The ice cream melodic truck of your childhood has amped up to a whole new world of variety and opportunities for budding entrepreneurs. Welcome to the modern-day ice cream food truck or trailer business. A world where the only limits is your imagination.
What are the Cool Facts?
Ice cream food trucks of the past was purely novelty ice cream options for the fast, side-of-the-road sales. Now, you have options of what ice cream to offer, how the ice cream is served and more.
Types of Ice Cream:
- Ice Cream
- soft-serve ice cream or hard ice cream
- homemade or pre-packaged
- blended with toppings, shakes or sundaes
- novelties
- Gelato
- Frozen Yogurt
- Sorbet
- Frozen Custard
- Mochi
Types of Cones
- Cake Cones
- Pretzel Cones
- Sugar Cones
- Waffle Cones
- Waffle Bowls
- Flavored Dip Cones
- Gluten Free is available, too
More
- Ice cream sandwiches – homemade cookies, mix ‘n match flavors
- Ice cream cupcakes
- Ice cream in a sweet taco
Figures to Know
Owning an ice cream food trailer or truck business have some financial figures to know for what the costs are and possibilities for income.
Costs:
The following is a starting list, do your due diligence for all the costs involved in running ice cream trucks or ice cream trailers.
- Ice Cream Trailers – starting at $30,000
- Ice Cream Trucks – starting at $75,000
- Freezers & Dispense Machines included in the truck or trailer – varies based on needs
- Supplies – food, bowls, scoops, spoons
- License, Permits, & Insurances
- Staff, if needed
- Gas expense
- Event Entry Fees or Space Rental fees
Prices:
What can you charge for products on an ice cream food truck? It all depends on what you’re selling. Variables for pricing:
- Size – price by the scoop, quart or more.
- Combination of ice cream flavors and toppings
- Gourmet verses regular flavors
- Homemade verses prepackaged
Example of pricing differences:
- Kilwins Original Recipe Ice Cream (specialty & homemade): Single-scoop $3.74; Double-scoop $5.50
- Baskin-Robbins: Single-scoop – $2.79; Double-scoop – $3.99,
- Grom Gelateria in Manhattan (known as “America’s most expense ice cream cone”) charges $5.25 for a small with a common complaint of the lines being too long.
Test your markets, flavors and uniqueness to see what price point you should charge.
Income Opportunities
Depends on:
- Seasonal
- Number of days working
- Number of events joined
- Location, location, location
On the move ice cream food trucks, reported to have made a monthly revenue of $5,000. These are trucks that do not park in any one location. Besides being a ‘truck on the move’, what are other opportunities for ice cream trucks to increase their bottom line?
Other Income Streams:
- Catering – birthday parties, family reunions, school fairs/events
- Fundraisers
- Participate in events: festivals, fairs, concerts or parades
- Partner up with local amusement parks or sports field
Advantages
An ice cream truck or trailer offers you many advantages that most others food-based businesses do not. Such as:
- No culinary experience or special recipes required
- Low start up
- Always in demand
- Variety of what to offer
Are you ready to jump into the entrepreneurial dream? An ice cream food truck business may be the right one for you.
Concession Nation has expertly designed food trucks and
concession trailers for a variety of businesses. Let us design your food truck.
Call us at 888-390-4479