Introduction to the Ice Cream Business
In this 2 Hour Course, we cover the most basic general topics of starting your own ice cream business.
This is a great class if you are just beginning to explore the idea of starting an ice cream business but are not quite sure which route you want to take. Many factors go into deciding which option is best for you and we will help you choose based on factors including: budget, time commitment, target market, etc. We will compare mobile carts, food trucks, and brick and mortar stores. But we will also consider other alternatives like pop-up shops, farmers markets, or shipping container units!?
We will also introduce you to the first steps of starting your own business. This section will include: establishing a business entity, receiving a federal EIN, developing a business plan, and finding ways to finance your business plan. We will discuss the various forms of business entities and the benefits of each. Other topics include business insurance, Google verification, permits and licenses. Consider this session your “Business 101” course.
If you would like to purchase a video recording of the previously held virtual class, please click the link below.
Employee and Store Management
In this 2 Hour class you will learn how to manage your most valuable assets, YOUR EMPLOYEES. If you plan on growing your business so that you don’t personally have to serve every guest that walks in the door, you’re going to have hire employees to work for you. In this class we will teach you the following:
- Best Hiring Practices
- Employee Handbook
- Policies and Procedures
- Employee Training
- Employee Testing
- Opening and Closing Duties
- Time Clock Management
- Scheduling Software
- Payroll Solutions
- Point of Sale Systems
- Employee Incentives
- Employee/Employer Relationship
If you would like to purchase a video recording of the previously held virtual class, please click the link below.
If You Build It They Will Come – Ice Cream Shop Construction and Planning Overview
In this 2 Hour class you will learn everything related to the construction process of building you brick and mortar ice cream shop.
We will take you from formulating your concept, through construction, all the way up till opening your front doors. This class will include the following topics:
- Choosing a location
- Target pricing for a space
- Space planning, organization, and flow of traffic
- Signage, both interior and exterior
- Seating / Occupancy
- Bathroom Requirements
- Choosing an Architect
- Choosing a Builder
- Build to suit options
- Necessary Permits
- Health Department Meeting
- Plumbing and Electrical Requirements
- Freezer Requirements
- Unique features and special considerations
- Security Cameras
- Speaker and Music
- Construction process
- Construction Costs
If you would like to purchase a video recording of the previously held virtual class, please click the link below.
Ice Cream Business Finance
In this 3 Hour class you will learn everything you need to know to be financially secure in your ice cream business.
This is the most desired class that we offer here at ice cream school as it will start you off on the right foot in knowing exactly what to expect from a financial perspective. The biggest unknown when starting a business is projecting sales and profits. Don’t worry, we will help you makes sense of it all. Topics that will be covered are:
- Basic Budgeting
- Expected Rent
- Rent Equals Sales
- Sales Dictates Labor
- Controlling Labor Costs
- Labor Kills Profits
- Food Cost Analysis
- Pricing Your Products
- Loss Leaders
- Average Ticket
- Profit Per Customer vs Margin
- Expected Daily, Monthly, Yearly Sales
- Sales by Hour of the Day and Day of the Week
- Seasonal Sales Projections
- Miscellaneous Cost
- Loans
- How Much Money Can You Actually Make?!
If you would like to purchase a video recording of the previously held virtual class, please click the link below.
Ice Cream Production
In this 4 Hour course you will learn how to make your very own ice cream using an ice cream dairy mix.
This class does not teach you how to make ice cream mix from scratch, but does talk about the Pro’s and the Con’s of doing so. We will be using an Emery Thompson machine. While your machine may differ, the basics of ice cream production still apply. In this course we will discuss the following topics:
- Choosing an Ice Cream Base Mix
- Pro’s and Con’s of making your own base
- Vanilla
- Ingredients
- Suppliers of Ingredients
- Flavorings, Purees, Inclusions
- Preparing Fruit for Ice Cream
- Using a Refractometer
- Small Equipment needed
- Machinery and Equipment
- Batch Freezers
- Blast Freezers: Do you need one?
- Storage Freezers
- Tempering your Ice Cream
- Dipping Cabinets: Flip Top? Glass Front Display? Gelato Cabinets?
If you would like to purchase a video recording of the previously held virtual class, please click the link below.
Dairy Free / Vegan / Dairy Alternative Frozen Dessert Course
In this 4 Hour course, you will learn everything you need to know to expand your ice cream business by offering dairy free, vegan and other frozen desserts.
We will break down the elements of what makes a balanced frozen dessert and teach you how to incorporate those principles into any recipe you desire! You will learn how to make delicious non dairy “ice cream” from almonds, coconut, cashews, peanut butter, hemp milk, fruit sorbets and other dairy free and vegan flavors. We will also talk about and use various products from different vendors that allow you to quickly make dairy free desserts without all the time and hassle of using raw ingredients, saving you time and money. This course DOES NOT INCLUDE any financial or business-related information that is part of our ice cream basics or ice cream finances course. In this course we will cover the following topics:
- Coconut Bases
- Almond Milk Bases
- Cashew Milk Bases
- Peanut Butter Base
- Oat Milk Base
- Hemp Milk Base
- Fruit Sorbets
- Other Ready to Use products from varying suppliers
If you would like to purchase a video recording of the previously held virtual class, please click the link below.