Posts filed under 'Gelato Ice Cream Franchise'
Gelato Ice Cream Equipment
Gelato is an increasingly popular product nowadays. Also known as Italian ice cream, gelato is a super-dense, semi-frozen concoction of milk and sugar, often with unique or exotic flavorings thrown in. In many areas, gelato is seen as trendier than ice cream and has consequently gained a following among the young and upwardly mobile.
Due to the increased demand for this product, adding gelato to your list of offerings at your restaurant or ice cream shop may benefit you. In order to do that, however, you will first need the proper equipment with which to make it. Gelato equipment is readily available from a number of sources. However, no other source but H&M will provide you with high caliber gelato equipment at a significant discount–and then teach you how to use it.
September 14th, 2011
When opening an Ice Cream shop there are a variety of Ice Cream shop type options to choose from.
Below are a few types of Ice Cream shops you could open:
- Stand Alone Store
- Mobile Cart
- Turn-key Kiosk/Build-outs
- Trailer
- Mall Store Front
- Double Drive-thru
Kiosks
If you do not want to open and manage an entire shop – you can simply open a small Ice Cream kiosk in your local mall. A kiosk is a stand-alone storefront that can be established within a larger shopping establishment. Many Ice Cream franchises offer the option of opening a kiosk and will provide tips and decoration for the Ice Cream kiosk.
Mall Store Fronts
The mall is the perfect location for your Ice Cream store as there’s always a nice volume of traffic and an influx of young people who enjoy their desserts. Your Ice Cream franchising corporation will help you open a store in the mall as well as decorate it. Having a store in the mall will provide more room for your employees to work and your customers to enjoy your Ice Cream.
Stand Alone Stores
If you do not want to open a location in a mall – you may open a Ice Cream store typically located in a strip mall. This type of Ice Cream franchise option might cost you a little more money in paying rent than the other options.
January 21st, 2010
Despite the Department of Commerce having proclaimed the success rate of franchises to be 90% compared to other small businesses success rate of only 40%, you will still find it difficult to borrow money to start your Ice Cream franchise.
Most franchises require a large initial investment and liquid capital available for the franchise company to use as insurance. There are several different ways to attain the capital needed to open your Ice Cream franchise. You can obtain a loan from the bank or family and friends. You can also use your credit card, but you must watch those high finance charge rates.
If you are unable to secure a loan or use your credit cards as equity, then you should try reaching the United States Small Business Association. The SBA offers guarantees on 90% of loans up to $155,000 and 85% of the remainder up to $750,000 total. The interest rates on these loans vary but are usually quite reasonable. The terms of the agreement range from 5 to 25 years.
Some state and local governments also offer financing options for franchise owners to encourage small business development. However, each state varies on what they do and don’t offer. Check in with your local government to see what options they have available.
Typically the Ice Cream franchise you choose to affiliate with will connect you with a preferred lender and help you work out the terms.
January 21st, 2010
The first step is to gather all the information you can about ice cream franchises. Search for a few ice cream franchises in your area and visit their locations, hang out, and eat some ice cream. This will help you get a feel for the overall concept of the ice cream franchise.
Try to visit at least three different ice cream franchises and speak with the owners. Interview them as if you were a student trying to do a school project on ice cream franchising (even older adults can pass as evening college students).
Some questions to ask current ice cream franchise owners:
1. Ask how their profits are?
2. Are they happy with the franchise they chose?
3. What is the most difficult part of their job?
4. What was their first step in opening their shop?
The next step would be to request information from the Ice Cream franchise you are interested in to discover what their particular start up costs are and initial investment requirements (total investment can be $90,000 – $150,000 depending on the franchise and type of store).
All Ice Cream franchises require various capital investment amounts and have varying degrees of support. Analyzing all the information you can will give you a better idea of which Ice Cream franchise is best suited to fit your needs.
