Cravings for ice cream treats tend to reduce when the weather is cold. During the winter months, many ice cream shops experience a decrease in customers and a loss of income. Of course, many factors influence the decision to keep your ice cream shop open or close for the winter.
To survive the winter, ice cream shops offer seasonal flavors and desserts, add hot drinks or soups, reduce operating hours, and continue marketing the business.
Offer Seasonal Flavors and Desserts
One way for attracting customers to your ice cream shop during the winter is to offer seasonal flavors. Serving ice cream with seasonal dessert is also a good idea. Many people go to the ice cream shop to taste the seasonal treats and grab a scoop of ice cream.
For Halloween and Thanksgiving, for example, provide eggnog, pumpkin spice ice cream, and snickerdoodle, from October to November. During the Christmas/holiday season, offer flavors such as peppermint, cinnamon, apple pie, peanut Butter and cayenne, and mint thin.
Check out this website for more seasonal flavors.
When it comes to winter desserts, you can always serve warm and cozy foods like brownies, cheesecakes, custard, and hot chocolate cookies. Here are some desserts you can try on.
This combination allows for the continuation of the ice cream treat while expanding the number of customers with seasonal dessert. Customers already associate these pastries with a side of ice cream, so you can easily change it up and appeal to customers looking for something a little more festive than regular ice cream.
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Add Hot Drinks or Soups
One way to get customers into your ice cream shop during the winter months is to offer a variety of hot and sumptuous drinks that are particularly appealing when the weather turns cold. You can even serve hot soups that are simple to prepare and serve.
By doing so, you’ll be able to maintain a steady flow of customers all year long if they know your shop as one that offers more than just cold summer treats.
During the winter, you have the choice of replacing your entire menu with a hot beverage and soup menu or simply reducing the number of ice cream varieties you serve. Even when it’s freezing outside, there will be customers who want something sweet and ice cream-based. They could be more likely to buy ice cream if they can pair it with a hot soup or beverage.
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Reduce Operating Hours
The solution to a decrease in customers during the winter months is to close your shop temporarily or limit the hours you are open. Trying to run an ice cream shop at full capacity when there are fewer customers can be costly.
This technique will not boost sales, but it will minimize payroll and electricity costs, increasing profits. This will allow you to survive the shop even throughout the winter and return completely in the summer.
Continue To Market Your Business
You must continue to promote your ice cream product whether it is summer or winter. Promoting ice cream on social media is a great business strategy for the aspiring entrepreneur. Social media can help you in advertising and informing your customers about your discounts and rewards. Promote your business on many social platforms that allow you to sell your products.
Conclusion
Ice cream shops survive the winter by offering seasonal flavors and desserts, adding hot drinks and soups, reducing operating hours and continuing to market their business. Ice cream may not be the best way to stay warm in the cold, but that doesn’t stop some local ice cream shops from offering it. During the winter season, ice cream sales may fall, but by adapting the tips in this article, your ice cream business can increase its chances of survival.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Ice cream and cold weather actually go together. It can be savored without worrying about it melting, and it is ideal for easing sore throats caused by the cold weather. It can be combined with other goodies to create the ultimate experience.
Ice cream has a lot of sugar added to it, and milk is a natural source of serotonin. These features, when combined, result in a good release of serotonin, which relieves stress and makes us feel happy.
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.