Situated in New York City, attracting a large customer base.
Skilled management and industry veterans from Baskin Robbins and Ben & Jerry’s.
Frozen Whispers is set on a mission to provide a delightful, out-of-the-box ice cream experience. This ice cream shop, located in the heart of New York City, revolves around a flat organizational structure that promises efficient decision-making and improves communication.
The leadership team comprises Sarah Johnson (Owner), Emily Turner (Manager), two Shift Supervisors and ten Ice Cream Servers, each bringing their unique skills to the table. Sarah, a former regional manager of Baskin Robbins, brings valuable industry experience and an unyielding passion to the role. Emily, with over ten years of experience in food retail management, ensures seamless operations across the ice cream shop's facets.
Our staffing needs are met currently, but as we plan towards expanding our "Frozen Whispers" brand, we foresee increased manpower requirements for both back-end preparation and front-end customer servicing roles. Consistent recruitment and rigorous training of staff will be prioritized to maintain high service standards and food quality.
Human resources policies and practices at Frozen Whispers are designed to ensure an inclusive and engaging work environment. We believe in equal opportunities for all and adhere to strict anti-bias and anti-discrimination practices. Regular feedback sessions, performance evaluations, and emphasis on skill-enhancement underscore our commitment towards supporting our employees' well-being and professional growth.
External advisors and consultants play a crucial role in our company's progress, particularly in areas such as legal compliance, tax planning, and food safety standards. We count on the expertise of external HR consultants for the most updated and relevant HR practices.
On the finance front, robust financial planning steered by our Financial Controller, Robin Gordon, a seasoned CPA. Robin's extensive experience in retail finance provides us with solid footing in the sector while ensuring the effective and responsible management of resources.
Our primary competitors in the current market are "Cold Rush Ice Cream" , "Chilled Chatters" , "Arctic Delights" , "Frozen Fables" , and "Ice Dreams Parlor" . Our strengths lie in our unique flavor profiles, a firm commitment to quality, and unparalleled customer service. We aim to differentiate ourselves from our competitors by consistently introducing unique and seasonal flavors. However, we acknowledge challenges, such as maintaining consistency in flavor and quality, managing customer expectations, and the need for continuous innovation. We are confident that with strategic focus and implementation, we can turn these challenges into opportunities for growth and brand differentiation.
Frozen Whispers is centered around the creation and retail of quality ice-cream, including a variety of innovative flavors and novel dessert combinations. Consisting of our flagship range of classic flavors, we regularly innovate with unique seasonal and gourmet flavors derived from local and exotic sources. Our offerings also include custom-created sundaes, milkshakes, ice cream cakes, and other ice cream-based desserts. A blizzard of sweetness, if you will.
Our unique selling proposition is a fusion of quality, creativity, and customer responsiveness—reflecting a mix of classic and unusual flavors you won't find anywhere else. We cater to a broad range of tastes with vegan and sugar-free options. Under Sarah Johnson's creative stewardship, our shop offers an array of European and Asian inspired flavors that bring the global culinary scene home to New York.
Frozen Whispers is a startup currently in the beta phase. We are testing with a select group of local consumers while sourcing high-quality inputs from the creameries of Pennsylvania and organic fruit farms of Up-state New York. Although we are in the early stages, future plans involve expansion. In 3-5 years, we plan to establish a chain of stores in the Tri-state region and develop a national-brand presence.
We are currently awaiting the approval of patents for three of our unique flavors: Caramelized Fig & Cheese, Earl Grey Fudge, and Bourbon Pecan Pie. In addition, we have registered Frozen Whispers and our by-line "Whispering Sweetness" as trademarks, setting a strong foundation for future branding.
The production process at Frozen Whispers starts with quality ingredients sourced from reliable suppliers. The ice cream base is made fresh every day and pasteurized in-house. Flavors are then incorporated, followed by churning in high-end ice cream machines imported from Italy. This slow process allows the ice cream to have a denser, creamier texture.
Our major suppliers are local dairy farms affiliated with the Certified Organic Association of Northeastern New York, and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture for fresh, organic fruits and cream. We have secured contracts with these suppliers for a continuous and stable supply of high-quality ingredients, ensuring minimal delays or disruptions.
Delivering a refreshing experience with every scoop, Frozen Whispers is here to make your ice-cream dreams come true with a truly unique, exquisite twist on beloved classics.
Frozen Whispers, born out of a love for ice cream and a passion for crafting unique flavors, has its headquarters nestled in New York City. What started as a playful exploration of dessert varieties by Sarah Johnson has grown into a business venture with a comprehensive range of products that cater to diverse tastes and age groups. The ice cream parlor offers a wide variety of flavors, sundaes, milkshakes, ice cream cakes, and numerous other desserts, with vegan and sugar-free options to cater to the health-conscious market.
Marketing Strategy:
Our marketing strategy revolves around online and offline channels. We intend to connect with our audience through social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. These platforms allow us to showcase our products effectively, share behind-the-scenes content, announce new flavors, create brand stories and engage directly with our customers. We also recognize the critical role of search engine optimization (SEO) and plan to create a user-friendly website with regularly updated blogs about ice-cream trends and in-house developments. For offline promotions, we aim to collaborate with local events like food festivals, sports events, and community gatherings to create a presence within our target market.
Sales Strategy:
A robust sales strategy is crucial to our business objective. For sales activities, our prime channel would be our store; however, we will also adopt a delivery model operating via food apps like UberEats and GrubHub to increase our service reach. Our sales team, led by an experienced supervisor, will provide warm, friendly, and efficient service to our customers.
Pricing Strategy:
Our pricing strategy is based on a cost-plus pricing model. We have priced our products reasonably while ensuring excellent quality, which we believe differentiates us in the competitive market.
Distribution Channel:
Apart from our flagship store in New York City, our ice cream delivery model through UberEats and GrubHub aims to cater to customers who prefer enjoying our products within the comfort of their homes.
Promotion and Advertising Plans:
Our promotional plans include frequency-based customer reward programs to increase customer retention. We would also run regular discount offers during off-peak seasons. Advertising would primarily be digital, through social media and Search Engine Marketing.
Customer Service Policies:
Customer satisfaction is our top priority. We believe in a proactive approach to customer service - addressing concerns promptly and ensuring that all our customers leave with a smile.
Our business plan leverages strategic marketing and sales efforts, well-calculated pricing, efficient distribution channels, impactful promotion, and advertising efforts, and focused customer service policies. By doing so, we plan to establish Frozen Whispers as the go-to spot for all ice cream lovers, delivering not just a product, but a delightful experience.
Our operations workflow at Frozen Whispers involves opening the store each day at 10 a.m. We start by preparing the ice cream, which can take a few hours depending on the number of flavors being made that day. Once the ice cream is prepared, it's time to open the store. The servers are tasked with operating the cash register, taking orders, serving ice cream, and ensuring the shop remains clean and inviting. Manager Emily Turner and the shift supervisors divide responsibilities, manage staffing, and ensure the store runs smoothly.
The production process begins by choosing top-quality ingredients for our ice creams. Afterward, the ingredients are carefully mixed and frozen using our state-of-the-art ice cream making machines to ensure a perfect consistency and texture. Depending on the flavor, the ice cream might then be enhanced with mix-ins like nuts, fruit, or candy pieces.
Quality control is crucial in our operations. We regularly inspect our ingredients to ensure their freshness and taste. Our machines are also subjected to regular maintenance and sanitation procedures to ascertain their optimal functionality. Additionally, we pride ourselves on maintaining a clean and safe environment for our customers and employees.
Inventory management is another essential part of the operations. Inventory levels are reviewed daily, and the necessary orders are placed with suppliers to ensure we never run out of essential items. All inventory is stored in the appropriate cool storage facilities to prolong freshness and prevent waste.
We also pay attention to our supply chain management. We've partnered with reliable suppliers who provide us with high-quality dairy products, fruits, and nuts. Our partnership with these suppliers ensures we can provide our customers with consistent and excellent quality products.
Facilities and equipment needs are crucial to our operations. We operate from a well-situated store with excellent visibility and footfall. Our store was designed to show off the breadth of our offerings, with bright displays and comfortable seating. We have invested considerably in powerful freezers, high-quality ice cream making machines, and other small wares such as serving utensils and storage containers, necessary for day to day operations.
Overall, our operational plan integrates all aspects of our business, ensuring that customers are served exceptional ice cream in a pleasant environment by friendly staff.
Frozen Whispers projects substantial growth, positioning itself to capitalize on the increasing consumption of ice cream by children, teenagers, and adults. We have prepared a financial forecast, projecting substantial growth for the next three to five years.
Sales Forecast:
Within our first year, we project a conservative revenue target of $250,000. As the brand name becomes more familiar, we anticipate an increase in sales, reaching $500,000 in revenue by the second year, and crossing the $1 million threshold by the end of the fifth year.
Profit and Loss Projection:
In the initial stages of the business, startup costs and operational expenses may lead to limited profits or even minor losses. However, we expect to see positive growth from the second year onward with a net profit of $75,000.
Cash Flow Projection:
Due to the cyclical nature of the business, we project stable cash flow during the warmer months and predict a decrease during the colder months. However, our marketing initiatives and the introduction of winter-specific flavors will serve to bolster winter sales and maintain a favorable cash flow throughout the year.
Balance Sheet Projection:
We project an increase in assets over the next five years as the business grows and expects to see accumulated profits invested back into the business. Our short-term and long-term debts are projected to decrease as the profits roll in, leading to a strengthening of our equity position.
Break-Even Analysis:
Our break-even analysis shows that with an average sales price of $5 per ice cream serving and an estimated cost of goods sold at $2 per serving, we will need to sell an estimated 125,000 servings annually, or around 342 servings per day, to cover our fixed costs completely.
Financial Assumptions and Considerations:
These projections and analyses are based on several assumptions, including market stability and consistent consumer demand for ice cream. Changes in the economy, shifts in consumer taste, or the entrance of a new competitor could alter these projections. Considering this, we plan to review and adjust our financial forecasts as necessary every quarter to reflect the most up-to-date business and market situations.