January 21st, 2010
If you’re interested in opening a Ice Cream franchise, you will need to speak with the franchisor company sales team. Not sure what to ask them? Have no fear, below are some key questions you must have your franchise company answer before doing business with them.
1. What is the risk involved with franchising and how do you (the franchiser) intend to minimize that risk?
2. What happens if I decide I no longer want to operate the franchise? Do you (the franchiser) have a policy that requires me to pay a cancellation fee?
3. Do you have any lawsuits against your franchise? May I see the list of lawsuits?
(Look at reasons sited to see if there is a pattern).
4. What is your franchisee turnover rate? Can I have a list of the franchisees that left?
5. How much money can I potentially earn? – They should not answer this question, as the law prohibits them. Be careful of the ones who do answer this.
6. Do the company-owned stores provide most of the support for the parent company? (Should be a yes to avoid over-dependence on the royalty stream).
7. Is your franchise trademarked? (Should be because it’s what you are buying with the franchising fee).
8. How long is your franchise-training program? (Don’t want it to be too short/long).
9. Can I see some of your company’s financial statements?
10. Can I have a list of all the current franchise owners close to my area? (Speak to the owners and discover their level of satisfaction and profitability).
January 21st, 2010
How Long Are the Average Franchise Agreement Terms?
This depends heavily on the ice cream franchise you choose. Generally the first term is for 10 years and then you can renew but there might be more fees associated with the renewal.
Can I own more than one ice cream franchise store?
Yes, generally you can own as many stores as you’d like in your territory providing you can meet the financial requirements.
How much does it cost to open an ice cream franchise?
Depending on the type of store (stand alone, kiosk, storefront, etc.) you open and which franchise you choose, you’ll need somewhere between $50,000 to $150,000.
How quickly will it take to make a profit?
Your profits will depend on how well you run the business, how good your location is, and how well you manage your employees. There is no real way to average out how fast you will see a profit because it depends on the individual franchisee. Also due to franchising laws, ice cream franchises are unable to tell you how much you will make.
Do ice cream franchises offer financing?
Yes, they typically do offer some financing for the initial franchise fee. For the other costs, most ice cream franchises will connect you with a 3rd party lender.
Do most ice cream franchises offer training?
Yes. Most franchises offer in-depth training on running an ice cream business including marketing, budgeting, products, and other aspects of the ice cream business.
Can I sell my ice cream franchise?
Yes – typically you can sell your franchise to a person who is pre-approved by your franchisor. Be careful of fees assessed during this process.
January 21st, 2010
Every entrepreneur wants to find a location that offers an affordable lease with reasonable terms and has a heavy volume of traffic. If you decide to open your own business, then you will need to determine what site selection criteria works best for your goals. However if you decide to open an ice cream franchise, the franchise company will use their proven site selection system to ensure you get the best location.
The Ice Cream franchise will supply some key site selection factors your location should have such as:
- Area Demographics
- Population Density
- Traffic Statistics
- Parking Available
- Visibility of Site
- Desired Tenant Mix in Shopping Center
While many Ice Cream franchise companies will provide you with the selection criteria, they expect you to gather the facts and information for your particular location.
After you choose your location based on the franchise criteria, you will then have to gain final approval from your franchise team to ensure the location is up to par. Most ice cream franchises will send out a location expert or you will need to send pictures and paperwork about your location. After gaining final approval, you would sign the lease and get your business in operation!
January 21st, 2010
The initial investment required to start an ice cream franchise can range depending on the franchise you select and the type of options you choose. Typically the total investment required can range from $200K – $250K, with a liquid capital requirement of approximately $50K. The royalties for each ice cream franchise charges also vary.
The criteria that determines your initial investment will depend largely on:
- the type of facility you select (full-service storefront or kiosk, etc.)
