Key Equipment
Machinery – What Works Best?
A little bit about soft serve machines. Some of what I mention here will be obvious to many of you, but I’m writing this book with the thought that you have no idea at all about the equipment or the soft serve business.
First off, soft serve is simply a type of frozen desert that hasn’t been hardened.
When looking for a machine, one of the first things you have to consider is the machines capacity.
Capacity is almost always measured by how many servings per minute the machine yields. High volume machines can generally yield 7 four ounce servings per minute. This is ideal if you have one machine at a concession where there is a long line and the machine is constantly being hit hard. It has to “recover” quickly. Medium volume machines yield about 4 four ounce servings and low volume machines yield about 1 to 2 four ounce servings per minute.
For self serve operations with multiple machines, you don’t need high volume machines. Medium volume machines are perfect for a self serve frozen yogurt store. It doesn’t make sense to go with high capacity/volume machines because these require more power and will increase your overhead unnecessarily.
Soft serve machines store “mix” in the “hopper”. The mix then goes into the barrel to be frozen, and churned by a “dasher”.
Key features on the newer machines that are critically important include “low mix alarms”. If the barrel isn’t full, the mix might freeze solid and this will keep the dasher from turning. A frozen barrel can cause the dasher bars to bend or worse, damage the compressor.
The low mix alarm will shut down the compressor automatically if someone doesn’t respond to the low mix alarm. It will re-start periodically, but will keep shutting down until someone adds mix to the machine.
Water cooled vs. Air Cooled. If you have good ventilation, you can go air cooled. If ventilation is an issue, water cooled is a better option. If you have more than 6 machines, there is a water cooled option called a “glycol system” which might be a good option. It’s not cheap at about $15k, but it protects the machines and keeps your air conditioner from working overtime.
Maintenance:
Cleaning and sanitizing on a daily basis is never a bad idea being that you are dealing with a dairy product. Your local health inspector will tell you what the requirements are for your area.
Some machines have auto-cleaning modes that make it easier for your employees to clean the machines. That said, even with this feature, the machines need to be broken down to clean and sanitize parts that don’t get cleaned automatically. You also have to make sure that the parts that need it are lubricated as often as recommended.
June 30th, 2011
Location
- What works, what doesn’t – You want a place that is comfortable. Easy to get in, plenty of parking. A place you can see a family sitting and relaxing with their frozen yogurt treat.
- Visibility is important
- Other eateries nearby are great to have. People finish their food and head over to the close by yogurt shop
- Malls are good, but not always. Need to make sure that the mall is open during peak yogurt hours, which can go into the night
- Outdoor seating is a great plus
- Typical
BIGGEST MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE:
- Improper ventilation of machines – they will “under-perform” and die an early death
- “Too Much Machine” – People think that buying the biggest, most expensive machine is the way to go. It’s not. You can buy too much machine and suffer a utilities bill that is more than it needs to be.
- Improper machine settings – yield crappy texture and taste. Not a good thing. You need to know how to set the machines to yield the product you want, and you need to keep controlling quality on a regular basis.
- Bad location – speaks for itself
- Not throwing away cut fruit that sits in pans too long. I see this often. A manager trying to control food costs keeps cut strawberries or whatever fruit in the pan so long that it looks like mush. These should be thrown away long before. In fact, they should be tossed if they don’t look SUPER fresh. Nothing will turn a customer off more than mushy fruit. In fact, a key to this business is exciting the customer’s senses with fruit that looks fit to be photographed and put on the cover of Bon Appetite.
June 30th, 2011
Ice Cream Business Guide
Introduction
Starting any new business on your own can be stressful and frightening. In this book, we will try to teach you the basics on how to choose an ice cream vendor, negotiate your lease, hire employees, and market the business. Step 1 is…..don’t panic. You have a lot of information to go through and it will take time. You won’t necessarily understand everything, and not everything will make sense to you right away. If some of the business terms are foreign to you, don’t worry. You will learn little by little.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is your drive to succeed. If you are a people person, you will take good care of your customers and the business part will take care of itself….one step at a time.
Why should you choose the ice cream business? It is said that 90% of Americans love to eat ice cream. With that in mind why not choose a business whose product is loved and enjoyed by so many people?