Even with these considerations, we are confident that our offerings' uniqueness, sustainable business model, and the team's experience will make Frozen Whispers a success. The business aims not only for fiscal growth but also to be an integral part of our customers' delightful memories.
Frozen Whispers, like any businesses, faces potential risks that could disrupt operations. These risks include market risks, operational risks, and financial risks.
Market Risks:
Operational Risks:
Financial Risks:
Insurance and Legal Considerations:
To protect our business from potential legal issues, Frozen Whispers will comply with all necessary permits, licenses, and health regulations. We will secure liability insurance to protect the business against potential lawsuits. Additionally, we will insure our property and equipment against damage, theft, or loss.
In conclusion, a broad understanding of potential risks and strategic planning will help Frozen Whispers navigate difficulties and maintain resilience in the dynamic and competitive ice-cream industry.
By: Author Joy Nwokoro
Home » Business ideas » Food Industry » Ice Cream Shop
An ice cream shop is a retail establishment that specializes in selling ice cream and other frozen desserts. These shops offer a wide variety of ice cream flavors, toppings, and combinations to cater to different tastes and preferences. Ice cream shops are popular places for people of all ages to indulge in sweet treats and cool off on hot days.
In addition to ice cream, some shops may also offer other frozen desserts like gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, and various toppings such as sprinkles, nuts, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and fresh fruits. Some ice cream shops may even sell ice cream cakes and sandwiches.
Ice cream shops are often designed to create a pleasant and inviting atmosphere for customers. They may have colorful decor, seating areas for customers to enjoy their treats, and friendly staff to help with orders . Some ice cream shops may even have outdoor seating for customers to enjoy their ice cream outside.
Executive summary.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. is a premium ice cream retail establishment located in Dallas, Texas. Dallas, Texas, is a vibrant and diverse city with a strong appreciation for culinary delights.
The ice cream industry in the area has seen steady growth over the past few years, indicating a promising market for Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. Our focus on providing unique and high-quality flavors sets us apart from mainstream competitors.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. is a family-owned and operated business, founded with a passion for creating artisanal ice cream that brings pure joy to our customers’ lives. Our shop is strategically situated in a high-traffic area of Dallas, ensuring excellent visibility and accessibility to a diverse customer base.
A. our products and services.
At Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc., we pride ourselves on serving only the finest and freshest ice cream. Our expert chefs craft each batch of ice cream with locally sourced, natural ingredients, avoiding artificial additives and preservatives.
We offer a wide range of classic, seasonal, and innovative flavors to cater to all taste preferences. In addition to our premium ice cream, we offer a selection of frozen desserts such as gelato, sorbet, and frozen yogurt, ensuring that every customer finds a delectable treat to savor.
Our primary target audience includes families, young professionals, students, and ice cream enthusiasts who seek premium, handcrafted ice cream with natural ingredients. We will also attract tourists and visitors to explore the local culinary scene.
Our ice cream shop will operate with a business-to-consumer business model.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will operate in the ice cream industry.
At Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc., our mission is to craft and serve the finest handcrafted ice cream and frozen desserts, creating moments of pure joy and happiness for our valued customers.
We are dedicated to using locally sourced, natural ingredients to create a diverse array of unique and flavorful treats that exceed expectations while providing an exceptional customer experience that fosters lasting connections with our community.
Our vision at Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. is to be the preeminent ice cream destination in Dallas, Texas, renowned for our uncompromising commitment to quality, innovation, and customer delight. We aim to create an inviting and warm atmosphere that sparks joy and happiness in every customer who walks through our doors.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. – the go-to destination for ice cream enthusiasts, offering unparalleled flavors, service, and ambiance!
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will be formed as a Limited Liability Company (LLC).
A. strength.
The ice cream shop industry is vast and has been growing steadily over the years. At that time, the global ice cream market was valued at over $70 billion, with projections of continued growth. Major regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and South America all contributed significantly to the industry’s overall size.
Yes, the ice cream shop business is a growing business because increasing urbanization and globalization have led to greater exposure to different cultures and cuisines, promoting the consumption of ice cream worldwide.
Several future trends are emerging in the ice cream shop industry. Here are some potential future trends to consider: Consumers’ growing emphasis on health and wellness may drive the demand for healthier and functional ice cream choices.
This trend could lead to an increase in plant-based, low-sugar, low-calorie, or dairy-free ice cream alternatives that cater to specific dietary preferences and requirements.
As environmental awareness grows, customers are placing greater importance on sustainability. Ice cream shops can embrace eco-friendly practices by using biodegradable or reusable straws, sourcing local and organic ingredients, implementing recycling and waste reduction measures, and promoting sustainable packaging options.
The digital landscape continues to shape consumer behavior. Ice cream shops can leverage technology by developing user-friendly websites, and mobile apps for ordering and engaging with customers through social media platforms. Online delivery services can also expand reach and convenience.
Yes, there are existing niches when it comes to the ice cream shop business, and here are some of them:
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. has plans to sell franchises in the near future and we will target major cities with thriving ice cream and frozen dessert markets.
Yes, there are policies, regulations, and zoning laws that affect ice cream businesses in the United States of America. These laws vary depending on the state, county, and city in which the business is located.
Some zoning laws may prohibit the operation of ice cream shop businesses in certain areas, such as residential or industrial zones. Other zoning laws may require special permits or variances to operate an ice cream shop business in a particular location.
Ice cream shop businesses must comply with health and safety codes that regulate food preparation, storage, and service. These codes may also include regulations on outdoor dining areas, such as requirements for fencing, lighting, and seating capacity.
Many cities and counties have noise ordinances that limit the amount of noise that businesses can generate, particularly during late-night hours. Ice cream shop businesses may need to comply with these noise ordinances to avoid complaints from nearby residents.
Ice cream shop businesses must comply with fire codes that regulate the use of outdoor heating and cooking equipment. These codes may require the installation of fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and other safety equipment.
Ice cream shop businesses must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires that businesses provide accessible seating and facilities for individuals with disabilities.
A. who is your target audience, i. age range.
Our target market comprises people of all ages who have the finances to purchase ice creams and other frozen desserts from us.
We don’t have any restrictions on the level of education of those who will purchase ice cream and other beverage drinks from us.
There is no cap on the income level of those who will purchase ice cream and other beverage drinks from us.
There is no restriction when it comes to the ethnicity of the people who will purchase ice cream and other beverage drinks from us.
There is no restriction when it comes to the language spoken by the people who will purchase ice cream and other drinks from us.
Anybody from any geographical location can buy ice cream and other beverage drinks from us.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will not restrict any customer from purchasing ice cream and other beverage drinks from us based on their lifestyle, culture, or race.
When working out our pricing strategy, Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will make sure it covers profits, insurance, premium, license, and economy or value and full package. In all our pricing strategy will reflect;
A. sales channels.
Our channel sales strategy will involve using partners and third parties—such as referral partners, affiliate partners, strategic alliances in the event planning industry, and freelancers to help refer customers to us.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will also leverage the 4 Ps of marketing which are place, price, product, and promotion. By carefully integrating all these marketing strategies into a marketing mix, we can have a visible, in-demand service that is competitively priced and promoted to our customers.
The fact that we will need supplies for making ice creams (milk, cream, eggs, flavoring, stabilizers and emulsifiers, sugar or other sweetener, sprinkles, nuts, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and fresh fruits), as well as a range of cups and packaging materials mean that Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will operate an inventory strategy that is based on a day-to-day methodology for ordering, maintaining and processing items in our warehouse.
We will develop our strategy with the same thoroughness and attention to detail as we would if we were creating an overall strategy for the business.
Here are the payment options that Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will make available to her clients:
At Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc., will be offering a return policy, incentives, and guarantees to build trust and loyalty with our customers. We will make sure the policy is clearly communicated on our website and in-store signage, and provide instructions for customers to initiate a return.
To ensure customer satisfaction, we will encourage customers to provide feedback and suggestions. This will help us provide excellent customer service to all our clients and investors, it will help us understand their needs, experiences, and pain points. We will work with effective CRM software to be able to achieve this.
Our operational plan will outline how the business will run on a day-to-day basis. It will cover areas such as staffing, inventory management, customer service, and marketing.
Overall, we plan to expand our revenue by 25 percent in the second year and the plan will include a marketing, sales, and operations component. By developing a strong plan and implementing it effectively, we will be able to run our ice cream shop business smoothly and attract and retain loyal customers.
There is no production process for an ice cream shop business.
The service procedure for an ice cream shop business starts with a customer requesting ice creams or other frozen desserts like gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, and various toppings such as sprinkles, nuts, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and fresh fruits.
Once the request is gotten, it will be processed and the customer will be served or the order delivered to a location as requested.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will rely on a supply chain model that involves sourcing, transporting, storing, and managing inventory of the various products and supplies needed to run our ice cream shop business.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will generate revenue primarily through the sale of ice creams, and other frozen desserts like gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, and various toppings.
A. amount needed to start your ice cream shop business.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. would need an estimate of $150,000 to successfully set up our ice cream shop business in the United States of America. Please note that this amount includes the salaries of all our staff for the first month of operation.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will not build a new facility for our ice cream shop business; we intend to start with a long-term lease and after 5 years, we will start the process of acquiring our own facility.
A. how much should you charge for your product/service.
Generally, the price range for a cup of ice cream can be anywhere from $3 to $5 depending on the toppings.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will aim for a profit margin of 26 to 30 percent on sales. This means that for every dollar spent on ice cream or other frozen dessert by a customer, the business should aim to earn 26 to 30 cents in profit.
A. how do you intend to grow and expand by opening more retail outlets/offices or selling a franchise.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will grow our ice cream shop business by first opening other outlets in key cities in the United States of America within the first five years of establishing the company and then will start selling franchises from the sixth year.
Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. plans to expand to
The reason we intend to expand to these locations is the fact that available statistics show that the cities listed above have the highest and thriving market for ice creams and other frozen desserts in the United States.
