The NHL announced today a new North American licensing partnership with U-Vend, a consumer products company that develops, distributes and markets self-serve electronic kiosks. Terms of the multiyear deal were not disclosed. Per the terms of the deal, U-Vend’s “Puck Premium Ice Cream,” will become the official ice cream of the NHL. The chocolate-covered puck-shaped ice cream bars will sport NHL-branded hockey stick-shaped popsicle sticks that will serve as collectible items, said U-Vend CEO Raymond Meyers. The company will offer contests and prizes for those fans that collect them, as well as specially marked popsicle sticks that will offer NHL-themed prizes. The ice cream will be available in Canada this summer, with plans to roll out to the U.S. in summer ’16. Meyers said the product would be available in U-Vend’s electronic kiosks, as well as in stadiums, and grocery and convenience stores. The company is currently in discussion with major Canadian chain stores in regards to stocking the product. U-Vend came up with the idea and brought the concept to the league last year, said Meyers. This is the first sport-related licensing deal for the publically traded U-Vend, who has Hockey HOFer Marcel Dionne on its board of advisors. “We’re expecting some really big numbers in Canada with the product, and think it’ll be a big hit in the U.S. as well,” said Meyers. “The collectable nature of the sticks is kind of like old baseball card collecting, so we think it’ll be a home run, or better yet, a hat trick.”
