How many times did customers ask for hand-dipped ice cream at your soft-serve store and soft-serve ice cream at your hand-dipped store?
Hand-dipped and soft serve ice cream are distinct products with unique characteristics. Customers choose between the two based on personal preference regarding flavor, texture and serving style. Whether savoring the rich creaminess of hand-dipped ice cream or the lighter, creamy swirl of soft serve, both offer a delightful opportunity to satisfy sweet cravings.
Advantages of Soft-serve: Usually 6%-10% milkfat.
Simple, quick, easy, less labor intensive.
Can be used for shakes and with blend-ins for “Blizzards” or “Flurries”.
Is a better marriage with Italian Ice or Gelato to make Gelatis than hand-dipped.
Is made and served fresh, and the mix can be stored for a few days in the machine.
Limited basic flavors offering quick customer selection.
Potential for higher gross profit margins.
Less overall space required.
Soft Serve Disadvantages:
Linked to convenience and fast food culture. Even fast-food chains have soft-serve.
The more flavors you want to offer, the more machines you will require.
Cleaning and sanitizing are required for the freezing barrel and dasher every other day and the dispensing valve every day.
Product stored in a machine too long can produce undesirable stomach issues for your customers.
Advantages of Hand-dipped: Usually 12% - 18% milkfat.
People “Eat with their eyes!” Better visual presentation of your products.
Allows an endless variety of flavors, and a wide range of fun textures and color combinations.
Is associated with artisanal craft and gourmet flavors.
Can be stored in a freezer for months without losing its texture or flavor.
Richer. Takes longer to savor & enjoy versus soft-serve that only pleases a person’s short-term craving.
Can charge a higher price for hand-dipped.
Batch machine can be used to create Italian Ice and Gelato.
Hand-dipped Disadvantages:
Cabinet temperature needs to be consistent or product can become icy or gooey.
Top of product in tubs will need scraping to maintain fresh appearance resulting in wasted product.
Dipping case needs to be cleaned and a dipper-well to hold the ice cream scooper is essential.
Back-stock is required for popular flavors as they run low in the case.
Higher milkfat mix costs more than soft-serve mix.
Have you ever heard the popular candy bar jingle “Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t?” This jingle captures the essence of a typical ice cream customer’s cravings. Sometimes, a creamy soft-serve cone will do, but on other occasions only a rich satisfying dish of hand-dipped yumminess will suffice. And let’s face it, a trip to get ice cream is sometimes a family affair, with the kids wanting one thing and the parents preferring something else.
Seek the best of both worlds, and feature both Hand-dipped and Soft-serve in your shop. This will allow you to complement or provide cross-over to other products. If you are a hand-dipped store, tuck a soft-serve machine into a corner to do all of your milkshakes, blend-ins and Gelatis. If you are a soft-serve store, add a batch machine and a dipping cabinet to showcase your fabulous flavors. Soft-serve is delicious, versatile and has a higher profit margin, but is not a match for the visual impact of rows of colorful tubs with creative flavors.
The same batch machine that is used to make hand-dipped ice cream can also be used to make your own Italian Ice. If you want an even larger profit margin and maximum flexibility in menu options, Italian Ice is the way to go! Drop a few tubs of Mango, Blue Raspberry, Candy Fish/ CherryBerry or Strawberry-Kiwi-Banana into your cabinet and watch your customers drool! There are products available that will allow you to store your hand-dipped ice cream at the same temperature as your Italian Ice. Developed with this in mind...contact Gil’s Wholesale for their exclusive Olde CityTM "Smooth & Creamy".
So add additional soft-serve or hand-dipped products to your store today!
Increase your overall profits by providing products that appeal to the different demographics in your area while at the same time catering to the changing demands within your existing customer base.
Your customers will thank you and your daily receipts will put a smile on your face!
Gil's Wholesale Distributors
322 W Oak Lane Glenolden PA 19036
610-237-6500
Gil’s Wholesale Distributors is a family owned Pennsylvania based full service distributor with over 45 years of providing personalized service & product expertise for wholesale tobacco, cigars, cigarettes & tobacco related products, ice cream, Italian Ice & Gelato manufacturing supplies, convenience store supplies, paper & plastic items, candy, concession, automotive and janitorial products.
Located 10 minutes from the Philadelphia International Airport, our delivery area is PA, NJ, and DE and we ship throughout the U.S. and abroad by common carrier, as well as offer convenient Pick Up services at our customer-friendly showroom.
One Stop Shopping. Free parking. Convenient delivery.
Call us today!
Thank you for supporting a family-owned business!
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