The founder of Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. plans to exit the business via family succession. The company has placed structures and processes in place that will help us achieve our plan of successfully transferring the business from one family member to another and from one generation to another.
The company has successfully developed a detailed transition plan to smoothly hand over responsibilities to the new successor. This includes transferring ownership, training key personnel, and communicating with employees, customers, and suppliers about the change.
Written by Dave Lavinsky
Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their ice cream shop businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through an ice cream shop business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.
Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >
A business plan provides a snapshot of your ice cream shop business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.
If you’re looking to start an ice cream shop business, or grow your existing ice cream shop business, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your ice cream shop business in order to improve your chances of success. Your ice cream shop business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.
With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for an ice cream shop business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.
The second most common form of funding for an ice cream shop business is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan.
If you want to start an ice cream shop business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Below are links to each section of your ice cream shop business plan template:
Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.
The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of ice cream shop business you are operating and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have an ice cream shop business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of ice cream shop businesses?
Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the ice cream shop industry. Discuss the type of ice cream shop business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.
In your company analysis, you will detail the type of ice cream shop business you are operating.
For example, you might operate one of the following types of ice cream shop businesses:
In addition to explaining the type of ice cream shop business you will operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.
Include answers to question such as:
In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the ice cream shop.
While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.
First, researching the ice cream shop industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.
Secondly, market research can improve your strategy, particularly if your research identifies market trends.
The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.
The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your ice cream shop business plan:
The customer analysis section of your ice cream shop business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.
The following are examples of customer segments: children, parents, teenagers, and restaurateurs.
As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of ice cream shop you operate. Clearly, parents would want different service options and would respond to different marketing promotions than teenagers, for example.
Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most ice cream shops primarily serve customers living in their same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.
Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.
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Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.
Direct competitors are other ice cream shops.
Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes grocery shops, convenience stores, and ice cream vending machines or kiosks. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone who wants ice cream will go to an ice cream shop.
With regards to direct competition, you want to describe the other ice cream shop businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be ice cream shops located very close to your location.
For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:
With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.
The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:
Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.
Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a ice cream shop business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:
Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of ice cream shop that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to ice cream, will you provide comfortable seating, table service, or on-site entertainment?
Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.
Place : Place refers to the location of your ice cream shop. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your ice cream shop located in a busy retail district, shopping plaza, mall, etc. Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers.
Promotions : The final part of your ice cream shop marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:
While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.
Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your ice cream shop, including making ice cream, serving customers, and maintaining equipment.
Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 1000th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to open a new ice cream shop location or launch an ice cream shop franchise.
To demonstrate your ice cream shop business’ ability to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.
Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing ice cream shop businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.
If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing ice cream shops or successfully running small businesses.
Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.
Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.
In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you serve 500 customers per month or 1,000? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.
Balance Sheets : Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your ice cream shop, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.
Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. For example, let’s say a local restaurant owner approached you with a $25,000 contract to provide ice cream for their restaurant. Let’s further assume the contract would cost you $25,000 to fulfill in terms of increased staffing costs and supplies. Well, in most cases, you would have to pay that $25,000 now for employee salaries, equipment, etc. But let’s say the company didn’t pay you for 180 days. During that 180-day period, you could run out of money.
In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a ice cream shop business:
Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your location lease or a blueprint of your shop. Summary Putting together a business plan for your ice cream shop is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the ice cream shop industry, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful ice cream shop.
What is the easiest way to complete my ice cream shop business plan.
Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Ice Cream Shop Business Plan.
You can download our ice cream business plan PDF here.
The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of ice cream shop you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have an ice cream shop that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of ice cream shops?
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Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates
Want to open an ice cream shop?
It’s never been a better time to open an ice cream business. Now more than ever, customers seek small indulgences and find them in ice cream or yogurt shops.
You’ll find ice cream and frozen yogurt shops everywhere, satisfying local communities from small towns to big cities. In addition, the benefits of starting an ice cream shop are numerous.
Whether you want to start an ice cream shop, ice cream truck, or frozen yogurt shop, you’re going to need a plan.
In today’s post, we will talk about the importance of writing your ice cream shop business plan and how to get started.
Recommended Reading: Low-Cost Ice Cream Business Ideas
An ice cream shop business plan will help you organize your thoughts into one cohesive plan. Your ice cream shop business plan will help to ensure that you cover all your bases. From your ice cream business concept to your budget to your financial forecasts, you will want to make sure everything is legit before moving forward.
Your ice cream shop business plan is created for a specific audience:
Potential investors want to see a thorough business plan before they invest any money into it. They want to know whether lending you money is a prudent or intelligent choice. A well-researched business plan shows your potential investors that you are a serious business person. A well-thought-out business plan shows what it will take to generate profits and have ultimate success.
Property managers that you will lease your property from will want to see a well-written business plan.
After all, they want to know what type of business will be working on their property. Additionally, they want to feel confident that your business will be successful.
I believe that the more you plan and research any business, the more money you will save at the end of the day. Writing an ice cream shop business plan is no different. I believe it will save you time, money, and lots of hassle.
So, let’s get to it!
There’s no determined length of a business plan. What is more important is that all of the essential factors are covered in your project. Depending on your specific circumstances, you may want to add or subtract from the following items typically found in a business plan.
A typical business plan will cover the following topics in detail:
The business description, products & services, ownership and management, the target market, your objectives, business to date, startups budget, operational budget, sales forecast.
An ice cream shop business plan is often followed by an action plan that details the milestones of opening your business. An action plan tells you what steps have to be taken and by when so that you can smoothly move forward. Your ice cream shop action plan will give you a push when you need it.
Recommended Reading: How Much Does A Small Ice Cream Shop Cost?
This will summarize your overall ice cream plan. While this section usually comes first, I recommend writing it last as you will have a better idea of your comprehensive plan after you finish writing it.
Make this section fun, exciting, and full of the ice cream flavors you wish to share with the world!
This summary can be used as your “elevator pitch” and help you describe your business within 30 seconds or less. Let your summary be a powerful introduction to your ice cream business.
First impressions count. In this section, you will introduce your ice cream shop business to your readers.
In detail, describe your ice cream business concept and what pain point you are trying to soothe in your customers. Additionally, give a little background of how your business idea came to be and why your business should exist.
Investors and property managers will see whether the business concept or business model is the right fit for them.
Mmmmmm…the incredible, sweet taste of cold ice cream.
Make the reader feel just as good as tasting your coconut vanilla ice cream.
Yes, you are selling ice cream, but use this section for diving into all of your products and services in detail.
For example, will you sell a particular line of ice cream that you make yourself? Will you offer vegan or organic ice cream or frozen yogurt or adding unique toppings? Will you sell other foods, desserts or provide espresso-based drinks to your customers?
You want to fully describe what type of experience your customers will have when buying your product and spending time at your shop.
In this section, you will want to talk a little bit about yourself and your team. What experience, education, or assets do you bring to the business? How will you leverage your expertise to create the best ice cream shop in your city?
In addition, you could talk about the team you are bringing on board. For example, you may discuss bringing in a manager that has worked at several other ice cream shops.
Investors will be looking at this section to make sure that you are developing a team around you that will increase the probability of your success. You want to display confidence – in yourself and in the team you are bringing on board.
Who will be enjoying your ice cream?
Utilize this section of your business plan to tell the reader who you are trying to reach. Your target market is key to your success, and you must understand everything about them.
Specifically:
Who are your customers?
Why would they be interested in visiting your ice cream shop?
What are some key demographics about them?
This section will require some research on your part. For example, you might need to visit other neighboring businesses, walk the neighborhood, get existing data that can help you understand who they are and what will motivate them to visit your ice cream shop.
Serving strawberry and vanilla ice cream is a part of your business – but what is the ultimate objective?
What are your business goals? What is the added value that your ice cream shop creates in the neighborhood? Can you list everything from providing a safe place for neighborhood kids to enjoy ice cream to expanding to three other locations within three years?
Both your investors and your property managers will be interested in knowing your objectives – your motivations – for starting your ice cream business.
You are starting an ice shop, but where are you ultimately taking your business? Describe your vision and your mission in a way that generates excitement for your readers.
If you have already started making progress towards setting up your business, you will mention it here. Remember, this section is often read by investors or property owners to see how far along you are in your planning.
For example, if you are in the process of buying an ice cream truck or have already developed your logo, you could mention it here. This part will change often every time you update your business plan and move forward with opening your business.
Your investors will be paying particular attention to this section – and you should too. After all, we’re talking about money.
You will want to have a well-thought-out startup budget that details the money you need to start and how much money you will need to borrow.
This section should back up your reasoning for seeking a business loan, investment from a private investor, or borrowing from family and friends. In essence, you want to describe your funding mix, the sources and the amount of money coming in, as well as the obligations coming from it.
Your operation budget is different from your startup budget. Your operational budget is the money required for you to operate. This will include everything from your monthly rent, utilities, insurance, labor costs, and inventory.
How much money do will you make as an ice cream shop owner? This section will detail your estimated sales forecasts.
Since you predict your sales numbers, you can only imagine your investors and property owners’ interest in this section. This section will also be good for you to understand just how much money you can make opening an ice cream business. This section may include estimated sales, anticipated costs, and your break-even point analysis.
You want to understand your target market as a whole. This would include understanding your competition. If you live in a thriving community, the chances are you will have some competition – either directly or indirectly. Competition isn’t necessarily bad. If your city has the numbers to sustain two or more ice cream businesses, you will want to focus on your strengths. You want to list your strengths and how you will position yourself to best deal with your anticipated competition. You might want to also present a SWOT analysis of your ice cream business here.
You have to develop a plan to tell people about your ice cream! This section will detail your marketing strategy and how you plan to reach and connect with your customers.
It could detail actional steps you’ll be taking – from building your brand, developing your logo, creating a website to other necessary steps:
Every business plan has a section in the back where they can place pictures, drawings, sketches. If you have mock-ups of your logo or the layout of your ice cream business, you will also want to add them here too.
Is an ice cream shop profitable.
