The ice cream industry is a multi-billion dollar market that has survived multiple health crazes. Frozen yogurt has become popular, but you’re just as likely to see ice cream cups or cones at your local boardwalk. If you’re trying to get a foot into this growing business, here are some tips to get through the first few years.
Inventory
Develop a plan for the year, and try to stick to your ordering. Look at sales trends from whatever local data you can find. Talk with your chamber of commerce and see what they can offer. Use seasonal data. Anything you can do to try and make accurate predictions will help you reduce your costs.
When you’re ordering ice cream shop supplies, provide yourself enough space, and try to place an order for only what you need. Try and match the cups you order with your sales goals, which a bit of math will help you hone in on. Ordering this way allows you to buy in bulk to save on your per unit costs, and can help make your pricing more competitive in other ways.
Combine Branding and Packaging
Custom printed cups are a great way to lump marketing and retail costs together. It sometimes takes a while to find the right logo for you and your business, so don’t feel you need to rush this step. Just something to think about before you launch. You should look for other ways to place your logo as well, just make sure they are attractive to your customers. Some shops sell their employee shirts, and put their logo on intricate gift cards. That’s something to work toward, of course, but start thinking about how your logo can be presented to customers and how it can be used to sell.
Cut Costs
The more you can do yourself, the better for your business. If you sell frozen yogurt or soft serve, learn how to disassemble the machinery in case you need to replace small parts or clean the hoses entirely (which you should do on a routine basis anyway). Is your spaced zoned for an oven? Ordering your own ingredients and baking treats, such as brownies or cookies, is a great way to save and it’s easy to do when you have the kitchen space for it. Plus, it’s a premium upsell for customers and a reason to come back.
Think outside the box and you’ll find better ways to cut costs. You might look at your payment processor, your suppliers and your store rent. All of these costs add up, and are worth negotiating for to improve your margins.
Gelato Products delivers custom printed cups and ice cream shop supplies all over the United States, with free ground shipping.
