Mars pilots on-demand ice cream delivery – from a mobile store

If a new pilot between a CPG leader and a tech company proves to have wings, the Ice cream store will soon come to customers.

The news: Mars, Incorporated is partnering with Conjure to launch delivery of ice cream from on-demand mobile stores. Initially, the store-hailing service will roll out in Hollywood, California, this spring.

How it works:

Through one-tap ordering on a mobile app, customers can hail a mobile shop, which is a van stocked with ice cream. Available products will include ice cream pints such as M&Ms Chocolate, Snickers and Twix, as well as Snickers and Twix ice cream bars.

Shops arrive in as little as two minutes.

When the shop arrives, customers can pick out their order. The system is checkout-free, so customers simply walk away with ice cream in hand.

Key quote from Jerome Morgen, senior global director of Mars Unattended Retail: "Mars is continuously investing in driving innovation for the treats and snacks category through the unattended retail space, giving consumers more opportunity to shop our products with speed and convenience. This partnership with Conjure helps solve the industry's biggest issue – ice cream melting before reaching the home when purchased in store or through other delivery methods."

The new ice cream truck: This is the second notable partnership in a year for Conjure, which was formerly known as Robomart. It also signed on with Unilever to deliver products such as Ben & Jerry’s and Good Humor in another Southern California pilot. The company’s on-demand ordering system puts a new twist on the classic ice cream truck. Instead of music, an app can signal that a store is on its way. Under the hood, it's designed to solve a pair of challenges for brands and retailers. Conjure's service stands to increase efficiency in delivery, while also allowing customers to access ice cream quickly, when they want it.

"We are thrilled to partner with Mars to expand our offering to consumers through our on-demand mobile ice cream stores," said Ali Ahmed, CEO of Conjure, in a statement. "Mars' ice cream brands are the perfect addition to our platform, and we believe this partnership will be a game-changer in the ice cream industry."