When I was in sixth grade, my best friend Jess's family ordered food from Schwan's Fine Frozen Foods. My own family being strict buyers of grocery store fare, I remember being supremely jealous when the boxy yellow truck would roar up to her curb, the delivery guy opening the doors to reveal a whoosh of chilly air into the sticky summer heat. Her mom would order ice cream, popsicles, and the creme de la creme: a large ring of breaded mozzarella cheese that could be smothered in the accompanying marinara sauce - the mere thought of it makes my mouth water.So I was thrilled to hear that Al Schwan, chairman of the company's board, was elected into the frozen food hall of fame (what, you've never heard of it?) after he helped the chain become the fifth-largest frozen food producer in the world. And since I was younger, they've expanded to include a website that helps you order online. (That's all well and good, but half the fun was pouring over Jess' glossy Schwan's catalog, drooling over juicy honeydews, piping hot pizza and creamy Rocky Road).
In celebration of the big clunky yellow truck, check out some of the other wacky food delivery vehicles we managed to scrounge up.
Second Helping of Slashfood - June 19
Competitive-Eating Contest to Pit Humans Against Elephants
The Backyard Boom - The Hungry Bride
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-25-2008 @ 10:55AM
Lewis said...
Schwan's is 'ok' but I will tell you we ordered from them ONCE to try it out and we never could get rid of them!!! Even when we said we didn't want to order anymore they kept showing up 'to make sure' we didn't need anything. It was nuts like a telemarketer...
~Lewis
http://tablebread.blogspot.com
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1-25-2008 @ 12:38PM
K said...
Hmm! I've had nothing but positive experiences with Schwan's. I don't order *alot* of stuff, but their ice cream is premium, and I'm convinced they make the best frozen unbaked southern style biscuits on the planet. I am crazy for them. I also like their frozaen mashed potato nuggets. The guy comes on a schedule if I like, and asks me if I just want to order online when the orders drop off, which I do. He then comes by if I have an online order. Never bugs me, never pressures me. Always on time. Never a creepy feeling.
High prices, that's for sure, but it's better than your grocery store frozen food aisle stuff, that's for sure.
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1-25-2008 @ 1:19PM
peabody52 said...
The only Schwan's truck I ever saw was noisy, and emitted dark, smelly exhaust. Not very appetizing. But I'm sure the food is fine. Go, Al!
The pics accompanying this piece are fantastic.
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1-25-2008 @ 4:14PM
Lindsey said...
I blame Schwan's personal pizzas, in part, for my childhood chub. That and frozen bean burritos, which for some inexplicable reason I always had to have when I was watching "Little House on the Prairie."
Schwan's has a tasty root beer float bar, too.
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1-27-2008 @ 6:58PM
thekevinmonster said...
Up until about three years ago, I'd never even heard of Schwan's. Now I see their trucks every day on my drive home from work. (I live in ann arbor, michigan.)
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1-31-2008 @ 7:59PM
wooden27 said...
Schwan's headquarters is in Marshall, MN, where my aunt lives. Pretty much everyone there has a family member who works or has worked there, or knows someone who works/has worked there. Schwan's is EVERYWHERE.
Another random Schwan's thought: When my friends and I went sledding, there was a Schwan's man who parked his truck right by us and was there for over 20 minutes. Though we all knew it was because he was trying to get the neighbors to buy stuff, it still was creepy to have his truck at the bottom of the hill, like he was going to kidnap us and stick us in the back of the truck with the frozen lasagna. It gives me the willies just thinking about it.
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