Ice-cream man takes his van on the road

AFTER four years serving sweet organic treats from his van in Brunswick Heads, Wal Foster has embarked on a new venture.

The Natural Ice Cream Australia co-founder has launched his own business, Bush Ice Creamery, and is popping up at events all over the region, including the upcoming Sample Food Festival at Bangalow Showground and Savour the Tweed in November.

“The ice-cream trailer in Bruns was so weather dependent,” he said.

“It was rained out for three out of four years.

“This feels like a good captive audience and I don’t have to worry about the weather as much.”

Foster said he wants to focus on quality over quantity with his new endeavour.

“I want to become smaller rather than bigger,” he said.

“It’s much more aligned with what I want to do as a chef.

“I really love the ice-cream I’m doing, using seasonal produce like the best jackfruit or certified organic mangoes I can find.

“I can showcase that kind of produce if I’m just doing one-off events.

“If I don’t forage it myself, I’ll buy it from farms that are spray-free and chemical free, like Conscious Ground in Myocum and Picone Exotics.

“That’s why I moved here.”

Foster is also working part-time at new eatery Timbo Mullum in Mullumbimby’s Industrial Estate, which serves dishes such as char siu (Chinese BBQ pork) bao buns, house-made kimchi and mochi.

“I wanted to get back into savoury food as well,” he said.

“I have been a chef for 21 years and I’ve only started doing ice-cream in the last five years.

“It’s given me a chance to do the catering side too.

“I have an ice-cream machine that I chuck in my van and take to events so I can churn ice-cream fresh and back-up caterers with dessert.”