Yes! Nearly every person on the planet loves ice cream. People love ice cream, and they are interested in buying it. It can be profitable if you go after the right target market with the right concept and product. Ultimately your ice cream profits will depend on the number of sales you encounter each day.
Ice Cream Startups aims to be the primary online resource to start your ice cream business successfully. Please bear with us as we get rolling. Check back for more updates.
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Starting an ice cream shop business doesn't have to be an intimidating task. With the right planning and the right resources, you can make the dream of owning your own ice cream shop a reality. The #1 Ice Cream Shop Business Plan Template & Guidebook is the perfect resource to guide you through every step of the process, from initial concept to finished business plan. Prepare yourself for success and start your ice cream shop journey today!
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1. describe the purpose of your ice cream shop business..
The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your ice cream shop business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.
It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.
Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a ice cream shop business:
The purpose of this ice cream shop business plan is to create a profitable enterprise while providing high-quality and affordable products and services to foster a sense of community, create customer loyalty, and build an enduring business.
The next step is to outline your products and services for your ice cream shop business.
When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:
You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.
If you don't have a marketing plan for your ice cream shop business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals.
A good marketing plan for your ice cream shop business includes the following elements:
Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations.
In it, you should list:
The second part of your ice cream shop business plan is to develop a management and organization section.
This section will cover all of the following:
This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.
Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:
Startup Costs
Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a ice cream shop business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a ice cream shop business.
Running & Operating Costs
Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.
Marketing & Sales Expenses
You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your ice cream shop business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.
A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your ice cream shop business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses.
Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your ice cream shop business plan:
Why do you need a business plan for a ice cream shop business.
A business plan is an important document for any business, including an ice cream shop. It provides a roadmap for the business by outlining its objectives, strategies, financial needs, and expected outcomes. It also helps the business analyze its competition in the marketplace and identify potential strengths or weaknesses. Additionally, having a thorough business plan can help potential investors better understand the objectives of the ice cream shop and determine whether or not they want to invest in it.
You should ask for help from a business consultant or a lawyer with experience in the food and beverage industry. Additionally, you could consider reaching out to peers who have successfully started and run their own ice cream shop businesses.
Writing a business plan for an ice cream shop requires careful research and consideration of the market, the competition, and the resources required to compete. Depending on the scope of the business, a business plan can span dozens of pages and require significant time to write. As such, it is generally advisable to speak with a professional or experienced business consultant if you are looking to develop a comprehensive and successful business plan.
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Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.
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How to write a business plan for your ice cream shop.
Starting an ice cream shop is a great idea because it offers a high potential for profitability and it is a product that is in demand year-round.
Additionally, it is relatively low-cost to start and maintain.
But, before launching anything, make sure you have a business plan in place.
A business plan is an essential tool for any new venture, as it helps to define the goals and objectives of the project as well as identify potential risks and solutions. Writing a business plan before starting a new project will help ensure that all aspects of the project are properly thought through and planned for.
In short, a thorough business plan will help make sure your ice cream shop is profitable .
What are the essential parts of a business plan for an ice cream shop? What components should be part of the structure? Which financial figures should be part of the analysis? What's the most efficient way to write a business plan?
This article will provide answers to all these questions!
One last thing, you don't have to start your business plan from scratch.
You can download our business plan for an ice cream shop and adapt it to your project.
Is it worth considering a business plan for your ice cream shop.
Yes, you should consider making a business plan for your ice cream shop.
Formulating a comprehensive business plan will allow to:
Our team has created a business plan for an ice cream shop that is designed to make it easier for you to achieve all the elements listed.
Your business plan incorporates various metrics and valuable data. It must be arranged in a manner that is easy to read and understand.
When we designed our business plan for an ice cream shop , we took care to arrange it appropriately.
These are the 5 sections (Opportunity, Project, Market Research, Strategy and Finances).
The section number one is called "Market Opportunity".
This section presents a comprehensive report on the ice cream shop, including key data and metrics to guide your decision-making process in the frozen dessert industry.
We constantly update all the data there.
In the "Project" section, you can outline your ice cream shop, describing the range of ice cream flavors and treats you offer, unique creations, locally sourced ingredients, kid-friendly ambiance, and the unique value proposition that brings joy and indulgence to customers through delightful ice cream experiences.
Also include a short description about yourself at the end of this section.
Explain your passion for creating delightful frozen treats, your knowledge of different ice cream flavors and recipes, and how you plan to create a joyful and indulgent ice cream shop experience for customers. Highlight your commitment to using quality ingredients, your ability to offer a wide variety of flavors and toppings, and your dedication to providing exceptional customer service that leaves customers craving your irresistible ice cream creations.
We've already prepared some wording in our business plan. Modify it as necessary to fit your concept.
Then, there is the "Market Research" section.
This section describes the target audience for your ice cream shop.
It includes a comprehensive analysis of competitors in the ice cream industry and emphasizes your shop's unique ice cream flavors and competitive advantages.
A tailored SWOT analysis is provided as well.
The "Strategy" section presents a comprehensive 3-year action plan, outlining the initiatives and actions required to make your ice cream shop a highly profitable venture.
Furthermore, there is a marketing strategy for an ice cream shop, a way to manage risks, and a completed Business Model Canvas included in this section.
Ultimately, the "Finances" section serves as a platform to present the financial aspects and projections of your project.
The Executive Summary is like a quick overview of the business plan of your ice cream shop.
Don't exceed 2 pages; stick to the most essential information.
This document aims to capture the reader's attention and make them interested in your business plan.
In the Executive Summary of your ice cream shop, answer these questions: what flavors and products does your ice cream shop offer? who is your target audience? what other ice cream shops are in the area? how do you differentiate yourself from them? how much funding do you need?
Analyzing the market for your ice cream shop allows you to gain insights into factors such as customer preferences for frozen treats, competition from other ice cream shops, and emerging trends in the dessert industry.
By conducting a thorough market study, an ice cream shop can understand consumer tastes, offer a variety of delicious flavors, optimize pricing strategies, and execute targeted marketing campaigns, ultimately leading to a loyal customer following, increased sales, and a prominent presence in the local ice cream industry.
Here's what we've included in the "Market Research" section of our business plan for an ice cream shop :
What's the business model of an ice cream shop, business model of an ice cream shop.
An ice cream shop's model centers around producing and selling ice cream and related frozen desserts. Revenue is generated through product sales, including scoops, cones, tubs, and potentially offering specialty sundaes, milkshakes, or catering services.
The business model focuses on offering a variety of flavors, using quality ingredients, creating a visually appealing and welcoming shop ambiance, effective branding and marketing, and building a loyal customer base through exceptional taste and customer service.
Success depends on flavor innovation, attractive presentation, strategic location, effective marketing to target customers, and providing a delightful and memorable ice cream experience for customers.
It's important not to mistake "business plan" for "business model."
A business model is like a structure that explains how a company makes money and provides value.
In a business plan, you utilize the Business Model Canvas as a simplified approach to explain the core components of your business model.
Rest assured, there is a Business Model Canvas (already completed) in our business plan for an ice cream shop .
Market segmentation for your ice cream shop involves dividing your potential customers into different groups based on their ice cream preferences, flavors, and demographics.
These categories may include factors such as traditional flavors, unique and artisanal flavors, vegan options, or customers seeking specific ice cream experiences or dietary options.
By segmenting your market, you can offer specialized ice cream flavors and options that cater to each segment's specific requirements. For example, you might focus on traditional flavors and provide classic ice cream choices such as chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry, offer unique and artisanal flavors that are crafted in-house with innovative combinations and ingredients, specialize in vegan options and provide dairy-free and plant-based ice creams, or focus on specific ice cream experiences or dietary options such as sundaes, milkshakes, or gluten-free options to accommodate customers with specific preferences or dietary restrictions.
Market segmentation allows you to effectively target your marketing efforts, communicate the deliciousness and quality of your ice cream offerings, and provide a delightful and indulgent ice cream experience that meets the unique needs and preferences of each customer segment.
In the business plan for an ice cream shop , you will get a detailed market segmentation, helping you understand your target audiences and their needs.
Without surprise, you won't be the only ice cream shop in your area. There will be other establishments offering delicious and unique ice cream flavors to customers.
Include a comprehensive assessment of your competitors' characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses in your business plan.
Take note of their weaknesses (such as limited flavor variety, inconsistent ice cream quality, or poor customer service).
Why is it important to address these concerns? Because these weaknesses can impact the customer experience at ice cream shops.
By focusing on these areas, you can offer a variety of delicious and high-quality ice cream flavors, provide a welcoming and cheerful ice cream shop ambiance, and deliver friendly and attentive customer service, positioning your ice cream shop as a go-to destination for sweet and joyful treats.
It's what we call competitive advantages—invest in them to make your business unique.
Here are some examples of competitive advantages for an ice cream man: delicious and refreshing ice cream treats, mobile and convenient service, joyful customer experiences.
A SWOT analysis can help identify potential opportunities and threats in order to make informed decisions about starting an ice cream shop.
As you can guess, there is indeed a completed and editable SWOT matrix in our business plan for an ice cream shop
When we mention the "S" in SWOT, we mean Strengths, which are the project's internal advantages or unique selling points.
For an ice cream shop, examples of strengths could include excellent customer service, a wide variety of flavors, a convenient location, and high-quality ingredients.
The letter "W" denotes Weaknesses, which are the areas or aspects of the project that require modification.
For an ice cream shop, potential weaknesses could include lack of capital, limited storage space, seasonality of customers, and lack of online presence.
The letter "O" in SWOT signifies Opportunities, highlighting the favorable conditions or chances for the project's progress.
In the case of an ice cream shop, potential opportunities could include catering for special events, offering delivery services, partnering with local businesses, and creating loyalty programs.
T represents Threats in SWOT, referring to the external factors or circumstances that can pose risks or challenges to the project's objectives.
Including a marketing strategy in your business plan is vital for attracting customers and driving business growth.
An ice cream man can attract customers of all ages by implementing a well-executed marketing strategy that showcases the ice cream man's variety of delicious ice cream flavors, friendly service, and presence in popular community events or locations.
