Families already know the Toyota Sienna as a practical hauler. Now the company wants them to think of it as a mobile freezer for dessert. In a partnership with Cincinnati’s Graeter’s Ice Cream, Toyota is selling a limited run of Salted Caramel Chip Wheels, ice cream sandwiches made specifically to fit inside the Sienna Platinum’s FridgeBox.
Each sandwich begins with a couple of Double Chocolate Chip Cookies placed on either side of a layer of creamy salted caramel ice cream. The edges are coated in chocolate jimmies to give them a tire-like appearance. They arrive individually wrapped, weighing in at a neat 4 ounces each, and are supplied in a 12-pack for a whooping $86 before shipping expenses are factored in. This turns out to a little more than $7 per sandwich. They went live online on September 1st via Graeter’s website and will only be available till their stock runs out.
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The FridgeBox is located in the center console of the Platinum trim level. It switches between cool and freeze modes, and it’s the freeze setting that Toyota chose for the collaboration because it does a good job of keeping the ice cream rock solid even on long road trips, allowing you to grab one and be ready to go by the time you arrive at the game or park. According to Toyota’s marketing general manager Owen Peacock, the alliance was a no-brainer because both Graeter’s and Toyota are committed to producing high-quality products that brighten everyday moments, particularly for families. Richard Graeter, Graeter’s president and CEO, agrees that it was a logical fit.
Graeter’s has been creating ice cream in the Midwest since 1870, employing the old French-pot method, which results in a rich batch of ice cream with far less air than your usual commercial brand. Their Chip Wheelies are typically vanilla, chocolate, or black raspberry, but for this Toyota-themed edition, they increased the caramel and elevated the cookies to Double Chocolate. The package does a fantastic job of displaying the sandwiches as the Sienna’s wheels, which ties well with the “sweetest way to roll” phrase.
Minivan marketing has always been a tough business to conquer. You may recall the Swagger Wagon campaign from Tokyo, as well as the Sienna Remix concept, which was essentially a DJ booth in a car. This ice cream concept is similar to the last one, except it is grounded in reality rather than being a gimmick. Other vehicle companies have previously put their names on food; for example, Porsche released some limited ice cream pops in similar colors a while ago. Volkswagen has been selling its own currywurst from the beginning of time. Toyota’s approach is more subtle, as it just provides something to protect the FridgeBox.
At current costs, the 12-pack is comparable to what Graeter’s charges for ordinary birthday or variety packs of Chip Wheelies. So it doesn’t appear that the Toyota label adds any form of premium to the pricing. You can get nationwide shipping while supplies last, but when they run out, that’s it. No more ice cream for you! For those who already own a Sienna Platinum, this is a useful way to check how well the freezer performs in the real world. Everyone else will need to keep their new ice cream cool to avoid it turning into a tasty salted caramel soup.
