The revenue of the ice cream business plummets during the winter season. However, there are ways to improve your sales even in non-favorable, off-peak seasons. Instead of reducing employees and business hours or, worse, temporarily closing your shop, you can apply some ways to thrive and generate sales.
Ten ways to sell ice cream in winter are to improve your ice cream quality, introduce new and time-limited winter season flavors, add hot beverages and soups to your menu, focus on other winter-friendly desserts, collaborate with businesses that perform well in winter, offer promos, discounts, and rewards, revamp your shop’s interior and exterior decorations, make social media your ally, add interesting facilities, and offer take outs, on-the-go, and drive-thru if possible.
If you want to know more about how these ways work, read on to find out.
Improve your Ice Cream Quality
Cravings know no season. Regardless of the weather, people will always go back to your ice cream store once they crave the delectable goodness of your frozen products and delicious goodies.
So at the start of your business, impress your customers by serving delectable ice cream and make it last to the point that their palate will remember how sumptuous your frozen products are. Once it leaves an imprint on their brain, they will never forget the experience.
Don’t settle for what is excellent today. Continue to improve your products by conducting blind taste tests and asking for feedback.
- Introduce New and Time-limited “winter season” Flavors
People are always looking forward to the limited edition, seasonal flavors probably because they have to wait long until it becomes available again. Whatever the reason is, grab the season to launch new and limited edition “winter season” flavors.
Offering new seasonal flavors will intrigue your customers and entice them to try them out, especially the foodies. It’s also a cost-effective move that will sustain your customers’ interest, and you’ll produce these flavors in limited volumes only. You don’t have to be an ice cream connoisseur to concoct the perfect winter holiday flavors. Use some creativity and try to mix and match classic flavors, tweak some ingredients, or add new toppings.
- Add Hot Beverages and Soups to your Menu
Ice cream shops don’t need to sell ice cream and frozen food all year round. It’s time to be versatile, bold, and unique for your business to stand out.
You can sell hot and calming beverages during the winter such as a hearty cup of chocolate drink, a latte on the go, or even a bowl of soup. You can offer these hot beverages either as limited edition winter season products or additional choices on your menu.
Don’t forget to add coffee to your menu to draw more customer traffic, and remember to be creative with your choice of coffee cups. Aesthetics also help win people’s interest. Imagine how convenient it is for adults to enjoy a sip of their favorite freshly brewed coffee while their kids enjoy their favorite ice cream.
- Focus on Other Winter-friendly Desserts
Instead of thinking of ideas to boost your ice cream sales, why not divert your focus to selling winter-friendly desserts? This way, the desserts will compensate for your losses in ice cream sales.
You can offer hot pies, pudding, fruit crumbles, cheesecakes, eggnog doughnuts, rum balls, apple crisps, mug cakes, baked apples, and so on. You can also top a scoop of ice cream on these or as a side. Either way, adding desserts will boost your sales.
Collaborate with Businesses that Perform Well in Winter
It’s time to play the strength in numbers card. Be in cahoots with businesses that are on-peak season during cold winter months. You can tie up with winter tourist attractions and theme parks such as ski resorts, ice-skating rinks, curling arenas, and winter waterlands. Customers from these business establishments are likely to order ice cream and other refreshing goodies from your shop after an exhausting day of physical activities.
- Offer Promos, Discounts, and Rewards
Another smart business move during off-peak season is to offer tempting promos, discounts, and loyalty rewards. It attracts customers and encourages them to patronize your products all year round.
You can offer freebies, bundle discounts, and buy 1 take 1 promo. Think of the most persuasive offer you can give to your loyal customers. You may need to sacrifice some of your profits, but that’s still way better than not having any profit at all.
- Revamp your Shop’s Interior and Exterior Decorations
Make your shop visually entertaining to persuade passersby to check your shop and products. It’s an unspoken rule to make your shop look awesome to spike up people’s curiosity. You can apply this to your ice cream shop business during off-peak seasons.
You can choose a theme, and add graphic displays, interactive visual exhibits, sculptures, and art pieces. These will encourage people to visit your shop, take selfies or groufies, snap pictures of their orders, and post them online. This is free advertising that can boost your shop’s online visibility and increase its popularity, especially in the millennials and generation z market. Make your shop an Instagram-worthy destination.
- Make Social Media your Ally
The problem with the off-peak season is that customers tend to forget your business. The long and cold winter months can take a toll on your business’s visibility and popularity. Don’t let this happen. Use social media to let your customers know that you’re still open in winter, keep them updated on your new product line, advertise your shop’s decorations and attractions, and connect with them. Be reachable and visible!
Social media is an effective tool for advertising your products and generating leads. Tempt your target market to visit your shop by posting high-quality photos of your sumptuous ice cream and desserts. You can also collaborate with influencers for your social media campaigns. It will help you tap their audience and introduce your business to their followers. `
- Add Interesting Facilities
Make your ice cream shop a relaxing haven for your customers. Aside from delicious ice cream and delectable food items, provide interesting facilities to encourage them to come back. You can offer free Wi-Fi, soothing music, and a homey ambiance on top of Instagrammable interior decorations. You can also stack up a few books and a stash of magazines for your customers to read.
- Offer Take-outs, On-the-go, and Drive-thru if Possible
Winter is a non-favorable weather for outdoor activities, including traveling. It’s too cold, the road is slippery, and the heavy coats and gloves get in the way when you move. This is why most people want to stay at home, curl up, and hide under their sheets.
So be ready to cater the home buddy type of customers by offering take-outs, on-the-go, and drive-thru orders. It’s more convenient for them to order takeout and eat it in the comfort of their home.
Additionally, make sure that your to-go cups and packaging are convenient and easy to grab. It might be a little detail but the quality of packaging has a high impact on your customers’ decision-making.
Conclusion
There you have our ten ways to sell ice cream in winter such as to improve your ice cream quality, introduce new and time-limited winter season flavors, add hot beverages and soups to your menu, focus on other winter-friendly desserts, collaborate with businesses that perform well in winter, offer promos, discounts, and rewards, revamp your shop’s interior and exterior decorations, make social media your ally, add interesting facilities, and offer take outs, on-the-go, and drive-thru if possible. May our recommended tips help you survive the winter season and sustain your ice cream business in the toughest season of the year.
Winter season may not be the most favorable time for the ice cream shop business, but don’t let this drag your revenue down. Let our recommendation of ways to sell ice cream in winter help you thrive even during off-peak seasons. Use the high demand for ice cream to your advantage, and remember, people, crave ice cream all year round. You just need to persuade them to give in to their cravings.
Frequently Asked Questions
During the cold season, people yearn for hot beverages to keep their bodies warm. Eating frozen desserts like ice cream will not help alleviate the coldness they feel that/s why people don’t usually buy cold drinks and frozen delights in the cold season except when they crave one.
Ice cream shops experience a rapid decrease in revenue during cold winter months that’s why some ice cream shop owners close during the winter season. However, some ice cream shops remain open during winter. They adapt to the challenge and find ways to thrive.
To learn more on how to start your own ice cream/gelato business check out my startup documents here
This blog post is provided for informational purposes only. The information contained is not intended to constitute legal advice or to substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney.
Hi! I am Shawn and I am a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online ice cream/gelato business resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a ice cream/gelato business owner, I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Ice Cream Business Boss: I want to help ice cream and gelato business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.