Start An Ice Cream Business - Business Ideas
Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.
If you have ever dreamed of owning an ice cream business, [[current_year]] might be the year to make it happen.
An ice cream shop is the easiest and, if done right, the most profitable business venture you will ever begin. Experts predict the ice cream market size in the coming years will grow at a CAGR of 4.2%.
A few reasons for expanding the market include the availability of innovative flavors and the growing popularity of impulse ice cream products like cones, sandwiches, and pops. Additionally, health consciousness among consumers is likely to increase the demand for premium ice cream brands.
Here are some ice cream business ideas you might consider:
- Start an ice cream cone production business
- Start a vegan ice cream business
- Start an ice cream cookbook business
- Start a drive-thru ice cream and frozen yogurt business
- Start an ice cream producer business
- Start an ice cream spoon manufacturing business
- Start an ice cream wholesaler
- Start an ice cream truck business
Starting an ice cream business requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.
If you're interested in how to sell ice cream, or selling ice cream online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.
Want to learn more? You can check out our full guide on how to start an ice cream business ➜
Key Stats
Startup Costs
| Min Startup Costs | Max Startup Costs | |
|---|---|---|
|
Office Space Expenses |
$0 |
$7,000 |
|
Employee & Freelancer Expenses |
$151 |
$352 |
|
Website Costs |
$223 |
$7,215 |
|
Business Formation Fees |
$5,600 |
$20,400 |
|
Equipment & Supply Expenses |
$63 |
$200 |
|
Food Business Expenses |
$2,125 |
$36,000 |
|
Retail Business Expenses |
$1,250 |
$6,650 |
|
Software Expenses |
$162 |
$3,094 |
|
Advertising & Marketing Costs |
$75 |
$4,786 |
|
Inventory Expenses |
$50 |
$4,000 |
|
Total Startup Costs |
$9,699 |
$89,697 |
Successful Businesses
| Business | URL | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Cold Stone Creamery |
coldstonecreamery.com |
110,718 |
|
|
Jeni's |
shop.jenis.com |
111,151 |
|
|
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream |
benjerry.co.uk |
228,979 |
|
|
Nick's Ice Cream |
nicks.com |
264,259 |
|
|
HALO TOP |
halotop.com |
304,080 |
|
|
Häagen-Dazs® Ice Cream, Bars and Sorbet |
haagendazs.us |
316,070 |
|
|
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream |
vanleeuwenicecream.com |
334,717 |
|
|
Graeter's Ice Cream |
graeters.com |
379,968 |
|
|
Rebel Ice Cream |
rebelcreamery.com |
400,976 |
|
|
Handel's Ice Cream |
handelsicecream.com |
521,184 |
|
|
Blue Bunny Ice Cream |
bluebunny.com |
599,613 |
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Description |
|---|---|
|
Flexibility |
You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own. |
|
Rewarding work |
Starting a ice cream business can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about. |
|
Scalable |
With businesses and processes changing daily, there will always be demand for new features, products and services for your business. Additionally, there are several different business models and pricing tiers you can implement that will allow you to reach all types of customers. |
|
High margins |
The gross margins for your ice cream business are typically around 40%, which is considerably high and allows you to grow your business and manage costs easily. |
|
Quick build time |
The average time it takes to build your product is quick - typically around 9 months. This will allow you to bring your product to market faster. |
|
Daily physical activity |
Ice Cream Business's typically involve a much greater degree of movement than other lines of work. Most days, you will spend your day walking, running errands for your business, and performing a multitude of tasks. This can have a positive impact on energy levels and your overall health. |
| Cons | Description |
|---|---|
|
Crowded Space |
Competition is high when it comes to your ice cream business, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies. |
|
Motivation of employees |
If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees. |
|
Longer Sales Process |
A ice cream business can be a big time and money investment for your customer, so it's important you plan and predict a longer conversion funnel and stay in communication with potential customers. |
|
High employee turnover |
In the ice cream business, employee turnover is often high, which can be quite costly and time consuming for your business. It's important to try and avoid this as much as possible by offering competitive pay, benefits, and a positive work environment. |
|
You may need to charge sales tax |
If you are selling your products in various states, you may be required to charge sales tax. Although this may not impact your financials specifically, it can be a headache to create a process and procedure for this. To learn more about sales tax, check out this article |
|
Work can be repetitive |
You may find creating the same product over and over repetitive and tiresome. One way of avoiding this is to diversify product lines and revenue streams - this will keep things interesting! |
Marketing Ideas
-
1
Direct Sales
Direct sales strategy implies a direct contact between a seller and a consumer without the involvement of any third party. Direct selling is popular in sectors where sellers communicate with their clientele personally. The sales technique occurs at non-store locations which include at home, work, or online.
For direct selling to succeed, hire a few (or many) salespeople to support the sales conversion process. It's critical that you assign them specific roles and responsibilities to nurture the client and provide excellent support.
-
2
Word of mouth
Word of mouth is when a consumers reflects their interest in a company’s product or service in their daily dialogues.
Therefore, word of mouth advertising is essentially a free advertising triggered by the customers experience.
According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family.
Therefore, in today’s hyper-connected world, a single recommendation through a word of mouth can have a huge impact to your business.
-
3
Social Media Advertising
Social media advertising is the use of social media platforms to connect with your audience with the objective to build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic.
According to Oberlo, approximately 48% of the global population use social media, and the number is ever-growing.
Therefore, social media allows brands access to cost-effective advertising by enabling them to interact with a large audience.
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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