Pinoy sorbetes truck bags national award in the Netherlands

In the Philippines, ice cream is usually sold in the street by Mamang Sorbetero on a small two-cart wheel. In the Netherlands, Filipinos line up to get their favorite mango-flavored ice cream in front of Luneta Ice Cream’s food truck. Serving in a familiar sweet wafer cone or cup, this Pinoy business serves treats not only to Filipinos living in the Netherlands, but also to people coming from different parts of Europe.

This week, Luneta Ice Cream won the 2020 Food Truck of the Year award for the Ice Cream category. De Nederlandse HORECA (Hotels, Restaurants and Café) Prijzen recognizes the best businesses in the Netherlands through public voting.

^{Customers line up to get their ice cream fix in front of Luneta Ice Cream. Photo: Hon Sophia Balod}

"We are overwhelmed. We are touched that there are a lot of people who are supporting us and who love our products. We are a small business but we believe that we are making an impact," Rhea Topacio, co-founder of Luneta Ice Cream said.

The company was launched in 2015 by Topacio and Dennis Rogacion. The couple started their small business at home and sold only to friends and families in the Netherlands. Today, Luneta Ice Cream is available in 30 selected retailers and restaurants in the Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Norway, Sweden and Lithuania.

^{Topacio and Rogacion receive Food Truck of the Year Award in the Netherlands. Photo: Hon Sophia Balod}

"Our inspiration comes from our childhood memories. We miss the taste of ice cream that we grew up with and we would like to share that special flavor to more people, not just Filipinos. For Filipinos it is like going back to what we are used to and for other nationalities, to let them enjoy those tastes that make you feel like you are in a tropical place," Topacio said.

Luneta Ice Cream is available in different flavors such as Ube, Pandan, Kapeng Barako, Mais, Mango and Macapuno.

—JCB, GMA News