Owning and running an ice cream van

indierocker85

I am wanting to buy and run an ice cream van and take it to local markets and run it round my town.

I am wanting advice on

where is best for buying a second hand one
What do I need to do by way of setting up? Informing authorities etc?

Googlewhacker

what are you going to do for the other 9 months of the year out of interest?

Savvy_Sue

I'd think the first port of call would be your local environmental health, they'll either license or know who licenses such things.

TREVORCOLMAN

indierocker85 wrote: »

I am wanting to buy and run an ice cream van and take it to local markets and run it round my town.

I am wanting advice on

where is best for buying a second hand one
What do I need to do by way of setting up? Informing authorities etc?

You could end up as rich as Duncan Bannatyne - thats how he started!

Good luck.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Googlewhacker wrote: »

what are you going to do for the other 9 months of the year out of interest?

there are ice cream vans going round the streets all year round in our area, they sell sweets etc, one of them sells milk and the odd bits of groceries

paulwf

What is your supply chain going to be? You are either going to need a local well stocked wholesaler to visit daily or you'll need to rent premises and put in commercial grade freezers.

Where will you park the van? Although technically you might be allowed to park it anywhere neighbours may not be happy to have an ice cream van parked outside their front window. Don't underestimate how much grief this will cause you.

What will you do if the van or any of the equipment goes wrong? You need to get servicing in place before you start because every day you are off the road is costing you money.

There is a small ice cream van depot in my town...I don't know if the drivers are employed or self employed. It makes sense though, one central place to get your stock, park your van securely overnight and get any servicing done.

indierocker85

I have a part time job I never finish my working day any later than 1pm. So this is a regular income stream to fall back on.

Premier_2

You can pick up cheap second hand ice-cream vans on flea-bay.

As well as the usual legal requirements, don't forget to factor in the protection insurance that'll be demanded from the local [EMAIL="m@fia"]m@fia[/EMAIL] that'll control the local area/routes. Burger/ice cream sellers are very protective over what they consider is "their turf" which is anywhere they currently work or anywhere they see others making a living doing similar

jexygirl

You will need basic food hygiene cert, you can do it online, for about £25. You will need insurance, a round that isnt covered, otherwise people will get annoyed. A good supplier, storage, diversing is good but brings its own probs. By all means expand and diversify, but make it sell. Any stock left at the end of the day is profit lost. You cant remake fresh icecream. If I have stuff left, I make it into icecream my beetroot icecream is in demand trust me!
It isnt a quick fix to do something like this as it seems the easy option - so many rules, regulations and icecream is a high risk food, and then the build up of a round which takes a long time, and the need for consistency - people relying on you showing up the same time each day, and building the rapport.
I have to say I think the quick way is deffo the storage of the vans, I assume they need power and security for storage, id like to shake that mans hand paul! Specially if they are paying simply for my land and power and I do nothing!
GL
jex

PlutoinCapricorn

www.businesslink.gov.uk can help with business startup: it has free advice, information and courses.

www.villagefetes.co.uk/startup/icecreams/ looks interesting too.


It is definitely worth going into every aspect in advance: registration as a sole trader; income tax and NI; other insurance; certificates; local council requirements, prohibited streets; costs and so on.