‘Michigan Pot Hole’ ice cream to help fix roads

Home News ‘Michigan Pot Hole’ ice cream to help fix roads
Freshman Brendan Noble and sophomore Josh Hamilton with freshman Brant Cohen, eating Michigan Pot Hole ice cream. (Breana Noble/Collegian)
Freshman Brendan Noble and sophomore Josh Hamilton with freshman Brant Cohen, eating Michigan Pot Hole ice cream. (Breana Noble/Collegian)

While Michigan may be known for its rocky roads, hopefully Michigan Pot Hole will help with that.
Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, the supplier of the scooped ice cream in A.J.’s Café, introduced a new flavor March 16 called Michigan Pot Hole. That same week, A.J.’s introduced the flavor to students, and, according to Service Supervisor Lisa Beasley, it went quickly.
The national ice cream supplier located in Shelby Township is hoping to put a focus on conversation over fixing Michigan roads. For every sale of a three-gallon tub of Michigan Pot Hole in 2015, one percent will be donated to the Michigan Department of Transportation to help fix roads.
“It gets people talking about it and keeps that issue on the forefront,” Ashby’s Marketing Director Dianne Tunison said. “We do a lot of driving between our sales reps and the driving companies. I think people in states especially around the Midwest that come to Michigan know the condition of our roads. It’s meant to be fun and keep the conversation going and getting them fixed one way or another. It’s a little tongue-in-cheek jab at Michigan and their spring potholes.”
Tunison originally thought of the name in January of last year as she was “bumping” along the roads. From there, they decided on the ingredients.
“We wanted it to fit with the name,” Tunison said. “I know I needed a dark fudge that was reminiscent of tar to go with the name.”
The result was chocolate ice cream with a “thick, black tar” fudge swirl containing chocolate cookie crumbles and chocolate “asphalt” fudge-filled cups, according to Tunison.
Ashby’s did not do much with the new flavor until Dec. 6, their Flavor Day, when retailers come to taste the new flavors for the next year.
“It was very popular, and it proved to me that it could work,” Tunison said. “They first liked the name and from there, we talked about donating the one percent to the Michigan Department of Transportation to keep the conversation going about getting our roads fixed.”
According to MDOT Communications Director Jeff Cranson, Gov. Snyder has spoken about Michigan’s crumbling roads and bridges and how they need investment in the past.
“We think it’s really exciting that they’re using this opportunity to put a spotlight on Michigan’s challenges of maintaining its infrastructure,” Cranson said. “Whether or not the proceeds from Ashby’s sales bring in significant revenue, we’re happy to take anything. It’ll do a great service by bringing attention to the problem. The ice cream sounds pretty good. If ice cream helps to fix the roads, we’re all for it.”
Tunison said the ice cream season typically ends in September, so Ashby’s plans to speak a little more in detail with MDOT this fall on their donation.
According to Cranson, MDOT has a way to take donations, since they have received some from anonymous donors in the past. The money will go into the Michigan Transportation Fund that includes all funds for county and city roads.
The news about Michigan Pot Hole has been overwhelmingly positive, Tunison said.
“Our phones have been ringing off the hook of where they can buy it, and the ones who have tried it absolutely love it,” Tunison said.
For students interested in getting Michigan Pot Hole, Beasley said the café in the Grewcock Student Union rotates flavors on a weekly basis.
“A.J.’s tries to keep a good rotation of flavors available. As the same with any other flavor of ice cream, you need to check what is available regularly or you may miss it.”