Starting up IceCream/Coffee shop

loofer

Hi all,

I'm thinking about openining up a ice creame parlour (of sorts). A bit of a cafe though I would expect most of my trade to be in the evening.

I would be selling Ice Cream, Milkshake made from Ice Cream, Cakes (Strawsberry cheesecakes/ chocolate gataeuxs etc), Coffee, Hot Chocolate and maybe later on Hot Panino (Plural for Panini).

They are very popular in a certain area of Manchester and I am looking at another nearby large town that has similar demographic.

Looking for premises in right location and started getting an idea of cost of equipment (freezers/blenders/grill)

I'm having difficulty trying to find local suppliers that sell many of these different flavours of ice cream. I'm reluctant to ask the existing businesses in this field for their contacts.

Tried google/yell but no luck. Want to just get a gist of prices online first before I go visting suppliers. Any pointers please?

Comments welcome on business idea too.

cledor

Try the Kompass directory online, I found this example of an ice cream manufacturer in your area

http://www.kompass.co.uk/frameset.asp?_Mycharset=iso-8859-1&_Lang=en&_Version=&_KProv=GB010&_Choix=PS&_Region=&_Locality=&_URL=search&_Keyword=ice+cream&_Zone=GB

http://www.cheshirefarmicecream.co.uk/index.html

You can also find catering equipment on the Kompass site.

HTH

foreign_correspondent

In the current financial climate I would steer well clear - treats like Ice Cream and Coffee are the sort of frivolous, non-essential spending that people will cut out first, in my opinion.

Sorry to be a killjoy, but I think it could be a costly mistake for you.

loofer

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

In the current financial climate I would steer well clear - treats like Ice Cream and Coffee are the sort of frivolous, non-essential spending that people will cut out first, in my opinion.

Sorry to be a killjoy, but I think it could be a costly mistake for you.

Thanks,

That was also one of my concerns but more recent findings show that sales of chocolate and other sweet confectionary has increased.

Also, outlets like McDonalds/KFC/Subway/Starbucks etc are opening new stores. They say their trade/popularity has increased as a result of the downturn.

I haven't bothered delving inot the connection between econmic downturn and choice of place to eat as I'm not basing my business idea on the premise of it being successful only during a recession (of some sort).

The similar cafes that I have been to, charge around £2 for a milshake so it's not extortionate and I wouldn't expect repeat custom several times in a week.

The community it would largely serve are those people who do not go to a pub at all (for religous reasons) and so this is an alternative social venue. There isn't much there for them at the moment.

There's also a college (poly University) campus nearby, but I would only reap the benefits of that if I opened around lunch time aswell and served hot food (like panini). Initially I would keep my day job (0600-1400) with possibility of going part time (0600 -1100) if trade picked up.

Would have family help out (wife committed to working with me) and then maybe employ somebody.

It's all part of the thought process yet. Not done the maths (the important bit!). I have money to invest in the bsuiness so don't need to source funding.

daz9643

I've heard McDonalds are having their best year ever this year as people downgrade from eating out at restaurants to fast food.

Savvy_Sue

loofer wrote: »

Would have family help out (wife committed to working with me) and then maybe employ somebody.

One thing to bear in mind is that once you have opened and set your opening hours, you really need to open then, come hell or high water. If you regularly AREN'T open when people expect you to be, they will stop visiting.

This means that if your employee goes sick, one of you has to be there. If you or your wife go sick, someone else has to be there.

I only mention this following a friend's experience running a cyber-cafe in France. It was all perfectly feasible for him and his wife to open for an adequate number of hours (when cyber-cafes were a new and surprising thing in France!), until his wife had some serious health problems and had several spells in hospital, an hour's drive away from home, and in the opposite direction to the cafe which was about half an hour from home. With two children who needed dropping at and picking up from school, it was impossible to stay open.

loofer

I suppose that is a problem that almost every sole trader may encounter.

I envisage peak period to be in the evening so I will be avilable then, (though health & emrgencies may well affect that).

I think I would only employ somebody if it was busy and I could comfortable afford to. I don't know how I would recruit somebody suitable, as my main concern would be allowing somebody (I trust) to do the cash handling in my absence. I'll cross that bridge when/if I come to it.

After a period of time, and a bit of research, I would open up earlier to serve hot food if I felt it was financially viable. If I gave up my day job then it's a no brainer, I would be there all day, other wise I would employ somebody part time.

I phoned a letting/estate agent today re a property I drove past that was in the location I want (near some established restaurants/high end clothing shop). I'm going to arrange viewing, they want £150p/wk rent (negotiable) and I think rates are £100 month, but I think that's a bit low so I've taken with pinch of salt. It's about 1000 sq ft apparently. Currently run as an internet cafe with snooker table and table tennis. Would need vastly modernising including a proper shop front so that's going to be major upfront cost. I think there's also accommodation upstairs.

I've also decided I'm going to pay a visit to 2 very popular/busy milkshake cafes on the Curry Mile in Manchester this week. Speak to the owners/workers and find out where they get their stock etc (assuming they are willing to provide info - would you?)

Officer_Dibble

loofer wrote: »

I would be selling Ice Cream, Milkshake made from Ice Cream, Cakes (Strawsberry cheesecakes/ chocolate gataeuxs etc), Coffee, Hot Chocolate and maybe later on Hot Panino (Plural for Panini).

Call me pedantic, but panino's the singular, panini the plural. Hope you haven't spent a fortune on your signs yet! Gateaux is, of course, already a plural.

loofer

Officer_Dibble wrote: »

Call me pedantic, but panino's the singular, panini the plural. Hope you haven't spent a fortune on your signs yet! Gateaux is, of course, already a plural.

Lol that was what I meant (honest !)
I should have wrote (Panini for plural), implying that Panino is singular. Hey ho... ma baaad

I want to ad a bit of green credential but all depends on cost.

I've seen this in use www.londonbiopackaging.com for milkshakes. 100% boidegradable cups/straws etc.
I would also like to use organic ice cream and source the milk from a local farm.

Obviously all this may come at a premium and eat away at my profit margin. I also don't think that any of the above will really be a key selling point that will increase revenue, with the market I'm aiming at. Obviously it's all a desire and depending on the premium, I may absorb the extra cost.

Slinky

I think sales of organic stuff have taken a nosedive recently as people aren't prepared to pay a premium for them. Maybe you could start with ordinary products to start off with, then look at premium organic when the economy improves.

Suzy_M

Are you thinking fast-food or a proper cafe?

If you are thinking fast-food research Baskin Robbins UK. Apart from their massive range they might have franchises available.

If you are thnking cafe what about a proper 'old-fashioned' ice-cream parlour to distinguish you from all the other run-of-the-mill coffee stops? Sidolis in Shrewsbury used to produce the most marvellous ice cream concoctions in their cafes, eg Tower of Pisa = scoops of ice cream in different flavours alternated with meringues with fancy wafer biscuits, syrups etc (Oh God I'm drooling!) - Think they might still have a cafe in Shrewsbury (opposite M & S) or possibly in Telford. Their wholesale site is on the web.