Which is that dessert that makes the kids gobble down their dinner eagerly? You are right, it is the delicious ice-cream! Not only kids, but even the grown-ups love eating ice-cream. Ice-cream can be eaten anytime of the year; in summers it gives relief from the blistering hot weather, and in winters, most people relish it to enjoy the weather! As delicious is the flavour, delectable is the opportunity in the business of ice-creams.
In the modern times when franchising has become the best option to start a business, the ice-cream franchise offers a great opportunity to establish oneself as a capable entrepreneur, and earn handsomely. The organised ice-cream industry constitutes just 4-6 per cent of the total industry, and therefore, there is a large scope of growth in the coming years. For those aspiring franchisees who feared that the diet conscious people would no longer care for this lip-smacking dessert, there is a good news! With the growing popularity of ice-creams among health conscious consumers, one can find an array of frozen desserts fitting various dietary regimes, such as reduced-fat, fat-free, low-carb, no sugar added or lactose-free ice creams. So, with this development there is an increased need for more franchise owners in the ever-growing ice-cream franchise segment. The growth in this sector can be envisaged by the ever increasing players and their expansion pan India through the franchise route. The brands like Kwality Walls, Vadilals, Amul, Mini Melts, Baskin Robbins, Gelato Vinto etc are some national and international players which have prospered from one outlet to hundreds and thousands within a span of a few years that shows the popularity of franchising in this sector.
Technically, there is no specific criterion of taking an ice-cream franchise, as anyone with a good head for business, a customer-focused attitude and a willingness to work hard can set up his own ice cream business. According to Kwality Walls spokesperson, “The most important requirement for a franchisee is – ‘Passion’ not just for ice creams, but towards consumer service. As the franchisee would be in a business of ‘Creating Smiles’ – it is important that the franchisee should be directly involved in growing the business and knows how to manage people and keep the staff motivated.”
Among the main advantages of investing in a franchise business, apart from the benefit of an established brand name and strong marketing support, the ice-cream business also offers a variety of options to run the business. These are: exclusive shops, kiosks, cart on wheels and shop-in-shops. The costs are significantly lower for taking a kiosk and cart on wheels rather than setting an exclusive shop or an ice-cream parlour. The products are more or less the same but the franchisees are not burdened with the cost of the venue and additional equipments. But if the capital is no constraint, the franchisees can certainly invest in an ice cream parlour.
As a prospective franchisee you should also be aware of various considerations while running the business. As far as the location of an ice cream franchise is concerned, an ice-cream kiosk or a cart on wheels can be started up near a market place, a high street, or a residential area, keeping in mind the density of population, visibility of site and parking availability.. Whereas the ice-cream parlours should be preferably set up in high streets, shopping malls and multiplexes etc. Variety in ice-creams is also a must in any kiosk or a parlour as consumers are no longer satisfied with a typical vanilla cone and are demanding new flavours, tasty toppings and innovative ways of serving the ice cream.
Hope, with all the above information you can start and run your ice-cream franchise and experience the sweet taste of success!