In general, ice cream is a mixture of cream and milk, sweeteners, flavoring and air. As it freezes air is beaten into the milk making the final product light and easy to eat with a spoon. There are other ingredients such as eggs used in rich French ice creams and emulsifiers and stabilizers that are added to many commercial ice creams to help keep ice crystals from forming. Quality, freshness of ingredients and the amount of air that is whipped into the product are factors that separate the best from the rest in the world of ice cream. Dried milk products and a lower percentage of milk fats (butter fats) are usually seen in economy ice creams. The higher quality ice creams are denser and less airy. Fresh products are used in premium ice cream plus they contain up to 20% milk fat and include minimal additives. The less air the higher the quality. If it doesn’t have at least 10% Butterfat or has more than 50% air, it has to be labeled “frozen dairy dessert”. Some of the major national ice cream manufacturers have product on the shelf that has a lot of candy chunks in it and because this adds cost, they either reduce the butter fat or add air in order to lower the cost. If you look closely, some of them are labeled “frozen dairy dessert” because they are more than 50% air.
The three segments in commercial ice cream are super premium (Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs, premium (Dreyer’s, Edy’s and Breyer’s) and economy (supermarket Private Brand). You should at least strive to sell premium ice cream in your ice cream parlor. Customers can taste the difference and they expect something more that the local dairies ice cream, although it depends on your local dairy. Some dairies make a fantastic product, so give them a shot too and “see what they got”.
June 30th, 2011
How to set up and organize your new business
When starting your new business you will need to decide if your business will be a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporation. This should be one of the first decisions you make once you have decided to go into the ice cream business. Some people are overwhelmed with the thought of making this decision. Below are the definitions of each type of business and the pro’s and con’s of each type. While we can explain your options if you want further advice on which way you should organize your business you may want to consult with an attorney or an accountant.
Sole proprietorship: a business owned by one person or a married couple that files jointly.
Partnership: a business owned by more than one person.
Corporation: A business organized as a separate legal entity owned by stockholders. You can have a corporation with as few as 1 or 2 people.
Most people choose the sole proprietorship form for their ice cream shop. This is really the easiest option and probably simplifies things at tax time since most of the time you just fill out a business profit and loss form and you claim the shop income on your personal return.
Business license and Tax ID numbers
Once you have decided which type of business entity you are going to have you will have to set it up. For a sole proprietorship you will need to file for a business license in the city you live. At city hall there will be a department for business licenses. Go there and fill out the pertinent information. There will be a minimal charge to obtain this license. You will also need to register the name of your business in the city and county so that no one else will use your name and you will not use a name that is already registered. You will need to do the above for a partnership and a corporation as well.
All 3 forms of business will need the following numbers in order to sell products, charge taxes and file taxes. You will need a tax id number. Your tax id number is also called an Employer Identification Number or EIN. You can apply by phone at 1-800-829-4933 between 7am and 10pm or simply go to www.irs.gov . Once online search for form SS-4. When the search is complete click on the online application. On the next screen scroll down and click on “apply online now”. You can submit the form electronically or print and mail it in. There is more information online if you need more help. You must also check with your state regarding state and county sales tax id numbers. To find out what forms to complete check with the Department of Revenue in your state.
FIRST STEPS
The most important decision you will make on the road to success is most likely to be the location you choose. You’ve probably already heard of the 3 most important factors involved in a successful retail operation: location, location, location. I cannot stress enough the importance of this, especially when it comes to ice cream.
Ice cream is an “impulse” product. In other words, people who buy ice cream usually do it on impulse when they see it and are tempted. It is less likely these days that people will make a conscious thought to go to an ice cream parlor. Sure, some still do, but many more sales are made to customers who happen to be brought to the area for another reason.
June 30th, 2011
Location and Traffic
- Car traffic is nice, but more importantly, how many people are walking by?
- If you are counting on high car traffic, make sure that your location is easily visible from the street and easy to access (parking, etc.)
- Are they typically there to browse or to buy?
- Being in a Wal-mart type plaza doesn’t guarantee success. It depends on how close to the Wal-Mart door you are.
- Talk to existing businesses and ask them what the traffic is like.
- If you are counting on car traffic as your main traffic, a drive thru window is almost mandatory.
- Enclosed malls are better for year round traffic and people prefer them to stroll through and buy ice cream! In general, it’s better to pay more rent and be in an enclosed mall than to pay less and be in a strip mall.
