Many people dream of starting their own business to make profits and pursue their passions. One profitable option in the food industry for years now is the ice cream business. Becoming an owner of this deliciously refreshing business can offer high revenue and fast growth, which are critical parts of success. For others, it’s not just about making money but also pursuing their love for deserts.

Starting an ice cream business can also give you the benefit of daily physical activity and flexibility. The better news is, such businesses are amazingly helpful for local community development by providing products to other storefront businesses. At the same time, you can support other local businesses by getting your manufacturing or packaging needs from them. Are you planning to start your ice cream business? Here are five steps for you to follow.

1. Research about the industry

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You can’t possibly achieve success in a business you know little about. Reading about ice cream recipes or stories of business owners in the industry may help. But it’s not until you work at an ice cream shop that you get to deeply understand how the business works. You can collect ideas for recipes or concepts, marketing, ordering, inventory, and staffing. You don’t necessarily need to work at ice cream shops for many years. What you need to do is use your time wisely. Ask the owners or more experienced co-workers and talk to the customers to better understand how these businesses function.

2. Think of your shop concept

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In the beginning stage, you’ll need to conceptualize first. Deciding on the concepts is much harder than you’d expect. You’ll have to think about what ice cream shop trends you’ll incorporate in yours and how your business serves the customers. For example, you need to plan for the year-round or seasonal demand of ice cream products in your location.

Think about the most popular choices during summer or spring or what you’ll do when the sales fall during the cold months. You can choose to close during winter and open in the hot season. Another cool concept is incorporating a customized ice cream or frozen treats bad wherein customers can make their own or go traditional. Ice cream trucks, for instance, may not be a relatively new concept but are still popular in many places.

3. Acquire the ingredients

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The ingredients you’ll need to option greatly depend on your menu. But of course, you don’t want to offer traditional options that’ll bore the customers. One popular option is frozen yogurt, which mainly uses milk instead of cream. And since milk is a primary ingredient, find a supplier of milk permeate products that went through the proper filtration process. Using such quality dairy ingredients in your products can be the key to your competitive advantage.

By using different flavorings, milk, and ice cream, you can also offer the classic menu item: milkshakes. Ingredients for regular and low-calorie ice creams vary greatly. Besides milk and cream, other basic ingredients you’ll need include sugar, eggs, and gelatin.

4. Invest in the equipment

To make and sell ice cream, you need the complete equipment on hand. You can start with your refrigeration units, such as walk-in or reach-in freezers, ice cream merchandising cases and dipping cabinets, and ice machines. You’ll also need dispensers such as ice cream dispensers, syrup pumps, carbonators, toppings dispensers, and ice cream cone organizers. Additional equipment to invest in are blenders, coffee grinders, and milkshake machines.

Don’t forget to also invest in utensils and dishes supplies, sales and display equipment, and tables and seating. If you’re interested in buying used ice cream machines, always dive deeper into their specifications and conditions. Ask as many questions as needed.

5. Hire your team

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Lastly, you’ll need to make a plan for hiring employees in your ice cream business. Making the ice cream, scooping it, and serving it is no joke, and having a team can make everything easier and smoother. It doesn’t matter if you have a great-tasting ice cream recipe. If customers will have to wait for hours before they get served, it’s unlikely you’ll get great sales. On average, staff in ice cream shops get paid an hourly rate of $12. Depending on your location’s minimum wage, the rate could be higher.

Starting an ice cream business can be done with minimal experience. However, creativity, effort, and planning are still essential. If making ice cream is one of your beloved passions, then this venture will be worthwhile. Begin by following these tips and allow yourself to learn more about the industry. That’s a surefire way to a well-deserved success.