On Oct. 22, the Hy-Vee store in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, created the world’s largest ice cream sandwich. The record was attempted to kick off Hy-Vee’s commitment to donate 5 million meals to help families in need across the Midwest this holiday season.
This was the retailer’s second Guinness World Record. On June 24, in Blue Springs, Missouri, Hy-Vee broke the record for the largest serving of pancakes. 
The ice cream sandwich weighed in at 2,960 pounds. After being certified by a Guinness World Records adjudicator who was on-site for the attempt, the treat was divided up and donated to the Food Bank of Lincoln and Food Bank for the Heartland, which together provide food assistance to more than 100 counties across Nebraska and Iowa.
It took 30 Hy-Vee employees five hours to create the record-breaking treat, which was assembled with 32 2-foot by 3-foot cookies and 182 14-pound cylinders of ice cream into a sandwich that measured 35 feet long, 4 feet wide and 11 inches high.
The ice cream sandwich was then transported to a nearby cooperative for official weighing, where the adjudicator named Hy-Vee the official record holder again.
“We are thrilled to have achieved this Guinness World Record title today, but most importantly we want to create awareness about hunger across our community,” said Jeff Quandt, district VP in Hy-Vee’s west region. “At Hy-Vee, we are currently raising funds to donate five million meals to help families who are food insecure this holiday season. We hope this record-breaking ice cream sandwich draws attention to the cause, as well as helps local food banks who are assisting those in need.”
The ice cream was donated by Hiland Dairy, and the trailer for assembly and transport was provided by Quandt Transport Service. In addition to the record-breaking dessert, Omaha and Lincoln area Hy-Vee stores are also donating a portion of the proceeds from its 20-count mini cookie sales throughout October to benefit local Feeding America-affiliated food banks.
“We are extremely grateful for our long-standing partnership with Hy-Vee and their dedication to fighting food insecurity across the Heartland. This donation is a special one; it will bring so much joy to children and families struggling to make ends meet,” said Brian Barks, president and CEO of Food Bank for the Heartland. “Thank you to the wonderful team at Hy-Vee for coordinating this effort and giving food-insecure children across Nebraska and western Iowa a reason to smile.”
For more information about Hy-Vee’s “Scan Out Hunger” initiative, visit hy-veedeals.com.
Hy-Vee Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 285 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $11 billion annually.
