Ice Cream Dipping Cabinet

Ice Cream Dipping Cabinet from Neil Williams on Vimeo.

Thank you for taking the time to watch this video on our TKPEDC-4 Ice Cream Dipping Cabinet. This freezer is perfect for a restaurant, pizza parlor, deli, coffee shop, or any other business that has limited space and wants to add ice cream to their offering. It features a real glass sneeze guard, which showcases the ice cream really nicely, and you know that the glass won’t scratch like some of those other cabinets out there that have Plexiglas sneeze guards that start looking old in no time.

The freezer holds four (4) 3-gallon tubs on top and two in storage below for a total of six (6) 3-gallon ice cream tubs. It’s about as easy as it gets to get into the ice cream business. Essentially, it plugs right into a standard outlet so it’s pretty much plug-and-scoop. There’s a 5-year warranty on the compressor and it ships about 2 after you make payment. Depending on where you’re at, it could arrive as soon as 5 days after your payment is received. The cabinet also includes the 3-gallon can holder system, which keeps the tubs from spinning when you scoop the ice cream. It has two heat-reflective sliding glass lids which give the product extra protection and make it really easy to scoop out of. It also comes with 3 pre-drilled holes in case you’d like to add one of the optional dipper wells.

Other features include an adjustable thermostat so you can set it at the temperature that is best for your specific product. The freezer is on casters, which make it really easy to move and clean under. The casters are lockable, so the freezer won’t move once the casters are locked in place. They lock simply by pressing down on them with your foot. If you’re going to have the freezer behind a counter, outside of the customer’s view, you can save some money by going without the sneeze guard. You still have the sliding glass doors, and this would save you at least $200.

In summary, if your goal is to add ice cream to your business in a quick, effective and economical way, this is the perfect ice cream dipping cabinet for you.

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Make Your Own Ice Cream or Buy 3 Gallon Containers from a Distributor?

What’s the better option, making your own ice cream or buying and reselling 3 gallon tubs of a recognized brand? Truthfully, there is no right answer. Both could be great options. This post will simply to outline reasons why you would go in one direction vs. the other depending on your specific situation and your specific goals.

This question is frequently debated and asked by almost everyone planning to enter the ice cream store business. In my opinion, it depends on many factors. I encourage those of you who make your own or buy a national brand in 3 gallon cans to post what led you to your specific strategy.

I’ll start with the benefits of buying a national or strong regional ice cream brand that is pre-packaged in 3 or 2.5 gallon round tubs:

People like to buy what they are familiar with
Initial investment is lower – you only have to buy dipping cabinets and storage cabinets vs. a batch freezer, hardening cabinet, dipping cabinets, etc.
Less machinery means less utilities expense
Product consistency – making your own can also be consistent if you are the only one doing it, but once you have employees start making ice cream too, it can get tricky to maintain that consistency
Simplicity – no manufacturing labor - you buy 3 gallon tubs from an ice cream distributor, you drop them in the dipping cabinet and scoop away

Ok, now we move on to why making your own ice cream might be the best choice:

Cost – normal markup on ice cream you purchase from a distributor allows you to make around 70% gross profit when charging what the market will bear. In other words, if you charge $2 for a scoop, your cost is about $.60 for that scoop. When you make your own, the materials cost is much lower. That $2 scoop should cost you more like $.30-$.40. If you make Italian Ices, your cost is even less
Exclusivity – Only YOU can sell your ice cream. Customers can buy national brands in many parlors and can also pick them up at the local grocery store
Variety – With an Emery-Thompson Batch Freezer, you can make not only ice cream, but you can also make your own Italian Ice and Gelato.
Homemade - People love homemade ice cream. Customers like the idea that the ice cream is made fresh and with a local twist to it. Customers like to see and know the owner of the business
Creativity – You can invent new flavors. You can make changes to the product suit your region’s tastes. You can hold contests for new flavors using social media tools. The options are limitless
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON BUYING PLASTIC ICE CREAM CONTAINERS

As you can see, the decision to make your own or purchase a pre-made product depends on many factors. You can make good money with both options. For those who are on a tighter budget, the best option might be to start with a pre-packaged product. For those of you who are creative and have the necessary start-up financing, you might want to consider making your own.

Look forward to hearing the comments and stories of those who have made the decision one way or another.

Interested in attending a FREE, live webcast on how to make ice cream, gelato and italian ice? Click the link below to read more and to sign up if you’re up for it. Don’t forget to come back here and post your comments!

Thanks again for reading this post!

Neil

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR FREE, LIVE WEBINAR ON HOW TO MAKE ICE CREAM, GELATO AND ITALIAN ICE