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If you’re an Ecolane DRT customer, you may just find a Kringle in your mailbox this holiday season. Ecolane sends out approximately 300 Kringles every year around Christmas to transportation agencies across the US as a thank you for their business. See if Ecolane is the right solution for your transit company and if you will be receiving a Kringle next year.
You may be asking yourself, what exactly is a Kringle?
“A Kringle is a light, flaky pastry that’s usually filled with almond filling, but other fruit fillings are also used,” said Barbara Smith, Business Development Representative.
As fun and delicious as these Kringles are, they represent more than just a pastry. They are a link to the company’s origins.
Ecolane originated in Finland in 2002. It entered the U. S. marketplace in 2007. While most of the team moved to the U.S., the Software team remained in Finland. These two locations within the company showcase the two distinct cultures. Ecolane has two U.S. offices: one located in Elk Horn, IA and the other in Philadelphia, PA.
Elk Horn, where the Ecolane sales office is located, originated as a settlement for Danish immigrants and to this day many of the Danish traditions that were brought to the U.S. continue, which is especially evident in the food.
“It’s a small way to pay homage to our Danish roots while maintaining a special tradition with the transportation community,” said Senior Vice President, Ryan Larsen.
Elk Horn is also home of the Museum of Danish America, the only museum dedicated to the story of the Danish immigrant and their descendants and recognized internationally for its exhibits and collection of artifacts. Elk Horn is also home of the Danish Windmill, a completely restored and working windmill that came from Denmark in 1976.
The Kringle sent to the customers is made by James “The Kringle Man” Uren who owns and operates a small bakery in Elk Horn that makes many different Danish pastries.
Many of the regular Kringle recipients keep a close eye on the mail this time of year.
“Mark Little from Met Transit in Waterloo, Iowa told us that he looks forward to his Kringle every year,” commented Smith.
Don’t worry about any leftovers either. Ecolane understands that many of its customers are governmental organizations who can’t accept gifts. There is small label affixed to every box urging them to donate the items to their local food pantry.
The Ecolane Elk Horn Office team mentions that it is quite an event to send out these gifts. The team assembles boxes, wraps the Kringles individually and encloses them with a card and a company calendar before making the haul to the post office.
To share such a deep-rooted tradition for Danish culture holds great meaning for Ecolane, both in a nod to its past and a look to its future.
“It’s a different way of saying thank you and sharing our heritage with our valued customers. In celebrating this with them, we remind ourselves that it’s not just customer satisfaction that’s made our company successful; it’s also the relationship we form that paves the way for a brighter future for us all,” commented Larsen. “We look forward to sending out many more Kringles as our customer base continues to expand.”
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