Ice cream enthusiasts won't visit your ice cream shop without proper promotion; emphasizing the delicious flavors, high-quality ingredients, and welcoming atmosphere is necessary.
Are you utilizing marketing tactics to promote your ice cream man services? Consider offering fun and engaging ice cream truck experiences, attending community events or parties for ice cream catering opportunities, and utilizing social media platforms to engage with families and share updates about your ice cream offerings.
No need to worry if you don't have any knowledge about marketing and communication.
A successful business plan requires comprehensive financial data in order to accurately forecast future performance.
When creating your business plan, you must include anticipated revenue figures for your ice cream shop.
It's important to include revenue projections in your business plan that potential investors can trust because they are built on realistic and strong assumptions.
Our financial plan for an ice cream shop is easy to use and includes built-in checks to help you identify and correct any assumptions, ensuring you create reliable projections with confidence.
Without a doubt, you will be required to draft a provisional budget for your ice cream shop. Make sure to include every expense (by the way, they are all listed in the financial plan we've made).
The break-even analysis plays a crucial role in the financial plan, as it helps determine whether your ice cream shop will generate profits or not.
If you want to start an Ice Cream Shop business or expand your current Ice Cream Shop business, you need a business plan.
The following Ice Cream Shop business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning Ice Cream Parlor business plan.
You can download our Business Plan Template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.
I. executive summary, business overview.
[Company Name] is a new, artisanal ice cream shop located in [company location] that serves homemade, all-natural ice cream freshly made everyday. It will serve a variety of delicious flavors, smoothies, and a selection of assorted toppings. The ice cream served at [Company Name] is sure to delight anyone’s sweet tooth.
[Company Name] will sell a variety of ice cream flavors, smoothies, and toppings to complement any ice cream. All products will be made using only fresh and all-natural ingredients. Because each ice cream is made fresh everyday, it will not include any chemicals or preservatives.
[Company Name] will also offer soda and water beverages.
[Company Name] will serve the community of [company location]. The community is largely made up of families, and has a large number of schools, churches, and organizations. The demographics of the target customer profile is as follows:
In addition to the family and school population, there are also a large number of youth sports leagues, church organizations, and community non-profit organizations.
[Company Name] will be solely owned and operated by [Founder’s Name]. She has been making ice cream at her home for the past twenty years for her husband and children as a hobby. To the urging of her family and friends, [Founder’s Name] began providing ice cream on a larger scale to school events, church gatherings, and social events. She quickly gained a following and increased demand prompted [Founder’s Name] to open a retail ice cream shop.
[Founder’s Name] is a career accountant and is very adept at bookkeeping and taxes for running a business. She will employ a staff of part-time employees to assist her with the daily ice cream preparation, customer service, and cleanliness of the business.
[Company Name] has several advantages over its competition. Those advantages include:
[Company Name] is seeking $200,000 in funding to launch its ice cream store. The capital will be used for funding capital expenditures, staffing, marketing and advertising expenses, and working capital.
The breakout of the funding may be seen below:
The following graph outlines the pro forma financial projections for [Company Name] over the next five years:
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revenue | $738,000 | $1,716,272 | $2,007,297 | $2,331,125 | $2,694,524 |
Total Expenses | $639,595 | $1,021,515 | $1,110,127 | $1,190,308 | $1,273,715 |
EBITDA | $98,405 | $694,757 | $897,169 | $1,140,817 | $1,420,809 |
Depreciation | $16,560 | $16,560 | $16,560 | $16,560 | $16,560 |
EBIT | $81,845 | $678,197 | $880,609 | $1,124,257 | $1,404,249 |
Interest | $18,554 | $16,235 | $13,916 | $11,596 | $9,277 |
Pre Tax Income | $63,291 | $661,962 | $866,694 | $1,112,661 | $1,394,972 |
Income Tax Expense | $22,152 | $231,687 | $303,343 | $389,431 | $488,240 |
Net Income | $41,139 | $430,276 | $563,351 | $723,230 | $906,732 |
Who is [company name].
[Company Name], is located at [insert location here] is a new, upscale ice cream shop focusing on providing artisanal and specialty crafted ice cream. We will also sell gelato, beverages, and ice cream smoothies.
[Company Name] was founded by [Founder’s Name]. [Founder’s Name] has been making ice cream at home as a hobby for over twenty years. With the encouragement and persistence of family, friends, and other members of her community, [Founder’s Name] has begun providing ice cream out of her home for the past year for social events and gatherings. Word quickly spread and the popularity of her ice cream became so much that, [Founder’s Name] decided to establish a retail location of her own in the heart of the community.
Much of the community is made up of school-age children and families that frequent ice cream shops. There is not much competition and [Company Name] would be the only artisanal ice cream shop in [insert location here].
[Founder’s Name] has been consulting with an attorney and CPA over the last few months to understand the business and financial obligations that go with owning their own business. Her lawyer has advised [Founder’s Name] that [Company Name] should be incorporated as an S-Corporation on [date of incorporation].
[Company Name] is currently still being operated out of [Founder’s Name] home, but she has identified a prime retail location for the ice cream shop and has begun lease discussions with the landlord and management company.
Since incorporation, the company has achieved the following milestones:
Below is [Company Name]’s initial menu. All ice cream products will be homemade using all-natural ingredients and toppings.
[Company Name] will design a functional ice cream shop in a 1,500 square foot space. The ice cream shop will include the following:
[Company Name] will have 12 dedicated parking spots in the retail strip area where it will be located.
[Company Name] will be open 7 days a week, from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Over the next five years, the Ice Cream Shop industry is expected to increase to more than $6 billion. This growth will be driven by per capita disposable income, which is expected to increase at an annualized rate of 2.1%.
Ice cream has long been a dessert staple in the United States and ice cream’s popularity in American culture has prevented a decline in demand for industry products. Therefore, while some consumers are eating less ice cream, the popularity of this item continues to drive demand for store offerings. However, industry operators have increasingly introduced new products and flavors with healthier options to cater to changing preferences.
The price of milk is also estimated to decrease at an annualized rate of 0.2%, lowering purchase costs and boosting profit margins for industry operators.Revenue volatility in the industry is low, and demand for ice cream and gelato products is largely seasonal. During the warmer summer months, industry operators experience increased demand as more consumers indulge in the cool treats.
Demographic profile of target market.
[Company Name] will serve the community residents of [company location] and its surrounding areas.
The area we serve has dozens of elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as numerous sports organizations, churches, and activities. [company location] is mostly a family-friendly community whose residents regularly consume ice cream and dessert items.
Springdale | Wyndham | |
---|---|---|
Total Population | 26,097 | 10,725 |
Square Miles | 6.89 | 3.96 |
Population Density | 3,789.20 | 2,710.80 |
Population Male | 48.04% | 48.84% |
Population Female | 51.96% | 51.16% |
Target Population by Age Group | ||
Age 18-24 | 3.68% | 3.52% |
Age 25-34 | 5.22% | 4.50% |
Age 35-44 | 13.80% | 13.91% |
Age 45-54 | 18.09% | 18.22% |
Target Population by Income | ||
Income $50,000 to $74,999 | 11.16% | 6.00% |
Income $75,000 to $99,999 | 10.91% | 4.41% |
Income $100,000 to $124,999 | 9.07% | 6.40% |
Income $125,000 to $149,999 | 9.95% | 8.02% |
Income $150,000 to $199,999 | 12.20% | 11.11% |
Income $200,000 and Over | 32.48% | 54.99% |
We will primarily target the following four customer segments:
Direct & indirect competitors.
Creole Creamery Creole Creamery is an old-school, traditional American ice cream parlor that was founded in New Orleans. Now with 15 locations across the U.S, Creole Creamery specializes in artisan ice creams and sorbets made fresh in-house daily. The diverse flavors offered at this uptown ice cream parlor (which change daily) are unique and unusual, but it also offers classic milkshakes, ice cream floats, and banana split sundaes.
Sub Zero Established in 2004, Sub Zero Ice Cream is a franchise that uses the science of cryogenics to make fresh, custom frozen desserts for each customer. While standard recipes are offered, customers may choose from a variety of cream bases and mix-ins to make a custom flavor, and the concoction is then flash frozen to create a smoother, creamier product than traditional ice cream. The menu features:
Ice Cream Depot Ice Cream Depot is a US-based provider of ice cream, frozen yogurt and other frozen beverages. The company was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Canton, MA. Ice Cream Depot is famous for its 31 flavors slogan customer sampling of ice cream flavors. Since 1945, it has introduced more than 1,300 new flavors. The brand operates 2,560 domestic and an additional 5,422 international locations.
In addition to traditional ice cream, its locations also offer cakes, desserts and prepackaged ice cream. These products are produced by the corporate division and then sent to franchise locations to be sold.
The [company name] brand.
The [Company Name] brand will focus on the Company’s unique value proposition:
[Company Name] will target all residents of [company location] within a 20-30 mile radius. The Company’s promotions strategy to reach the most clientele include:
Public Relations [Company Name] will contact the local media to request a media blitz of the new, up and coming artisanal ice cream shop. They will be featured in local newspapers and publications as well as local television stations.
Social Media [Company Name] will be active on social media and use targeted social media advertising to attract its most likely customers. The company will post frequently of upcoming specials, events, and seasonal featured flavors.
Website [Company Name] will have an informative and attractive website that will feature professional photos of the shop, its ice cream, store hours, address, and contact information. It will also use SEO to constantly stay at the top of search engines for anyone searching for dessert/ice cream shops near them.
Billboard [Company Name] will have a billboard in an area of town at a busy intersection where thousands of cars and pedestrians pass daily. The billboard will have an eye-catching picture of its artisanal ice cream that is sure to grab everyone’s attention.
Partnerships with Local Schools [Company Name] will partner with the local schools and hand out coupons to all of its students to entice them to ask their parents to take them for ice cream at [Company Name]. They will also partner with the schools on fundraising options to benefit the school as well as the company.