- 3-4 good anchor stores would help.
- Visit the site on different days at different times to see how consistent the traffic is.
- Competition: How many parlors within a 1 mile radius? If inside a mall, who else is serving ice cream? Competition is not necessarily a bad thing. If someone else is on one side of the mall and doing well, chances are that you will do well on the extreme other side of the mall.
- Population is key. If the area is somewhat congested, that’s a good sign.
- Visibility. Will everyone who walks close by know that there is ice cream there?
- Would you buy ice cream there? Can you see yourself hanging out and enjoying a cone or cup in the area?
- Hours of operation: Make sure that the peak traffic flow is during hours that you’re willing and able to be open.
- Make sure you have adequate space. 800-1000 sq ft is a pretty good middle ground.
- Is the area growing?
Good locations/Bad locations:
Good:
Indoor Malls, airports, zoo’s, university campus, amusement parks, strip malls (high traffic), next to a movie theatre, superstore (inside a Wal-mart), professional building, train station, beach area, sporting arena.
Bad:
Strip Mall unless in thriving area with obvious high traffic (low traffic, no real anchor’s), busy street (but being on the wrong side), gas station, fast food/snack operation that failed.
LEASES:
After you find out what they want for monthly rent, don’t be afraid to ask for a stepped up lease with a low initial amount. For example, free rent for the first month, half the rent for the next three months, then full rent beginning in month four. Or a couple of hundred off per month for the first year. This is just a negotiating guideline. They may not go for it, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. In fact, they may be expecting you to. If you don’t, they may feel they can take advantage of you in some way. So it’s always best to shoot for the sky and then see what they will give in to. It is in their best interest to help you get off on the right foot and be successful. Many will be willing to help if they believe in you.
From my experience, you probably don’t want to pay more than $3000 per month. It’s very hard to make a go of it at a higher monthly rent unless you are talking about an airport or ridiculously high traffic mall. An average rent for a parlor is in the $1800 range. Of course, these are just general benchmarks. An average parlor should sell around $18,000 per month. A rough industry standard says that rent should fall within 8-12% (10% x $18,000 = $1800 per month)
June 30th, 2011
COST PER SCOOP ANALYSIS:
In general, parlor ice cream is packed in 3-gallon tubs. Edy’s, Breyer’s, Blue Bell and most premium brands come in 3 gallon, round cans. A ballpark figure as far as cost is concerned is about $30/tub for premium ice cream. Some companies charge less for Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry and a little more for everything else. The $26 is a good average figure for premium ice cream. You are supposed to get 55 four-ounce scoops out of a 3-gallon tub. This works out to .47 cents per scoop. I like to add 8 cents to the cost to cover waste, giveaways, etc. So were looking at .55 cents per scoop. Many companies will try to manipulate these figures in their best interests, but I can tell you from experience that the $.55 per 4 oz scoop is pretty reliable. Add another 5 cents for cup and spoon or the cone for a total of .60 cents per scoop. Very doubtful that in real life it works out to be any less, even if you are paying a few bucks less for the tub. Cheaper tubs usually have more air whipped in and you yield less, therefore having the same or higher cost when it comes down to it. My recommended retail is $2.00.
$2.25-$2.50 isn’t out of the question, but might be too much depending on the area. You are in this to make money, so do some competitive research in your area and make sure that you start off as high as the market will seem to bear. Raising prices later because you realize you aren’t charging enough is never good, so make sure you pay particular attention to your pricing strategy right off the bat. The majority of new business owners make the mistake of not pricing their products high enough. Don’t let this be you. A $2.00 retail makes the COGS (cost of goods sold) 30%. (.60/$2.00 = 30%).
June 30th, 2011
Did you know that all the ingredients you need to make gelato are probably already in your own kitchen? Gelato is made with ingredients that are all found in nature making it both a healthy and natural dessert. To better understand what makes the delicious, creamy Italian ice cream, here’s a list of the ingredients that it’s made from:
Milk
Depending on whether you want to make a cream flavor (such as chocolate or vanilla) or a fruit flavor (such as strawberry or mango), you need either water or milk. The best type of milk for the cream flavors of gelato is whole milk (3.5%), but some gelato makers use reduced-fat milk (1% or 2%), fat-free milk (skim) or even soy milk! The milk helps the gelato obtain a creamy and smooth texture, but it also increases its resistance to melting so you can take your time to enjoy it on a hot day. Milk used in gelato is a great way to not only add protein to your diet, but to get an extra serving of calcium.
