However, the 52-year-old has developed a chronic illness which has affected his mobility and left him reliant on a walker.
No longer able to walk without assistance, he's now selling up his beloved ice cream truck.
"It's gut wrenching."
Peter Candy, Napier Ice Cream vendor will be hanging up his cones and selling his business due to a mystery chronic illness he has developed. Photo / Warren Buckland
Getting into the ice cream selling business was a dream come true for Candy who worked for Mr Whippy in Hamilton in his early 20s.
It was "pure luck" that he found an ice cream truck of his own.
"My partner and I were looking for something different to do. We were running a book distribution business for about 15 years.
"She just happened to see an ice cream truck for sale on Trade Me."
He said it was absolutely perfect - from the speakers they play "The Candy Man Can" song from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
One of only a handful of ice cream trucks covering the Hawke's Bay he said on busy days like New Year's Eve or Waitangi Day they could serve anywhere between 300 to 400 ice creams.
Being mobile meant they weren't in competition with fixed-abode ice cream parlours.
"We move around a lot."
From local beaches and parks, to concerts or sporting events, he said there was stuff happening all the time.
It was also often at these events where he got the most interesting orders.
At a Magpies game last year, he was challenged to find room for five flakes in a single cone chocolate dip.
