Ice cream van's

cutterschoicenotmine

Hi Everyone

O.k, I'm a student and this year during the summer I hope to work for myself. I was considering a ice cream van for a couple of grand. Does anyone know how to go about organising a pitch, and the profits involved? I guess after initial outlay on the van, the main thing is getting the creams from a wholesaler and flogging them at the right price but how do you go about not treading on someone elses shoes, and who is the best person to contact about hiring a place.

Many thanks!

tbs624

Good for you - shows initiative! However, your set-up costs may be higher than you thought they’d be - AFAIAA you’ll need to apply to the local Council for a Street Trader’s Licence which will cost you around £ 800 for a year, and you’ll need to be registered as a food business with the Environmental Health Department, to comply with food hygiene regs and to have public liability insurance. If you employ anyone else you’ll also need employer’s liability insurance. If there’s already someone within ¼ mile of where you want to trade it may be unlikely that you’d be granted a licence. Ice cream sellers have been fined several thousand ££ for trading without a licence.:eek: You also have to comply with laws about noisy ice cream chimes………
You could maybe contact the Ice Cream Alliance and your local Council for further info?

cutterschoicenotmine

Thanks, i should have taken that into account, I suppose I will need public liability even if people put there hands into the van. Also forgot about the health regs but I suppose thats only a health and higuine cert. I remember them being about £50 not so long ago. Also thanks for the Ice Cream Alliance.

richt71

I also admire your 'get up and go' but I'd look at your costings very carefully as it looks like a more long term business than somehing you'll make any or much profit from in one summer after the intial set-up costs.

Riq

Your car insurance for the van will be astronomical considering your previous thread

cutterschoicenotmine

Yes, just got a quote online and so far its looking like:

3,000 - Insurance
1,000 - Van
100 - stock the van (guess)
50 - HAACP cert
god knows public liability

thats £4,150 set up costs without even looking at hiring a pitch or public traders license, public liability and guessing the stocking fee. That means I need to sell at least 1600 ice creams a month to break even, selling for 3 months, June, July, August. at an average price of 90p. Working also at 28 days in the month. Thats 54 a day. Somehow I don't think its a money maker. Although i would like to hear otherwise. Maybe a cheaper van!?! Getting a pitch at a friends stall (if I had a friend in the buisness.)

Ive worked my avg unit price out without also taking into account I could sell chocolate and drinks which would bring it up slightley, not much though, maybe £1.00 avg unit price.

Riq

Seriously, this is a great attitude to have, but I really think it's not a good idea at all.
Where will you get the money from for the start up costs for once.
What will you do once the summer is over? Who want to buy an ice cream van in October time when uni starts again?

I really really think you should have a rethink.

Sorry if that is blunt, but I am being really honest and don't think I should sugar coat my posts. For one I like the sugar and two I think you're big enough to take it.

cutterschoicenotmine

Yes, my figures arn't looking too rosey unless I can get myself to a large venue and flog there, but then pitch prices will be high I guess. Ive heard prices of 1K for a festival. I have seen Ice cream vans there selling bottle water only and doing a huge trade, without even ice creams.

Oh well. I'm not sure if van prices will go down as I guess people will look for a bargin after the season is over, probably the best time to buy one, September, October.

But it could be worth for a quick sale as I suppose im accounting for a £1,000 which could be redeemable.



I don't know, its still quite tempting, theres nothing to say I could store it but then there is depreciation.

scbk

IMO you're never going to get an ice cream van for £1k, even the old rust buckets needing work will cost more than that, and as said the van will be worth less come october

Savvy_Sue

cutterschoicenotmine wrote: »

That means I need to sell at least 1600 ice creams a month to break even, selling for 3 months, June, July, August. at an average price of 90p.

On the plus side, I haven't bought an ice cream for less than £1 for a very long time - but maybe you're in a particularly downmarket area?

£1 for a small basic cornet, £1.20 for the classic 99, and going up if you want a large one!