Water
If you want to make a fruit flavor of gelato (also known as sorbetto), gelato makers use water. While tap water will work just fine, the quality and consistency of tap water can vary from place to place so the best sorbetto is made with filtered water. Try drinking a glass of tap water and a glass of filtered water (or bottled water) and see if you can taste a difference. If you can, that means your sorbetto will taste differently as well, depending on which one you use! Because water freezes, this ingredient helps the sorbet to keep its frozen quality. Water also helps to hydrate and disperse the other ingredients.
Sugar
Is anything sweeter than our next ingredient? Gelato makers add sugar to bring sweetness to the mix, but also to help decrease the freezing point and increase the viscosity. We learned that the water in gelato will freeze, but adding sugar to the mix will allow it to maintain a soft but not melted texture. There are many different types of sugar that can be used, each bringing a different level of sweetness. Some of the types include: sucrose (cane sugar), dextrose, lactose (natural sugar from milk), fructose (natural sugar from fruit), and invert sugars (glucose, honey and corn syrup). Invert sugars can be used similar to sweeteners, but are completely natural. The only thing sweeter than regular sugar? Invert sugar! Keep in mind it doesn’t take as much invert sugar as regular sugar to sweeten a mix.
In some cases, sugar is substituted in gelato to appeal to an audience with special dietetic needs. Splenda® Brand Sweetener is one of those substitutes, and creates an equally dynamic gelato product. Gelato makers are truly committed to being able to supply their customers with options that can fit into any diet, and as the industry continues to grow, researching new substitutes for sugar is a focus.
MSNF
Another ingredient that is used to make gelato is milk-solids-non-fat (MSNF), which consists of protein, lactose and minerals found in dairy products. A gelato maker can add skim milk powder, milk or cream to the product for the benefits of MSNF. This is another ingredient that increases the percentage of proteins and improved the texture of the gelato at the same time. Too little MSNF might make the gelato icy, while too much could make the texture grainy. Just the right amount of MSNF makes the gelato delicious!
Stabilizers and Emulsifiers
To keep that gelato in a perfect swirl on top of your cone, gelato makers often add food additives, in the forms of stabilizers and emulsifiers. These food additives preserve flavor and improve taste and appearance. Stabilizers act as thickening agents to give gelato a firmer texture. Emulsifiers allow water and oils to remain mixed together so the gelato mix is consistent from the first scoop to the last. Both of these additives come from natural substances and are used in very small amounts. When making gelato, it’s important to check all your ingredients because some semi-finished gelato bases already contain these ingredients.
Flavor
What’s your favorite gelato flavor? It would be hard to argue with the common assumption that flavor is one of the most important characteristics of gelato. Two important things to remember when talking about flavor are type and intensity. Flavors can come in the form of pastes or powders and from low to high intensity. But above all, the best type is a high-quality flavor that will be consistent. This means that every time you pick your favorite flavor, it will taste exactly like you remember it!
Fruit
Fruit is a great addition to any fruit-flavored gelato (known as sorbetto). Fruit can be added as fresh, frozen, juice or fruit puree. The natural acidity in the fruit helps to characterize the flavor and the natural sugar sweetens the mix. While fresh fruit makes for a really intense gelato, frozen or fruit puree is a great way to enjoy your favorite fruit out of season. So when you’re craving the taste of watermelon in January, stop by your local gelato store for some “remind-you-of-summer” sorbetto!
Air
Not to be overlooked, air is an important ingredient too! As gelato is being frozen, the liquid mix is whipped with air to increase the volume of the product and smooth out the texture. “Overrun” is the term typically used for the amount of air whipped into the product. Because milk-based gelato is denser than water-based sorbetto, it has more overrun. It’s important to remember that the air used to make gelato should be from a clean environment so there’s no affect on the taste of your gelato.
June 26th, 2011
Gelato is not only an Italian ice cream but an art form. From the classic waves that are created right out of the machine, to spatulart, and an array of toppings and garnishes, and plated desserts, the aesthetic gelato creates is just as important to gelato makers as the overall taste.
Gelato should always be consumed and never wasted, it is important to understand the artisanal gelato experience!
