How to Start an Ice Cream Cart Business?

Did you know that the average European buys about 9 kg of ice cream per year? The same is true in the United States: the average American consumes 22 pounds of ice cream per year.

In fact, demand for ice cream is so high that the industry produces more than 870 million gallons per year, generating more than $5 billion in revenue in 2014 alone.

However, before you start your own mobile ice cream store, you need to understand a few important aspects specific to this niche market. Hopefully, by the time you're done reading this article, you'll know exactly what you need to do to turn your appreciation for ice cream into a new monthly revenue stream. So let's get started, shall we?

 Ice Cream Cart

Find out the Legal Requirements of an Ice Cream Cart Business

Thorough research and planning will go a long way, especially since legislation regarding street food vending varies from country to country, and even from city to city.

Legal requirements not only determine what you can sell and where you can sell it; they also determine the equipment of your vending cart. We often adapt our carts, including ice cream vending carts, to meet regulations regarding hot and cold water supply, waste disposal, and more.

Therefore, the first thing you should do is contact your local health department or the environmental services department in your area and address the following issues.

The street food vending regulations in your municipality.

The types of foods you will be selling and how they will be handled, stored, and served.

Commissary requirements (requirements for operating in a licensed commercial kitchen)*.

The size, brand, and equipment of the ice cream vending cart.

Fresh water and wastewater capacity for push carts.

Safe food handling course requirements.

Sanitation policies.

Pre-approval inspection of equipment.

 Ice Cream Bike

Once you know the health and safety requirements, you should contact the business licensing department and find out what is required to obtain a business license. If you intend to advertise on mobile billboards, you should also check that there is a limit to the maximum number of signs you are allowed to use.

Legal requirements in a nutshell

Most of our clients report that these requirements usually involve health permits, food handling permits, ice cream vendor permits, business licenses, and insurance. You may also need to conduct a criminal background check before a license is issued to you.

How should you plan your route?

Ice cream bikes must have a specific route and must have various stops, such as near shopping malls, schools, parks, auditoriums where events are held, in front of busy streets or complexes, stadiums, etc. Some educational institutions do not allow ice cream carts near their infrastructure. 

Ice Cream Tricycles

You should not take the same route as other ice cream carts or bikes that are already supplying the area, as this will cost you dearly as loyal customers will not buy from you and you will only waste fuel, energy, and time. You should do all the research on the various ice cream lanes and the lanes that can bring in high revenue so that you can sell most of your ice cream.  

Ice cream bikes are a business that appeals to people of all ages, whether they are children or the elderly. If you can manage the ice cream cart business well then it is the most profitable business you can ask for. As the ice cream cart business can go its own way and can maintain a profit margin. Being able to move around can attract new people and you can interact with new people. 

Since you can reach places where you have not yet created an ice cream store, you can attract all the people and sell ice cream at the price you want, since the demand there is high and you can choose a higher price. As a monopoly seller, you can charge different prices to different people depending on the demand for ice cream. You are the seller who knows how best to use toppings on your ice cream to make it beautiful and therefore can win the hearts of your customers.

Contact us at +86 15850782514 or write to us at info@beijivehicle.com. We will be happy to help you out!