingredients – the components that make up the beloved strawberry sundae. Showground staff have worked for months to source everything for their stall. That includes ordering nearly 200,000 ice-cream cones. 'There are about 180,000 cones, it's about eight tonnes of fresh strawberries that we've got coming in, thousands of litres of Lick Ice Cream will go into it, as well as the fresh cream that will go on top. It's a huge operation,' RNA chief executive Brendan Christou said. Lick Ice Cream supplied an estimated 25,000 litres of strawberry ice-cream and 15,000 litres of white ice-cream – all handmade in Brisbane. 'Believe it or not, it's all handmade locally in Brisbane and production commences in early May every year. This is our 15th year of supplying to the Ekka,' Lick chief executive Simon West explained. This will be the first year the RNA is running the food stall after the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation handed over the reins. 'It's a real logistical effort, and we've got a whole team of food and beverage staff who are doing that for us this year, and it's going to be massive,' Christou said. While the sundae itself remained unchanged – 'the recipe is exactly the same, and it's what people have grown to love' – how it would be served would be upgraded.
7NEWS
22-05-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Ekka's sweet surprise: mega strawberry sundae stand and job opportunities
For decades, the beloved strawberry sundae has been an Ekka favourite — and in 2025, it's making a grand return. 'This year we're expecting over 180,000 strawberry sundaes to be sold,' Ekka event manager Brendan Christou told 7NEWS. With demand sky-high, a new mega stall has been set up to ease the crowd. 'We've got a mega outlet, so it's a super-sized outlet to make sure that the queueing is better,' Christou said. 'Everyone can get their strawberry sundae really easily.' A sweet, local favourite And the good news? There'll be plenty to go around. 'We are producing 34,000 litres,' said Lick Ice Cream CEO Simon West, explaining the scale of this year's operation. 'We will never sell out,' Christou added. The recipe for the Ekka icon is still kept under lock and key at Seventeen Mile Rocks, a suburb just a 30-minute drive south of Brisbane's city centre. 'This is our 15th year… so we've had fairly good practise at getting the formula right,' West confirmed. And, wherever they can, they use Queensland p roduce. 'We try as best we can to use as much Queensland produce as possible,' he said. This year, proceeds from the strawberry sundae sales will go towards funding future Ekka events, ensuring the show continues to thrive for years to come. Ever dreamt of working at the Ekka? But organisers say they need your help to make it all happen. More than 300 paid roles and 1000 volunteer positions are on offer — and for some, no experience is needed. 'Everything from food and beverage roles to chefs… to animal attendants… to ushers… there's something for everyone,' said Christou. Information on how to apply for the roles will be available on the official Ekka website about 7pm on Thursday, May 22. The Ekka is Queensland's biggest annual event, bringing the country to the city with agriculture, food, and family fun. This year, it will be running from August 9 to August 16. Stream free on
