How to Start an Ice Cream Business

The ice cream market is actively developing. Selling ice cream is one of the most profitable business areas.

The ice-cream companies are presented in several formats and differ in assortment filling. In general, the formats can be divided into a point on the street, an island in the shopping center with seats or only with the function of “take-away” and a full-fledged cafe ice cream. Speaking about the assortment, you can sell ready (packed) ice cream, produce weight, or combine both formats.

Ice-cream business on the street

As a rule, this business is represented by a small point consisting of a refrigeration unit and an umbrella. This format is the least expensive: it allows us to reduce the cost of renting space, remove seats. On the other hand, the “outside” point works in the summertime, in the cold season those who want to buy some ice cream. Moreover, the key factor of the company’s popularity is its location. It is also necessary to provide such factors as electricity connection and storage of equipment at night. To solve the problem of connecting to electricity, you can buy a portable electric generator or negotiate with neighboring retail outlets and hold an extension cord, paying part of the electricity fee. It is also recommended to store the equipment and products in the nearest shopping mall or store by prior agreement with the owner.

Location of ice cream business

Business profits also depend on the passability of the point, so the company must be located in busy places, away from competitors. Successful location can reduce the payback period to 1-3 months.

The most suitable crowded places:

• park, amusement park,
• beach,
• playground for children,
• main street,
• near a large shopping center, stop, metro station,
• close to educational and entertainment facilities.

Ice cream business in the mall

Placing an island in a shopping center increases the cost of renting space, but solves several problems associated with the placement and storage of equipment, electricity connection. It is worth remembering about the competition for crowded places in shopping malls: landlords, as a rule, prefer large brands and famous establishments.

Open an ice-cream cafe

An ice-cream cafe, a place with seats – an expensive concept of opening a point of ice-cream sale: investments reach 2 million rubles and more. The cafe can be located in a shopping mall or a separate room. Placement of the cafe in a separate room is more labor-intensive: it carries a high initial cost of equipment and development of a complete design project, taking into account sanitary and fire regulations.

Regardless of the location, it is necessary to zoned the premises for the production sector, warehouse, hut, hall for visitors.

Business for the sale of packaged ice cream

Selling packaged ice cream is relatively easy to organize, so the segment is highly competitive – such companies selling solid ice cream are very widely represented on the street, as well as in stores, in separate refrigerators.

To launch your point you need to find suppliers – for a variety of assortment you can cooperate with several suppliers of the product, then you need to conclude a contract with them and get certificates for the product.

Soft ice cream business

This segment of ice-cream establishments is one of the most popular, where large franchise networks are developing.  The payback period of such concepts is from 3 months to 2 years.

Profit from the production and sale of one unit (one ball of 100 grams) is higher than from the sale of the same volume of packaged ice cream. For soft ice cream production, a freezer and special raw materials are needed. Weight ice cream is prepared from dry mixes, which are mixed with water or milk and placed in the freezer. Mixtures can be of different tastes, it is recommended to purchase different types for a variety of assortment. Waffle horns, cups, and spoons are also purchased.

Fried ice cream business

Fried ice cream – Thai delicacy in the form of a roll, which is prepared from a mixture for making soft ice cream. The mixture is poured on the surface of a special freezer, evenly distributed, after hardening the filling is added, then the resulting cake is cut into pieces that are rolled up. The dessert is served in cups with a spoon.

This concept does not require a large investment: an ice cream freezer is required for roll ice cream, which does not require specialized training. There are several nuances in the choice of equipment: it is desirable that the frying pans of the freezer have a shallow depth and are 45-50 centimeters in diameter, and the height of the body corresponds to the position of an outstretched hand – to make it convenient to prepare ice cream. It is also believed that for points with low cross-country ability it is possible to buy a freezer with one cooling surface, for companies with a large number of orders – with two.

Advantages of opening an ice cream franchise

The launch of the franchise is beneficial because in the sphere of public catering, in particular ice cream, there are a large number of large networks, with which it is quite difficult to compete. Franchiser companies have proved the efficiency of their business and have passed all stages of its opening – from choosing the location of the point, collection of documents and registration of the business, finishing the premises according to sanitary standards to marketing promotion, and assortment filling. As part of the franchise, the entrepreneur receives these company’s experience, which allows them to reduce the time of starting a point in ten times, as well as protect from errors and loss of money. The franchisor also provides consulting support to its partner and introduces its own successful changes to the franchisee company during the work.

Ice cream business: reviews

For businessmen who want to open a point of sale of packaged ice cream, manufacturers offer their branded equipment for use at a low price or free of charge in exchange for trade in their products. Such an advantageous option, however, limits the assortment of the point – it represents the products of only this supplier, and also leaves the right to the partner producer to raise the prices for the assortment.