Partnerships with Local Businesses [Company Name] will partner with neighboring local businesses and request they hand out coupons for the company at their place of business in exchange for discounts for their employees.
Pre-Opening Events [Company Name] will organize a pre-opening event designed for prospective customers, local merchants, and press contacts. The event will be fun and inviting in order to create awareness for the company. Attendees will be able to sample the different flavors of ice cream.
Advertising [Company Name] will invest in advertisements in featured local publications, such as community newspapers and newsletters.
[Company Name]’s pricing will be moderate so customers feel they receive great value when purchasing its products.
Functional roles.
[Company Name] will need to fulfill the following functional roles in order to execute their business plan and ensure the company’s success:
Administrative Functions
Small Kitchen Functions
Store/Retail Functions
[Company Name] will achieve the following milestones in the following [] months:
Management team members.
[Company Name] is owned and operated by [Founder’s Name], a local accountant who has spent the last twenty years making fresh ice cream at her home as a hobby. Her children, husband, and family spent many years enjoying her delicious ice cream. Over the past year, through the constant urging of friends and family, [Founder’s Name] began providing her homemade ice cream at community social events and gatherings. Demand grew and it quickly translated into [Company Name] becoming a reality. While [Founder’s Name] has never operated an ice cream shop, her career as an accountant makes her adept at bookkeeping and accounting of a business.
[Founder’s Name] graduated from the University of ABC with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting.
[Founder’s Name] will serve as the store manager. She will hire the following personnel in order to maintain an effective and profitable ice cream shop:
Revenue and cost drivers.
The revenues for [Company Name] will come from the sales of the all-natural artisanal ice cream and smoothies that will be offered to its customers.
The Company will have dine-in and take-out options for its customers. As the company grows and revenues are able to support it, the store will add a drive-thru window as another option of serving its customer base.
The major costs for the company will be sourcing the fresh ingredients and production of the ice cream. Other cost drivers will be the salaries of the staff, company overhead, and advertising costs.
Key assumptions.
The following table reflects the key revenue and cost assumptions made in the financial model:
Number of customers per day | Per location |
---|---|
FY 1 | 100 |
FY 2 | 105 |
FY 3 | 110 |
FY 4 | 116 |
FY 5 | 122 |
Average order price | $7.00 |
Annual increase in order price | 5.00% |
Annual Lease ( per location) | $60,000 |
Yearly Lease Increase % | 2.50% |
5 Year Annual Income Statement
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revenues | ||||||
Product/Service A | $151,200 | $333,396 | $367,569 | $405,245 | $446,783 | |
Product/Service B | $100,800 | $222,264 | $245,046 | $270,163 | $297,855 | |
Total Revenues | $252,000 | $555,660 | $612,615 | $675,408 | $744,638 | |
Expenses & Costs | ||||||
Cost of goods sold | $57,960 | $122,245 | $122,523 | $128,328 | $134,035 | |
Lease | $60,000 | $61,500 | $63,038 | $64,613 | $66,229 | |
Marketing | $20,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | |
Salaries | $133,890 | $204,030 | $224,943 | $236,190 | $248,000 | |
Other Expenses | $3,500 | $4,000 | $4,500 | $5,000 | $5,500 | |
Total Expenses & Costs | $271,850 | $412,775 | $435,504 | $454,131 | $473,263 | |
EBITDA | ($19,850) | $142,885 | $177,112 | $221,277 | $271,374 | |
Depreciation | $36,960 | $36,960 | $36,960 | $36,960 | $36,960 | |
EBIT | ($56,810) | $105,925 | $140,152 | $184,317 | $234,414 | |
Interest | $23,621 | $20,668 | $17,716 | $14,763 | $11,810 | |
PRETAX INCOME | ($80,431) | $85,257 | $122,436 | $169,554 | $222,604 | |
Net Operating Loss | ($80,431) | ($80,431) | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Income Tax Expense | $0 | $1,689 | $42,853 | $59,344 | $77,911 | |
NET INCOME | ($80,431) | $83,568 | $79,583 | $110,210 | $144,693 | |
Net Profit Margin (%) | - | 15.00% | 13.00% | 16.30% | 19.40% |
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASSETS | ||||||
Cash | $16,710 | $90,188 | $158,957 | $258,570 | $392,389 | |
Accounts receivable | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Inventory | $21,000 | $23,153 | $25,526 | $28,142 | $31,027 | |
Total Current Assets | $37,710 | $113,340 | $184,482 | $286,712 | $423,416 | |
Fixed assets | $246,450 | $246,450 | $246,450 | $246,450 | $246,450 | |
Depreciation | $36,960 | $73,920 | $110,880 | $147,840 | $184,800 | |
Net fixed assets | $209,490 | $172,530 | $135,570 | $98,610 | $61,650 | |
TOTAL ASSETS | $247,200 | $285,870 | $320,052 | $385,322 | $485,066 | |
LIABILITIES & EQUITY | ||||||
Debt | $317,971 | $272,546 | $227,122 | $181,698 | $136,273 | |
Accounts payable | $9,660 | $10,187 | $10,210 | $10,694 | $11,170 | |
Total Liabilities | $327,631 | $282,733 | $237,332 | $192,391 | $147,443 | |
Share Capital | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Retained earnings | ($80,431) | $3,137 | $82,720 | $192,930 | $337,623 | |
Total Equity | ($80,431) | $3,137 | $82,720 | $192,930 | $337,623 | |
TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY | $247,200 | $285,870 | $320,052 | $385,322 | $485,066 |
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS | |||||
Net Income (Loss) | ($80,431) | $83,568 | $79,583 | $110,210 | $144,693 |
Change in working capital | ($11,340) | ($1,625) | ($2,350) | ($2,133) | ($2,409) |
Depreciation | $36,960 | $36,960 | $36,960 | $36,960 | $36,960 |
Net Cash Flow from Operations | ($54,811) | $118,902 | $114,193 | $145,037 | $179,244 |
CASH FLOW FROM INVESTMENTS | |||||
Investment | ($246,450) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Net Cash Flow from Investments | ($246,450) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING | |||||
Cash from equity | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Cash from debt | $317,971 | ($45,424) | ($45,424) | ($45,424) | ($45,424) |
Net Cash Flow from Financing | $317,971 | ($45,424) | ($45,424) | ($45,424) | ($45,424) |
SUMMARY | |||||
Net Cash Flow | $16,710 | $73,478 | $68,769 | $99,613 | $133,819 |
Cash at Beginning of Period | $0 | $16,710 | $90,188 | $158,957 | $258,570 |
Cash at End of Period | $16,710 | $90,188 | $158,957 | $258,570 | $392,389 |
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Take some inspiration for your ice cream shop business plan with this sample.
Renee Mitson Author
Renee Mitson
Use this free bar business plan template to easily create a great business plan that organizes your vision and helps you start, grow, or raise funding for your bar.
Beach towns need delicious ice cream ready and available for summer tourists and locals looking to cool down on a hot day. At Honey Darling ice cream shop we provide the locals of Newburyport, Massachusetts with locally-made and artisan inspired ice cream with international flavors. Ice cream shop owner Andrea Targis is excited to bring her ice cream shop concept to Newburyport, a busy and upscale city north of Boston.
Honey Darling’s mission is to provide a nostalgic and twee ice cream shop brimming with beautiful plans, local art, and, most importantly, deliciously creamy ice cream with exciting, seasonal, and artisan-made flavors. Honey Darling will be a neighborhood mainstay for a quick iced coffee or to stop after a long day at the beach at nearby Plum Island. With a walkup window, sandy beachgoers can place to-go orders with their families and friends and sit at nearby picnic tables or explore the city center. For dine-in guests looking for a custom sundae or to relax in the air conditioning with an iced coffee, there are cozy booths, polished wood tables, and lo-fi beats.
Honey Darling will feature artisan-made ice cream with seasonal flavors and inspired by international desserts and unique flavor combinations. Guests will be able to try twists on classic favorites like the herbaceous rosemary vanilla or the cardamom caramel crunch. For guests hoping to broaden their horizons, internationally-inspired options such as Halo Halo Ube and Marzipan Blackberry Swirl will be offered. All ice cream will be made in small batches in-house and therefore only available for a short time!
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Newburyport Massachusetts is an upscale small city north of Boston with a historical downtown and beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean. With rustic shops and fine dining, Newburyport is a popular date night location for residents of northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Due to the refined style and ambiance of Newburyport, the only thing missing is an elevated ice cream shop for residents and visitors looking for delicious ice cream that’s a bit more interesting than standard ice cream stand faire. Honey Darling provides the perfect retail space with high quality ice cream that will become the perfect place to end a first date or a great weekend visit.
Honey Darling’s founder, Andrea Targis, will be renting the retail space for the shop from a downtown real estate company. She has $100,000 saved for rent, and will be taking out an additional $50,000 in small business loans (SBA) to buy the freezing equipment and industrial ice cream machine.
This calculator lays out some of the fundamental financial costs of opening a restaurant, so you can start planning and bring your dream restaurant to life.
Ice cream shop concept.
Honey Darling is a local ice cream shop for the modern family or patron. Boasting freshly-made artisan ice cream for adventurous palates, Honey Darling is innovative but not at the expense of nostalgia or delicious tasting desserts. Even relatively timid eaters will find something they like, and perhaps a new flavor they never expected to love. Because of all the homemade flavors (how can you choose?) Honey Darling will offer small samples served on wooden spoons for patrons who want to dip their toe in before making a decision. Additionally, Honey Darling will offer “ice cream flights” with 3-6 small scoops in miniature bowls served on a wood plank for patrons who, after trying a few flavors, really can’t decide and need to have them all.
While New England is full of ice cream shops, what sets Honey Darling apart is their creative take on classic flavors, their integration of international desserts, and their homemade promise. All ice cream is fresh, made in-house, and cannot be bought elsewhere outside of local grocery stores or in small batch partnerships. Honey Darling ice cream is truly a local experience, and provides another delicious dessert option in Massachusetts’ beautiful Newburyport.
