Local Sprinter Food Truck Serves Auto Journalists Refreshing Gourmet Water Ice During NY Auto Show Press Days

A Mercedes‐Benz Sprinter Van upfitted to serve gourmet Italian Water Ices and coffee drinks is being featured in the Mercedes‐Benz display during press days at the New York International Auto Show on March 27th & 28th. Andy's Italian Ices and Espresso Bar, a local Sprinter‐based food truck from Long Island that's complete with an espresso bar and two large freezers, is expected to attract a lot of attention at the Mercedes‐Benz exhibit.

Owner Andrew Miscioscia took over his family's large gourmet grocery business when he was only 18, a time when the gourmet food truck trend was in its infancy. Two years ago he upfitted a Sprinter Van to serve gourmet Italian Water Ices and coffee drinks, and now for much of the year, Andy's Italian Ices operates seven days a week with two shifts of four employees. On a typical day, their Sprinter is on the streets of Manhattan from early morning and often going until midnight.

A New Twist on the Traveling Ice Cream Man

Andy's Italian Ices is one of many Sprinter businesses that upfit their vans. They use a 2500 high‐roof, 170" extended wheelbase Sprinter Van equipped with a 6,800‐watt auxiliary generator and a 65‐gallon fresh water tank. The spacious cargo area features two large chest freezers along the driver's side as well as a refrigerator, storage cabinets, and the espresso bar. Along the passenger side is the serving window, prep counter and shelving as well as a hot water heater, 3‐compartment sink, handwash station and an ice maker. The Sprinter is also set up with energy‐efficient LED interior lighting, a restaurant‐grade point‐of‐sale system for managing orders and processing credit card payments, and even an audio system for special events.

Miscioscia said, "When I first thought about developing a food truck business, I wasn't wild about the traditional box truck, so a neighbor suggested I look at the Sprinter. I loved its sleek, modern‐looking design and quiet, efficient diesel power. It also separates us from the rest of the pack. On the street and at events, we get lots of compliments about our Sprinter, and I'm always talking about its great ride quality and fuel mileage."

A Familiar Sight Throughout the 5 Boroughs

Given the mobile nature of the food truck business, it's only natural to see Andy's Italian Ices pop‐up anywhere in the greater New York City area. They have served nearly 3,000 orders a day at events ranging from the Botanical Gardens to The Stonybrook Soccer Field tournaments. During a lazy summer weekend, it's not uncommon to find the Sprinter Van serving refreshments to sunbathers at Prospect Park in Brooklyn or to wedding guests in the Hamptons. Until its food court is completed, they're also on hand to serve customers at the new World Financial Center.

Small Batches and Cherished Recipes

"Andy's is proud to use only the finest ingredients and real fruit in our gourmet Italian Water Ice and Crème Ice. We never use syrups or fructose in our homemade ice, instead we squeeze the freshest fruit, pulverize the nuts, and import a special blend of chocolate from Italy. Like a gourmet chef, we make our ices in small batches, with some secret recipes. We also serve gelato and crème ice, as well as coffee, espresso, cappuccinos and lattes." Andy's Sprinter stocks 46 different flavors of ice including unique tastes like Mojito and Pomegranate. Crowd favorites include Deep Dark Chocolate, Coconut Crème Ice and Mango Tango. The full list of flavors is available at andysitalianicesNYC.com

Hurricane Sandy Relief

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the Mayor's Fund to Advance NYC asked food trucks to help with relief efforts, so Andy's Italian Ices served hundreds of free cups of coffee, espresso and hot chocolate to relief workers and displaced residents in the Rockaways and Manhattan. Miscioscia said, "We're members of the New York City Food Truck Association (NYCFTA), which had only 15 members a few years ago. Now it has more than 50 members, and it's obvious the food truck trend is a long‐term one."

The Sprinter Success Story

The success story of the Sprinter commercial van has been attributed to its highly practical design and outstanding quality, which translate to impressive cargo capacity and low operating costs as a result of 10,000‐mile service intervals. With its efficient BlueTEC V6 diesel engine, the Sprinter gets higher fuel mileage under most conditions than its competitors, while its high roof and large door openings give the van class‐leading cargo carrying ability. Over 75% of Sprinter customers make some sort of modification for their business needs.

The Sprinter cargo van features a best‐in‐class payload capacity of up to 5,415 pounds and cargo capacity of up to 547 cubic feet. The van also boasts the largest side‐ and rear‐door openings as well as the lowest load floor and step‐in height of any full‐size van.

The Sprinter has been sold in the U.S since 2001 by Freightliner, the leading manufacturer of medium and heavy‐duty trucks in North America, and through select Mercedes‐Benz dealers since 2010. Both MBUSA and Freightliner are divisions of Daimler AG, the world's largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles.

All Sprinters come with a number of Mercedes‐Benz safety features – unique‐in‐class Adaptive ESP stability and rollover control, ABS anti‐lock brakes, Brake Assist and traction control. The driver and front passenger seats are equipped with standard multi‐stage front air bags, and side curtain and torso air bags are optionally available. Standard equipment includes a fivespeed automatic transmission and four‐wheel disc brakes.

BlueTEC Diesel with DEF Injection

All Sprinters are powered by an innovative 3.0‐liter V6 BlueTEC diesel engine that attains an impressive 24.9 miles per gallon on the highway. Marking the first‐ever use of super‐clean BlueTEC technology in the commercial van market, the BlueTEC diesel engine is as clean as a modern gasoline engine. A Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) injection system reduces nitrogen oxides to harmless nitrogen and water in a downstream catalytic converter.