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How to Start Your Ice Cream Truck Business

Published Feb 01, 2022 Restaurant
How to Start Your Ice Cream Truck Business
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“Quick Summary” An Ice Cream Truck could be a dream business. Making money is the most important thing for any business. This is equally true for your ice cream truck business. Your ultimate goal should be to make it profitable and keep the doors open for more to come in. How do you start an ice cream truck business? That might sound easy, but it takes more than just selling treats from an ice cream truck to get the job done!

If you have plans to start an ice-cream truck, you need a plan beyond simply buying an old van and filling it with ice creams. With the proper knowledge and tools, you can start your own business with little money down—and make big profits year after year. That's all we will discuss today, giving you ice cream truck ideas!

Business Overview:

The ice cream business is fun, soothing lively, and enjoyable. You will not only earn money but will be a sort of pleasure giver for children, teens, and all those having a sweet tooth. Ice-creams are a universal delicacy with no age bar; choose your flavor and relish it to your heart’s content.  This business will encapsulate the magic of selling all yummy flavored ice creams, milkshakes, custards, and gelatos from your mobile ice-cream truck, earning you huge profits and smiles! 

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Industry Summary

The ice cream industry is an ever-growing and recession-proof industry whose growth can never decline. Researchers have identified a significant growth in the ice cream industry during recent years. This immense growth is expected to spike up as more people indulge in sugar and dairy treats! 

This growth in the industry can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, a substantial increase in the ice-cream lovers’ population means more people will consume ice creams. The rising disposable income has also made it possible for more people to purchase ice cream, and as a result, the demand for ice cream has risen.

With people's evolving palate tastes in ice creams also have varied. The industry is also expected to grow as the demand for ice cream rises. With new flavors and varieties of ice cream being introduced, it has become more popular than ever before. With people being more calorie conscious, low-fat less-sugary ice creams are being introduced by doing away with excess dairy products. There is an absolute mix and mash of flavors and sophisticated-looking beautiful ice creams in trend! 

Target Market 

The target audience of ice cream trucks could be anyone having available disposable income and a liking for ice-creams:

  • Young people who like to be in the center of everything.
  • Parents who want to enjoy a lovely evening with their kids.
  • Couples who wish to have a romantic date at the ice cream van.
  • Men who want to impress their lady with a gift.
  • Men who wish to spend a nice time with their friends.

 Related Blog: Why an All-In-One POS System Is Right for Your Business

Skills, experience, and education useful in running an ice cream truck:

1. Foodservice experience:

If you have experience in the foodservice industry, it will be highly beneficial and prepare you for the challenges coming your way in starting and running an ice cream truck. 

2. Foodservice safety knowledge: 

To run a safe and hygienic ice cream truck, you must keep the equipment clean to prevent foodborne illnesses from spreading. You need to be aware of storage and preservation procedures. This knowledge will help you to acquire a food service license. 

3. Ice cream-making experience: 

You need to know how to make ice cream, sundaes, and other frozen desserts. This is probably the most critical food service experience for running an ice cream truck. 

4. Customer service skills:

Ice cream trucks are a great place to work if you want to develop customer service skills. Moreover, if you're good at making customers happy, this is an excellent place for you.

5. Management skills:

Managing skills are crucial for any business. You need to know how to manage your expenses, team, resources, time, and inventory! 

Costs to Start an Ice Cream Truck

The estimated costs to start an ice cream truck are as follows:

  • The initial investment for a new ice cream truck is $20,000 to $35,000.
  • The startup costs include the lease or purchase of a truck and equipment.
  • You will also need to purchase ice cream supplies and pay for permits.
  • You will need to market your business to get customers. The cost of advertising and marketing can vary greatly depending on the size of your budget.

Steps to Starting an Ice Cream Truck

1. Write your Business Plan

Writing a business plan will bring clarity and provide you with a structure. It will help you understand the finances better and ease the decision-making process. 

2. Form a Business Entity

After making a business plan, you need to select your business entity whether you want sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or S-corporation. Forming a business entity will bring professionalism to your business; it will earn the trust of your customers and will save you from certain taxes.

3. Select your Location

The location of your ice cream truck business is very important. It will determine how much money you make. If you want to earn a lot of money, you must select a commercial location for your business. It would help if you looked for a highly populated place. Opening an ice cream place in this area will be more costly, but the profit that you will earn will quickly compensate for this. 

4. Register for Business Licenses and Permits

After selecting the location, you must register your business with the local food and health authorities. This will require regular inspections by the safe food authority as well.

5. Find Financing

It's time to invest smartly in purchasing food equipment, refrigerators, and ice-cream-making machines. These will be costly compared to other expenses, and you can use your savings or borrow money to meet these finances. You can also use the POS system for the ice cream truck

6. Open a Business Bank Account

Opening up a separate account for your business will allow you to keep an eye on the profit and help you manage your business expenses. 

7. Get your Marketing Plan in Place

The next step is to build a good reputation in the location you select and attract as many customers as you can. For this purpose, you can use social media, online marketing, or print media. 

8. Get Business Insurance

It is a good idea to get some insurance. It will protect you from liability and theft. A typical policy will cover your vehicle, equipment, and business. It will also cover you if someone gets hurt on your property or if you get sued for something that happened while you were working. It is vital to have the right amount of insurance coverage.

9. Hire Employees and Supervise Them Effectively

Hire employees who are capable of handling the workload. They should be able to perform their duties well and follow your instructions. You can supervise them effectively by setting a clear vision for the company, ensuring they understand it and implement it. 

10. Set up an Accounting System

This is the last thing you want to do, but it is also one of the most important. It will keep track of your income expenses and help you pay your taxes. 

Conclusion:

We've covered the essentials of starting an ice cream truck business in this article. We wish you the best of luck in your endeavor and hope these tips have been helpful. Please call us on (346) 767-6884 or write to us at [email protected] to learn more about Starting Your Own Ice-Cream Truck Business.