Gelato Waves
Gelato waves are the classic way gelato is presented in a pan. The waves are created during the extraction from the batch freezer. The gelato maker takes a gelato spatula (note: gelato is traditionally served with a spatula and not a scooper) and carefully collects the product as it leaves the machine and places in the pan. The technique is to collect the gelato so that it is almost in the form a tear shape and drop it into the pan, and this has to be done so each wave contains an equal amount of product. Once the base of the pan is filled, the gelato maker then stacks the gelato waves among the base waves. Once completed, a beautiful cascade of gelato waves fill the pan awaiting to be dived into and devoured.
Spatulart
Decorating techniques of gelato are endless with the many varieties of spatulart. More like a sculpting tool then a spatula, spatulart is a flat handheld tool that shapes gelato into various patterns that include shapes, rows, grooves and so much more. Gelato makers use certain designs for certain flavors and toppings to really highlight the stunning colors and properties of each gelato. Below are some great images of gelato sculpted with spatulart.
Toppings & Garnishes
While gelato waves and spatulart focuses on sculpting and designing the actual gelato, toppings and garnishes can be added to take artisanal gelato to the next level.
• Arabeschi®: Arabeschi®, a filler and topping for gelato, can be added to create texture throughout the gelato and also add color as well as taste. Arabeschi® is worked in using a standard gelato spatula, or it can be distributed on top either by splattering or drizzling.
• Toppings: While toppings can also add color and flavor, they are also a great tool for creating specific designs. Toppings can be drizzled or carefully applied to leave lines, swirls, patterns and more on gelato. Toppings range from vibrant colors consistent with fruit flavors, to decadent favors such as chocolate and caramel.
• Garnishes:
The finishing touches of artisanal gelato lie within the garnish. The garnish can be used to describe the flavor of the gelato if it cannot easily be distinguished, or it can be used to dress up an already beautifully sculpted gelato. Fruit-flavored gelato looks best when garnish with fresh fruit, however depending on the fruit, gelato makers often carve the fruit into fun shapes, cuts, flowers, etc. to add to the display. Other gelato flavors are also usually garnished with items that match the flavor profile as well, these include coffee beans, chocolate, pastries and cookies, and cinnamon sticks.
June 26th, 2011
When we talk abou the recipe for ice cream , we always mention the measure “cup” ?
So how much litres / cup?
Here with the answer:
Liters per cup
1 cup [US] = 0.237 liter
1 cup [metric] = 0.25 liter
Answer
0.2368 liters in one cup (fluid)
(29.6 mL per fluid ounce)
(1000 mL per liter)
(1 cup is 8 fluid ounces)
(8 oz X 29.6 mL) / 1000 mL = 0.2368 liters
June 26th, 2011
Ice cream machine compressor failures are expensive and can screw up the best thought out budget. Fortunately many failures can be easily prevented. This article will give you three easy ways to prevent the most common causes of failures.
The compressors in these machines have the potential for lasting a very long time. The load on is constant and doesn’t overload the compressor. There is usually adequate off periods that do not short cycle the unit. Ice machines are expensive and usually have high and low pressure safeties. Some have over amp safeties also.
A common way to shorten the life of an ice cream machine is use an extension cord. Extension cords are a bad idea on refrigeration systems but even worse of these machines. They have a refrigeration system but also have a large auger motor. They require more power than other refrigeration equipment with the same size compressor. If they do not get it, serious damage can result. If you need a longer cord, have a technician install an over sized one for safety.
Dirty condensers are the enemy of all coolers, freezers and ice cream machines. All equipment should be away from grease producing cooking equipment like flat tops, woks and fryers. If that is done the condensers can be easily cleaned with a brush and compressed air. If the condensers get covered with grease they will have to be chemically or steam cleaned.
The third way to extend the life of your machine machine is to insure that all leaks are fixed. If refrigerant (freon TM) has to be added, there is almost certainly a leak. Leaks are often hard to find and fix. The insulation on the machine is usually blown with refrigerant making electronic leak detectors useless. It is easier to just “gas and go”, but that is very bad on the compressor. Leaks should always be fixed.
You can greatly reduce the chances of avoiding a compressor failure by following the three steps above. 1) Avoid using extension cords 2) Keep the condenser clean 3) Make sure all leaks are fixed. Now you have the information needed to help control unexpected repair bills.
June 26th, 2011
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