Photo by Kat Arnold

While WWOZ show hosts like DJ Soul Sister and Jivin’ Gene have loyal followings, it’s hard to match listeners’ love for an icy Mango Freeze.  The fresh fruit sorbet is a staple of the Fest’s fare, often cited alongside dishes like Crawfish Monica and the cochon de lait po-boy as must-eat treats year after year.  

NoDef checked in with WWOZ general manager David Freedman and Mango Freeze manager Dale Koehl to learn more about the frozen concoction and its connection to the legendary radio station.

WWOZ began selling the Mango Freeze at Jazz Fest nearly 20 years ago, said Freedman.  It started when Freedman was approached with a business proposition intended to raise money for the station.  

“She had this mango sorbet product, and I was intrigued,” said Freedman.  “I said ‘You make the sorbet, and I’ll get us a place out at Jazz Fest to sell it.’”

That first year, the Freeze fizzled, as did the initial partnership.  Still, Freedman felt like the idea had potential, and he stuck with it.  Today, the Mango Freeze is one of WWOZ’s biggest fundraisers, bringing in nearly $100,000 a year for the station.  The Jazz Fest booth is manned by ‘OZ volunteers and managed by Dale Koehl, who partners with Quintin’s Ice Cream to make the product exclusively for the station.

“Other people may make something that’s similar to it,” Koehl told NoDef.  “I mean, you can copy anything, it’s like vanilla ice cream, but Mango Freeze is a trademark name that ‘OZ has.”

Koehl said they’ll start with 200 5-gallon buckets of Mango Freeze, then make more as necessary.  He expects to go through at least 400 containers by the end of the Fest.

“They’ll run stuff whether it be day or night,” said Koehl.  “Sometimes we do 24-hour shifts, it just depends on how sales are.  It’s got like a cult following out there, it’s incredible.”

“It’s amazingly popular,” agreed Freedman.  “It’s everything we wanted.  It’s slightly exotic, it’s tropical.”

Some Fest-goers see the Mango Freeze as an ideal vehicle for booze, spiking their cup with a splash from a bottle they managed to sneak past the gate.  While distribution contracts prevent WWOZ from selling a hard Freeze, Stern understands the appeal and has plans for  grown-up versions of the Mango Freeze—called the Mango Rumba and the Mangorita—that customers can catch at other festivals, hopefully as soon as this summer.

While the Freeze has lots of fans, Freedman points out that not everyone makes the connection to WWOZ.

“A lot of times I found out the sign was so small at Jazz Fest that a lot of people didn’t realize when they were buying a Mango Freeze they were supporting WWOZ.”  That realization, said Freedman, makes customers love it even more.  “Now people can get twice the pleasure out of the same product,” he said.

Koehl agrees.  “People love it, but they also love supporting ‘OZ.”

While the idea of a radio station raising money by selling sorbet might strike some as odd, Freedman says the Mango Freeze is a great example of the kind of mutually beneficial business partnerships the station would like to pursue.  

“This follows a larger pattern where we’re looking for business partners who can take advantage of the recognition that ‘OZ has and come in and figure out a way to make money for the station and make money for themselves,” said Freedman.  “We’re open to that kind of stuff.  If anybody wants to bring a business proposal to us, we always want it to be long term and win-win, and so long as people are happy with it we’ll move forward.”

Freedman points out that by supporting businesses in the city and supporting WWOZ, locals and visitors alike are supporting New Orleans.

“That’s the big pay-off,” said Freedman.

Pick up a Mango Freeze at the WWOZ booth on the Gentilly side of the Fais Do-Do Stage.