Member Spotlight: Raving Ices

Raving Ices came out of a reset. After nearly 20 years in an office job and a redundancy at the end of 2023, its founder decided to focus on building something around what he actually enjoyed: DJing, hospitality, and working directly with people.

A return to music through radio and DJing ran alongside a year in the street food industry, where the idea for a standalone business began to take shape. The breakthrough came in June with the chance to buy a fully fitted ice cream van. With no background in desserts, the priority was simple – get trading, get visible, and learn fast.

DJing from the van started as a content idea but quickly grew into a multi-use platform. Pop-ups in Digbeth led to DJs, vocalists, rappers, and creators using the van for sets, freestyles, and videos, with growing attention both on the street and online.

This Q&A looks at how Raving Ices became part ice cream van, part DJ booth, and what’s next for the business.

How did the idea of combining an ice cream van with DJs come about?

I reached a point in my life where I wanted to try and make a living from things I actually enjoyed. That decision was helped along by redundancy at the end of 2023 from an office job I’d been stuck in for nearly 20 years.

This next part is important, as it was the first real step toward where I am now. I picked up a hobby I’d put down a long time ago and started working towards my dream of being a DJ. To push myself out of my comfort zone, I started a radio show on Birmingham Sounds Radio. I invested in DJ equipment so I could take bookings for weddings and parties and assumed the work would come flooding in – it didn’t. I still needed to pay the bills.

Throughout 2024, I worked for someone else in the street food trade. I’d always wanted to run my own business, and that year taught me a lot about the industry and about myself. Being out of the office, travelling the country, and working face-to-face with customers reminded me how much I enjoy hospitality – the banter, the service, the human interaction. I could see the next chapter forming, but I needed to work out what I could offer that wasn’t already being done, how I’d set it up, and whether it was financially viable.

In June last year, I was offered the van of my dreams. When I saw it, my mind went into overdrive. I already felt there was a gap in the market for a funky, quirky dessert van, but the setup costs were huge. This van gave me the foundation to bring my ideas to life. I’d never worked on an ice cream van before, never mind made ice cream, but it was fully kitted out and ready to go. There was a lot to learn, and I learn best by doing, so the plan was simple: get out there and start selling ice cream. To do that, I needed exposure.

One idea was to take the van into the city centre and DJ from it. Social media is essential for small businesses, and I thought it would make good content. Just as traction started to build, summer ended and creating outdoor content became more difficult.

What genres work best coming out of an ice cream van?

Raving Ices is multi-genre and multi-use. The van is big and has massive potential, but balancing DJing with serving desserts is difficult, if not impossible, although I still believe there’s a way to make it work.

Last year, I started parking up in Digbeth at weekends and DJing from the van, playing a bit of everything. Other DJs wanted a go, and before long, most genres had been covered. The van’s been used for content creation, including one video that hit over a million views on a creator’s TikTok. We’ve also had DJs booking the van specifically to film content, plus singers, rappers, and grime artists performing live.

None of this was part of the original plan. Being part of the Birmingham Sounds Radio family and the support from Stuart, the station manager brought far more exposure than I expected. This year started with our first official music booking at the Artisan and Ice Cream Show, where we were asked to play house and dance.

How is the van set up for sound and DJ equipment, and what were the biggest challenges?

The van has two sound options. There’s a built-in PA system, which is perfect for smaller, more intimate events. For larger parties and live performances, I already had DJ equipment from investing in my own DJ journey. Honestly, I don’t think this concept would have got off the ground if that equipment hadn’t already been in place.

If your van had a signature “anthem,” what would it be?

I love rewriting song lyrics to make them funny, a bit like Weird Al.

There was a rapper in the ’90s called Vanilla Ice who had a track called Ice Ice Baby. The song starts with “Vanilla Ice Ice Baby.” Replace “Vanilla” with “Raving,” and that’s the start of the anthem.

Recording is in the pipeline, along with a few other ice-cream-themed edits.

What kinds of events do you get booked for most?

At the start, corporate bookings were my bread and butter. I tried a bit of everything last year. Street cruising, I found soul-destroying. I had lots of enquiries for birthdays and weddings, but only a couple actually happened. My aim now is to get into street food venues and pop-ups, then eventually move towards running my own events.

What’s been your most memorable crowd reaction?

Seeing people smile as they walk past the van and stop to take photos is incredibly fulfilling. The world can be tough, and everyone has bad days. I think the van triggers happy, nostalgic memories, and when you combine that with good music, people can’t help but feel better and I’m the one bringing that moment to them.

What makes this different from hiring a regular DJ?

The experience is only limited by the imagination of the person booking it. When you book Raving Ices, you’re guaranteed a show-stopping entrance, a constant visual presence, and a party atmosphere that’s completely different. If you want, my team and I can also turn that energy into high-quality desserts and drinks.

Is this the coolest ice cream van ever, or the coolest DJ booth ever?

Modesty aside, I’d say the idea of combining the two is one of the best ideas I’ve ever had.

Any moments where you thought, “This is definitely not a normal job?”

The several times the ice cream machine has backfired and covered me, the van, and the DJ equipment in sweet, sticky cream.

If you could park the van anywhere for one night only, where would it be?

Playa d’en Bossa – sunrise to sunset DJing.

What does the future hold?

I think big and I love to dream, but I’m also trying to stay grounded and enjoy the process. This year is about completing the NCASS/Digbeth Dining Incubator programme and applying everything I’ve learned before fully trading. I’m developing a strong, desirable menu with unique options that people will want to come back for, while continuing to create music content around Birmingham and giving other artists a platform to perform.

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