Another Ekka has been and gone and showgoers proved they still adore the iconic strawberry sundae and want to make a difference for our cause and for people they know and love.
This year, our incredible scoop troop chopped, topped and served 125,890 strawberry sundaes over the 9-day event.
And while this wasn’t a record-breaking year for us with the rain dampening sales, the funds raised will still have a significant impact for vital medical research, equipment, and patient care initiatives at The Prince Charles Hospital, Australia’s leading cardiology hospital.
Have you ever wondered what makes Ekka Strawberry Sundaes a success?
The secret comes down to three main ingredients: the people, the product and the purpose.
Strawberry Sundae Sales: 2024 Ekka Snapshot
Preparations for Ekka strawberry sundae stalls begin over eight months out from the event, kicking off in January.
Lick Ice Cream, a family-owned Brisbane business that has been making the special strawberry ice cream recipe for over 10 years, begins their production approximately three months before the show begins to ensure there’s enough to satisfy the appetite of strawberry sundae lovers. Yes that’s right – that means we have to pull out our crystal ball and guess how many ice creams are needed nearly four months before the show starts!
The Product
So, just how much locally made ice cream by Lick Ice Cream was consumed during the show?
- 6,400kg of white ice cream
- 16,380kg of strawberry ice cream
Plus an all important 5 tonnes of farm fresh strawberries were used as a layer within each sundae or as a garnish on top. Did you know the strawberries we use are picked overnight, ready for opening each day?
A massive 375kg of cream was also used to embellish the iconic treats, with half of that generously donated by our friends at Coles. Reducing costs means we can direct more profits to patient outcomes at The Prince Charles Hospital – so thank you Coles!
The people
During the nine-day show itself, we operate five stalls, which are spread across the showgrounds. It’s a huge operation, but as they say – many hands make light work!
The Common Good is about good people doing good things. Some impressive statistics about the good people involved in the 2024 program includes:
- 1,798 generous and kindhearted volunteers who contributed over 8,081 volunteer hours
- 15 x contract staff, including 10 Stall Supervisors, 2 x Duty Coordinators, 2 x Duty Managers and 1 x Logistics Manager, many of whom take time off from their regular jobs to be part of this wonderful operation which is powered by good!
All the duty and logistics roles involve lots of walking between the five stalls across the site as they transfer stock, give staff breaks, and perform general operations support. These team members clock up tens of thousands of steps every day throughout the Ekka. Take a look at this step count from Matt, one of our Duty Managers, who walked nearly 34 kilometres on average, each day of the show!
The purpose
The profits from the sale of strawberry sundaes at this year’s event will be directed to important medical research, equipment, and patient care initiatives at The Prince Charles Hospital.
“We serve up a huge amount of these special treats which are enjoyed by showgoers each year, but it’s important to remember they are more than just a sundae,” said Chloe Nguyen, General Manager Communications, Marketing & Engagement.
“The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation is currently supporting 140 different research projects in the areas of heart disease, lung disease, mental health and ageing.
“We’re also supporting millions of dollars of equipment and patient-care programs each year which align with our mission of helping people live healthier for longer.
“The Ekka Strawberry Sundae program is just one of the many programs we run to raise the important funds needed to support life-changing and life-saving research, equipment and programs. Every sundae purchased is contributing towards incredible health outcomes for people today and into the future and it’s something we know the community is proud to be part of.”
Volunteers one key ingredient in strawberry sundae success
We truly can’t emphasise the importance of volunteers in this operation enough.
Every year, our volunteers scoop up a storm to ensure showgoers can get their Strawberry Sundae fix.
Many of these kind people who give their time to help us are former patients or family members of patients who’ve been cared for at The Prince Charles Hospital.
Fazal started volunteering in 1999 and says he loves volunteering for The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation at The Ekka strawberry sundae stalls.
“I had my bypass at The Prince Charles Hospital in 1998, and ever since then, every year, I choose to give something back to the hospital. The treatment they gave me at that time and since then has been amazing,” he said.
Another volunteer, named Frank, has volunteered for 10 years and is also a past patient of the hospital who is grateful for the care he received.
“I’ve had stents put in at The Prince Charles Hospital, and since I’ve had my stents, I have been very healthy,” he said.
Thank you for supporting The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation at The Ekka
We are so grateful for our volunteers who help us with this mammoth operation. We also couldn’t make such a meaningful difference without people buying and devouring the iconic treats year after year, so thank you to those who stopped by to grab a sundae from one of our stalls. Thank you for being part of The Common Good.