Honey Darling ice cream shop serves the on-the-go patron with a sun-soaked family and the casual visitor exploring the city at a leisurely pace. The walk-up window will be open for quick and friendly to-go orders and inside will feature a cafe-style feel with iced coffee and other local baked goods as well as all the ice cream offerings and more elaborate ice cream menu items such as sundaes.
Customers will also be able to buy hand-packed pints and quarts through the walk-up window or after finishing an iced coffee inside. Having two ordering options allows customers to pick their pace - either relax and stay a while inside or get back to their jam-packed day on the North Shore.
Sample Ice Cream Flavors
Rosemary Vanilla
Cardamom Caramel Crunch
Halo Halo Ube
Marzipan Blackberry Swirl
Black Forest Cake
Cinnamon and Paprika White Chocolate Macadamia Nut
Iced Coffee
Local baked goods (not made in-house but purchased for sale from local bakers) such as muffins, brownies, cookies
Pick two flavors and pair with a baked good and add a sauce like hot fudge or marshmallow creme for a one-of-a-kind sundae
Milkshakes of current ice cream flavor offerings available with malt powder by request
Toppings for the ice cream such as sprinkles, hot fudge, caramel, and other candies and nuts
Honey Darling will be a slow-moving vibey cafe on the inside with sun-soaked plants and polished wood tables and a fast-paced walkup window outside. Signage will encourage patrons placing to-go orders to order at the window and those hoping to dine-in to head inside. Menus will be available on pegboards above both the walk-up window and inside, with inside reflecting the larger dine-in menu.
The staff will be seasonal local staff who are friendly, pleasant, and competent. Staff will wear vintage baseball tee shirts and long sleeve shirts that say Honey Darling in Traditional American tattoo script. The music will include lo-fi beats and soft house music to bring a sense of energy to the space. Plants will adorn the floors and floating shelves bringing a sense of nature inside, and local art for sale will adorn the walls, allowing customers to buy prints or pieces they see while in the shop.
Owners - Andrea Targis will be the owner and proprietor of Honey Darling. With a culinary and patisserie degree from Johnson and Wales University, Andrea is excited to bring her passion for ice cream to Newburyport. For now, Andrea will be using accessible small business accounting software and consulting with a certified public accountant (CPA) for her taxation needs. She will be running payroll on her own and employees will be paid through direct deposit. Andrea will handle the majority of social media and promotion, and she will invite help and input from staff as they become trained and learn more about the vision for Honey Darling.
Shift Staff - For now, Honey Darling will hire hourly staff to assist Andrea in running the ice cream shop. Hourly staff will scoop ice cream, run transactions at the point of sale (POS) and provide friendly customer service. Shift staff will be trained on safety procedures and as they learn more about Honey Darling, be invited to have access to the Honey Darling Instagram account and answer DMs regarding hours and service as well as any special events. Additionally, shift staff will be invited to suggest new flavors or flavor combinations based on what they have tried recently and on any travels.
Cleaning - aside from day-to-day pickup, cleaning will be outsourced and handled during the day as the ice cream shop will not open until noon.
Located in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Honey Darling will attract a combination of heavy foot traffic, visitors to the North Shore and patrons who live or have recently moved to the neighborhood or surrounding neighborhoods.
Newburyport is a quaint historical seaside town reminiscent of what visitors expect to see when they visit colonial New England cities. Newburyport is accessible through Boston’s commuter rail, and is close to southern New Hampshire. Local buses take visitors and residents throughout the town and parking is ample and available.
Honey Darling aims to attract locals and seashore enthusiasts and become a local tourist attraction as well. Through local advertising and local hiring, Honey Darling aims to remain a locally-owned and operated ice cream shop and will partner with other local businesses to develop genuine partnerships and relationships with other ventures in Newburyport.
Rather than a typical ice cream stand common throughout New England, Honey Darling is purposefully elevated in terms of look, location, and flavor profiles. Honey Darling is for the modern family looking to try something new or to end a date night with interesting ice cream flavors to talk about. Because of Newburyport’s legacy of being a historical and traditional New England city, Honey Darling is aligned with their adherence to quality but provides a new twist with interesting and inspired flavors.
Honey Darling also plans on integrating local ingredients when possible, partnering with local artisans and making all of their ice creams in small batches, providing a limited-time-only opportunity to try unique flavors and creating a sense of urgency for local patrons.
Honey Darling’s ambiance will be upscale but approachable with natural materials and organics throughout the space, and the overall theme will be vintage, cute, but also high-end.
Newburyport is a gorgeous New England city north of Boston. In addition to historical landmarks and access to beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean, Newburyport is a great place for a dinner out or to explore the city by foot during the day. In addition to the Maritime Museum, there’s also the Museum of Old Newbury, both of which provide history buffs and tourists a place to learn more about New England and the history of the town. Nearby, Plum Island’s beaches are a popular destination for tourists and therefore quite a bit of traffic passes through the city en route to the beach and back again, providing the perfect opportunity to stop for dinner, a snack, or to rest before heading onto the Mass Pike in what will likely be a traffic-filled commute home.
While Newburyport itself has less than 20,000 full-time residents, the city is part of Greater Boston, one of the most densely-populated areas in the country and with over 8 million residents in less than an hour radius. Newburyport has a mix of rental and owned properties with an average property value well over $500,000.
Competitive Analysis
Seats | Meals | Pricing | Hours | Notes | |
Dina’s Gelato | 25 | Gelateria | * | 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Locally-owned gelato shop, with decent reviews but inconsistent service. |
Kim’s Ice Cream Stand | 0 | Homemade Ice Cream | * | 10:00 AM - 8:30 PM | This ice cream stand features outdoor picnic tables, but not indoor seating. |
Pine’s Provisions | 0 | Local grocery store | ** | 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM | Pine’s Provisions features locally-made products including homemade ice cream, but is not an ice cream shop. |
Honey Darling is all about community and experience. The price point is reasonable for a weekly treat and the flavors are special enough for a night out. Honey Darling aims to be a high quality ice cream shop that people will remember when they visit Newburyport and that locals can visit again and again.
Honey Darling will distribute zine-inspired flyers at doorsteps around the neighborhood and provide the same flyers at neighborhood locations easily accessible on foot. Honey Darling will also be featured on tourist websites and Yelp. Because Honey Darling is a neighborhood ice cream shop, the store will rely on local marketing and social media as well as prominent signage and the benefits of their high-visibility location in downtown Newburyport.
As a means to retain local customers and provide a low-stakes sense of competition, customers will have the option to sign up for digital punch cards for a free cone and a free cone on their birthday. Honey Darling will also run promotions for customers who are interested in trying flavors of the month, who will receive a 20% discount every time they stop in and try a new flavor.
Because Honey Darling seeks to be an inclusive and forward-thinking neighborhood business, the support will support local events such as gay pride, community sports teams, and other locally-specific initiatives. Honey Darling will provide sponsorship to local organizations that champion inclusivity, racial diversity, and equity.
Honey Darling will participate in local word-of-mouth public relations as well as rely on Google reviews to bolster search engine optimization (SEO) and online visibility. Further, Honey Darling will solicit community feedback through their social media, specifically through Instagram Story polls and user comments. Followers will be invited to share their feedback and ideas and Andrea and affiliated staff will be prompt in responding and engaging with the community online.
Honey Darling will also cross-promote local bakeries and businesses that make the baked goods sold at Honey Darling. Honey Darling will also make appearances at farmer’s markets and other vendor fairs in order to establish grassroots relationships with residents of Newburyport and surrounding towns and cities.
Honey Darling will rely on a strong Instagram presence for all specials, to feature photos of limited edition flavors, and announce the availability of their ice creams, including when an item sells out. The beautiful plants and decor within the shop will provide photo-worthy opportunities for Honey Darling’s staff to promote the shop on Instagram, and the owners will spend time daily answering comments and direct messages with a casual and friendly tone. Additionally, Honey Darling will have two cats, Honey and Darling. These are Andrea’s cats and will be featured in promotions and social media. Additionally, Honey Darling will cross-promote other local businesses and events in pursuit of strong community relations and a culture of positive promotion.
Learn how to optimize your social media presence to showcase your brand, tell your story, attract new customers, and engage with your audience.
Staffing and training.
Honey Darling’s biggest priority is to hire the right hourly staff for the location. Andrea aims to hire ten part-time staff to start, working shifts of 4-6 hours, and rotating between dine-in and window service.
Training for staff will take place in the months leading up to the shops opening. The owner will conduct interviews and hire the staff based on Honey Darling’s values and their answers to the below interview questions.
To recruit friendly hourly staff, Honey Darling will rely on the recommendations from local restaurants and community-based hiring. The hiring process will prioritize friendly and competent workers who can multitask and love ice cream. The owners will prioritize personality and are willing to train less experienced staff who will be able to build the communal experience of Honey Darling. Additionally, Honey Darling will promote open positions on their Instagram and ask local nearby restaurants and retail shops to cross-promote in search of new talent.
What is your favorite ice cream flavor and why?
What do you think makes a good ice cream sundae?
What’s your go-to national ice cream brand?
What are some of your favorite types of desserts, in terms of ethnicity?
Which flavors get you excited?
What are your favorite desserts?
What is your customer service style?
What’s your favorite thing about the North Shore?
What are your 3 top restaurants or bars in Newburyport and why?
Owners:
The owners will handle the financial and administrative operations of the business, work with the input of shift workers for marketing and creative ideas, fill in for shifts as needed, and work to help train the hourly staff.
Hourly Workers:
Shift workers are responsible for greeting all patrons and making quality ice cream products in a casual atmosphere. They will participate in tasting new product offerings and brainstorming new ice cream flavors and sundaes, and experienced shift workers will also be able to update the shop’s social media and interact with customers online. All shift workers are responsible for stocking the freezers and refilling the toppings as well as operating the point-of-sale and cash register.
In order to make Honey Darling as safe a working environment as possible for everyone, we will implement the following health and safety procedures.
All staff are required to wear slip-resistant footwear.