- are you building a new operation or converting an existing Ice Cream shop facility
- which territory you select
- the franchise operation you select
The costs for a franchise include:
- initial franchise fee
- lease hold improvements
- equipment
- furniture
- fixtures
- signage
- point of sale systems (computers and software)
- training
- insurance
- initial advertising and promotional expenses
- royalties
** Please note the figures above are only estimates and can range from franchise to franchise.
January 21st, 2010
2 Scoops Cafe
Ice cream parlor/cafe
BackgroundCosts and FeesTraining and Support
Background
Founded: 2002 Franchising since: 2002
2431 Aloma Ave., #124
Winter Park, FL 32792
Phone:
(407)657-0363
Franchisor is a privately-held company with 3 employee(s); 2 employee(s) in franchise department.
Franchise Growth
Year U.S. Franchises Canadian Franchises Foreign Franchises Company Owned
2006 1 0 0 0
2005 2 0 0 0
Where Seeking Franchisees
In the U.S. Southeast, United states
Exclusive territories available.
Territory size: Based on mile-radius
- HMC
-
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:23 pm
by HMC » Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:57 pm
Ben & Jerry’s
Ice cream parlor
BackgroundCosts and FeesTraining and SupportRankings
Background
Founded: 1978 Franchising since: 1981
30 Community Dr.
South Burlington, VT 05403
Phone:
(802)846-1500
Franchisor has 120 employee(s); 27 employee(s) in franchise department.
Franchise Growth
Year U.S. Franchises Canadian Franchises Foreign Franchises Company Owned
2008 417 19 380 8
2007 425 21 236 11
2006 420 18 204 11
2005 416 12 177 11
Where Seeking Franchisees
Nationwide
Outside the U.S.: Asia, Australia/new zealand, Canada, Eastern europe, Mexico, Western europe
Exclusive territories available.
January 5th, 2010
For over a century, Americans have been enjoying ice cream on a cone. Whether it’s a waffle cone, a sugar cone or a wafer cone, what better way to enjoy a double scoop of your favorite flavor?
Making Its Appearance
The first ice cream cone was produced in 1896 by Italo Marchiony. Marchiony, who emigrated from Italy in the late 1800s, invented his ice cream cone in New York City. He was granted a patent in December 1903.
Although Marchiony is credited with the invention of the cone, a similar creation was independently introduced at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair by Ernest A. Hamwi, a Syrian concessionaire. Hamwi was selling a crisp, waffle-like pastry — zalabis — in a booth right next to an ice cream vendor. Because of ice cream’s popularity, the vendor ran out of dishes. Hamwi saw an easy solution to the ice cream vendor’s problem: he quickly rolled one of his wafer-like waffles in the shape of a cone, or cornucopia, and gave it to the ice cream vendor. The cone cooled in a few seconds, the vendor put some ice cream in it, the customers were happy and the cone was on its way to becoming the great American institution that it is today.
A Business Is Born
St. Louis, a foundry town, quickly capitalized on the cone’s success. Enterprising people invented special baking equipment for making the World’s Fair cornucopia cones.
Stephen Sullivan of Sullivan, Missouri, was one of the first known independent operators in the ice cream cone business. In 1906, Sullivan served ice cream cones (or cornucopias, as they were still called) at the Modern Woodmen of America Frisco Log Rolling in Sullivan, Missouri.
At the same time, Hamwi was busy with the Cornucopia Waffle Company. In 1910, he founded the Missouri Cone Company, later known as the Western Cone Company.
As the modern ice cream cone developed, two distinct types of cones emerged. The rolled cone was a waffle, baked in a round shape and rolled (first by hand, later mechanically) as soon as it came off the griddle. In a few seconds, it hardened in the form of a crisp cone. The second type of cone was molded either by pouring batter into a shell, inserting a core on which the cone was baked, and then removing the core; or pouring the batter into a mold, baking it and then splitting the mold so the cone could be removed with little difficulty.
In the 1920s, the cone business expanded. Cone production in 1924 reached a record 245 million. Slight changes in automatic machinery have led to the ice cream cone we know today. Now, millions of rolled cones are turned out on machines that are capable of producing about 150,000 cones every 24 hours.
January 5th, 2010
