What Do I Need to Start My Ice Cream Shop?

Written by Gelato Products.

Opening up an ice cream shop can be a dream opportunity for someone looking to have their own small business. In addition to being your own boss, you get to be a part of a business that is guaranteed to make customers happy. Giving people ice cream cones or frozen yogurt cups filled with delicious treats will put a smile on anyone’s face.

But there is plenty of planning that you need to do before you order your freezers, cups and tasting spoons to open your ice cream parlor, frozen yogurt shop or gelateria. Here are a few things that you’ll need to have in place before you open the doors to your new establishment:

The Right Permits: Along with getting your business license, you’ll need to read up on all of the local requirements for health and food safety. Places such as ice cream shops are highly regulated because of the potential of an outbreak of something like listeria to cause many people to get sick. Because of this, you’ll want to know if there are special requirements for ice cream parlors and what you need to do to meet them.

The Right Equipment: The equipment that you’ll need to launch your shop can vary greatly depending on the type of product that you are serving. If you are serving frozen yogurt, you’ll need soft serve machines, counters with spaces for toppings and a scale connected to your register so you can charge by the ounce. However, at a gelateria, you’ll need to worry about ice cream dipping cabinets, freezers and other items for cold storage.

High Quality Equipment: Along with knowing what type of equipment you need in order to open your shop, you also need to pay attention to the quality of your equipment and supplies. The quality of your final product can be greatly influenced by the quality of the equipment used to make, store or showcase it. In addition, having high quality ice cream shop supplies such as tasting spoons, cups and napkin dispensers will go a long way in giving your customers the impression that they are eating at a top quality shop. First impressions matter, so you want to make sure every customer feels like they are having a high-end experience at your shop.

A Knowledge of Your Customers: Before you open your shop, you need a clear understanding of who your customers will be. Are you looking to sell products to parents coming in with their children? If this is the case, traditional ice cream and frozen yogurt are great ideas. However, if you are looking for a more upscale clientele, you may want to consider selling a higher end product such as gelato.

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Gelato Products offers a wide range of equipment and products for gelaterias, ice cream parlors and frozen yogurt shops. Their products are high quality items at affordable prices that are within the budget of any shop.