All shift workers must be of legal age or have proper working certifications.
To avoid injury on the job, all staff will be trained on how to move heavy objects and boxes and how to handle the extremely hot or cold temperatures of the shop.
Management staff will work to create safe practices and procedures and remove potential hazards to employees and guests.
Staff will not be expected to work when ill and management will help to get shifts covered and keep the ice cream shop running smoothly so that the pressure doesn’t fall on ill employees.
Honey Darling will follow all local health guidelines and restrictions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Honey Darling will operate an open-book management model where the shop’s finances and revenue are shared and disseminated to all employees. Honey Darling will hold bi-weekly staff meetings to share information about the business’s goals. The transparent model will foster goodwill with employees and promote a sense of inclusivity and community.
The owner will make a base hourly pay of $20 an hour plus shared tips.
Shift workers will make a base hourly pay of $12 an hour plus shared tips.
The owners will not take profits until the business is fully solvent and debts have been repaid.
Long-term employees will be eligible for profit-sharing and potentially partial ownership.
Three principles will guide guest service at Honey Darling:
Quality - patrons at Honey Darling should know they are receiving an elevated ice cream experience so workers will understand that every ice cream is made custom to order and done with precision and care. Sundaes will be made with love.
Friendliness - a casual and no-stress dine-in customer service environment where guests do not feel rushed or pressured to make a decision and can sit and relax. To-go experience will be equally friendly but prioritize speed and competence.
Community - Honey Darling is a community business in Newburyport, and has pride for the neighborhood and as a business within the neighborhood. Everyone is welcome and locals are made to feel at home.
Creativity - by featuring new ice cream flavors and delicious baked goods from local bakeries, Honey Darling will be an ice cream shop with a little something extra. Staff will be knowledgeable and a part of the creative process and take pride in the creative offerings at Honey Darling.
Inclusivity - Honey Darling is a forward-thinking small business and everyone is welcome. Staff members will treat all patrons with respect and dignity.
Honey Darling will work with several local bakeries. Honey Darling will also source local candies and toppings from Massachusetts and greater New England suppliers and look towards using local or unique products in their inspired ice cream flavors. Featured products will be mentioned on the menu by name and tagged on social media promoting a business model of pride and co-promotion.
$8 average ticket per order, about 1.5 ice creams.
Andrea Targis will invest personal savings, for a total of $150,000 in initial investment. She has $100,000 saved for rent, and will be taking out an additional $50,000 in small business loans (SBA) to buy the freezing equipment and industrial ice cream machine. Total startup funds equal $200,000. The owners will not take a cut of profit until the business is able to pay back its loans and is completely solvent. Business lines of credit will be sought for some expenses, such as initial orders for equipment, supplies, and ingredients. They will refuse any lines of credit above 5% interest.
6 best ice cream supplies: supplies needed to operate an ice cream shop (2024), how to open an ice cream shop: starting an ice cream business steps.
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A rotating list of handmade ice creams, along with fresh Belgian yeast waffles and milkshakes takes this ice cream shop to the next level! Owned and operated by the same people who brought St. Pete the Urban empire, including Urban Brew & BBQ, Urban Comfort and Urban Provisions, this new hot (cold?) spot is sure to delight.
Made from scratch daily, with love, using organic non-dairy milk.
Plant Love offers over 50 homemade, rotating flavors, as well as seasonal offerings.
Our recipes are a family secret, and every batch is made with intention and love.
Welcome to Plant Love Ice Cream!
We are locally owned and operated by the Matchin family. Plant Love was first opened on Central Ave. in St. Pete during the Spring of 2019. We always intended to build a strong community in the Bay area, but are blown away with gratitude at the ever expanding community developing across the nation. 2023 has brought the long awaited opportunity to expand with a 2nd location in Gulfport, FL.
Mama Jo is the mastermind behind the ice cream production & recipes, and is the chief planter of love. Her son Jordan is helping with expansion and behind the scenes tasks of all natures.
Works to open Asheville & Charlotte, NC are already in progress.
We are also currently in the franchise planning processes, with plans to expand to Tampa, Orlando, and Sarasota, FL and Boulder, CO in the near future.
Featured in.
1. The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops
2. Old Farmer's Creamery
3. Paciugo Gelato & Caffè
4. Urban Creamery
5. Super Scoops
6. D'lites
7. Dairy Queen
8. Tropical Smoothie Cafe
9. Yogurtology
10. Dairy Inn
11. Culver's
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COMMENTS
The 7 elements of an effective ice cream shop business plan. 1. Executive Summary. The executive summary gives a broad overview of your plan. It should outline your goals for the shop, whether it's to enter a new market, separate yourself from competitors with innovative ice cream flavors, or expand your customer base.
Within the US ice cream shop industry, boasting a substantial value of $1.9 billion in 2023, with an anticipated growth rate of +4.4% annually over the 2023-2029 period and accommodates approximately 17,000 ice cream shops, Scoops & Swirls distinguishes itself by championing locally sourced, organic ingredients.
How to Write an Ice Cream Shop Business Plan
Start your own ice cream shop business plan. CoolScoops Ice Cream Executive Summary. CoolScoops Ice Cream is an artisanal ice cream shop dedicated to enriching the community with unique, high-quality ice cream flavors made from locally sourced ingredients. Our shop serves as a vibrant gathering place for friends and families, promoting a sense ...
How to Start an Ice Cream Shop & Business Plan in 10 Steps!
4. Ice cream Menu. Designing a sample ice cream menu is the most important asset for writing an ice cream shop business plan. It is a productive step in presenting your business plan to potential clients and investors. Summarize the uniqueness of your offerings that set your brand apart from other ice cream shops.
Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000. Marketing costs: $10,000. Working capital: $10,000. Easily complete your Ice Cream Shop business plan! Download the Ice Cream Shop business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <-.
Developing a business plan for your ice cream shop holds significant advantages, making it a crucial step in your entrepreneurial journey: Bringing Concepts to Life: An ice cream shop business plan transforms your concepts into actionable strategies, steering you from idea to the actual realization of your ice cream shop venture.; Strategic Orientation: The process of planning encourages ...
To facilitate easy customization, we provide a downloadable "Ice Cream Shop Business Plan PDF". This document is a crucial asset for entrepreneurs focused on developing a solid and effective strategy for either launching or expanding their ice cream shop. The 'Ice Cream Shop Business Plan' serves as a detailed guide, offering comprehensive ...
Profit Margin of an Ice Cream Shop Business. Pure Bliss™ Ice Cream Shop, Inc. will aim for a profit margin of 26 to 30 percent on sales. This means that for every dollar spent on ice cream or other frozen dessert by a customer, the business should aim to earn 26 to 30 cents in profit.
Your business plan should articulate your vision clearly. Define your target market (such as families, young adults, tourists), and establish the distinctive positioning of your ice cream shop (gourmet flavors, locally sourced ingredients, dietary options like vegan or sugar-free, etc.). Market analysis is the next critical component.
Marketing Plan. Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P's: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a ice cream shop business plan, your marketing plan should include the following: Product: In the product section, you should reiterate the type of ice cream shop that you documented in your Company Analysis.
A typical business plan will cover the following topics in detail: An ice cream shop business plan is often followed by an action plan that details the milestones of opening your business. An action plan tells you what steps have to be taken and by when so that you can smoothly move forward. Your ice cream shop action plan will give you a push ...
How to Write a Ice Cream Shop Business Plan in 7 Steps: 1. Describe the Purpose of Your Ice Cream Shop Business. The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your ice cream shop business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers.
The written part of an ice cream shop business plan. The written part of an ice cream shop business plan plays a key role: it lays out the plan of action you intend to execute to seize the commercial opportunity you've identified on the market and provides the context needed for the reader to decide if they believe your plan to be achievable and your financial forecast to be realistic.
This article provides an example of a solid business plan for an ice cream shop. Learn how to create a successful business strategy and get tips for managing your finances, marketing, and customer service. Get the tools you need to start your own business and make your dreams of owning an ice cream shop a reality.
Ice Cream Depot is a US-based provider of ice cream, frozen yogurt and other frozen beverages. The company was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Canton, MA. Ice Cream Depot is famous for its 31 flavors slogan customer sampling of ice cream flavors. Since 1945, it has introduced more than 1,300 new flavors.
Investment Plan. Andrea Targis will invest personal savings, for a total of $150,000 in initial investment. She has $100,000 saved for rent, and will be taking out an additional $50,000 in small business loans (SBA) to buy the freezing equipment and industrial ice cream machine. Total startup funds equal $200,000.
Staffing Plan Staff Roles: Manager, ice cream maker, servers, and cleaning staff. Hiring Plan: Recruit, train, and retain employees with a focus on customer service and product knowledge. Work ...
A rotating list of handmade ice creams, along with fresh Belgian yeast waffles and milkshakes takes this ice cream shop to the next level! Owned and operated by the same people who brought St. Pete the Urban empire, including Urban Brew & BBQ, Urban Comfort and Urban Provisions, this new hot (cold?) spot is sure to delight.
Welcome to Plant Love Ice Cream! We are locally owned and operated by the Matchin family. Plant Love was first opened on Central Ave. in St. Pete during the Spring of 2019. We always intended to build a strong community in the Bay area, but are blown away with gratitude at the ever expanding community developing across the nation. 2023 has ...
The barnhouse-themed Old Farmer's Creamery ice cream shop is now on the market with an asking price of $4.3 million.. The nearly 3,000-square-foot building, located at 2531 4th Street North, currently houses the beloved ice cream shop on the ground floor and leased studio apartments on the second floor. "The owners are retiring. Separately, the business itself is for sale," Premiere Properties ...
Michael G: Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream is very good quality. 3. Paciugo Gelato & Caffè. 9.1. 300 Beach Dr NE (at Fareham Pl N), Saint Petersburg, FL. Ice Cream Parlor · North Downtown · 73 tips and reviews. Ross: Be adventurous and try an Affogato (one of my favorite childhood drinks) three scoops of gelato melting in espresso ...