Ok... I've been in the bulk candy vending business for a little over 2 years and have begun to grow the business... It's time for me to expand... I've been doing some research on Ice Cream Truck vending and have come to the conclusion that this may be a venture worth looking into...
The reason I say this is I've seen a few ice cream trucks in the area that are very "questionable"... I personally would not buy from them... However, I have seen the business they get when driving through my neighborhood... What I have found out is I may be able to offer a different variety of vending abilities... I've seen some trucks that have soft serve vending, other have the candy bar ice cream varities... I've even seen one where they partnered with a local ice cream shop, got discounted gallons, and sold that on their trucks...
So, I figure if I get a truck, really spruce it up, & offer a few more varities, it may be lucrative...
I know this is a big risk, so I want to make sure I have a well thought out business plan... But I don't have the first clue where to start... Does anyone do this type of business and makes good money at it??? Are there any websites you'd recommend to get information on truck set ups, where to buy inventory & marketing items, etc...
I figure once I have a descent business plan set, I'll then look into the local and state regulations on ice cream truck vending...
Any help you guys & gals can offer would be fantastic...
Thanks...
Christopher
Ice Cream Vending...
Started by Joven76, Sep 10 2007 09:28 PM
4 replies to this topic
#2
zero32700
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Posted 10 September 2007 - 11:40 PM
http://icecreamprofi...ing-license.asp
info
http://www.cgl.uwate...m/l-trucks.html
maybe you could talk to one of these truck owners or network, maybe use ideas?
http://www.allscream.com/mboard/
message board
http://www.allscream.com/advice.php
info
http://www.allscream.com/links.php
suppliers/supplies
http://tinyurl.com/2wwhgb
$10 ebook that looks like it answers alot of your questions.
It looks like there are lots of biz ops in ice cream so do your research! allscream.com looked like one of the better sites I found, well you got lots of reading now... hope that helps you!
info
http://www.cgl.uwate...m/l-trucks.html
maybe you could talk to one of these truck owners or network, maybe use ideas?
http://www.allscream.com/mboard/
message board
http://www.allscream.com/advice.php
info
http://www.allscream.com/links.php
suppliers/supplies
http://tinyurl.com/2wwhgb
$10 ebook that looks like it answers alot of your questions.
It looks like there are lots of biz ops in ice cream so do your research! allscream.com looked like one of the better sites I found, well you got lots of reading now... hope that helps you!
#3
caserri
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- Location:Massachusetts
Posted 14 September 2007 - 08:33 AM
Joven,
Way back when, before I started bulk vending I was an ice cream man for 1 summer. There was a company in town that offered drivers daily leases of their trucks. Basically what I did was use their truck and their ice cream. When I picked up the truck each morning it was fully stocked with fresh ice cream. I would be responsible for counting the ice cream and signing an IOU statement agreeing that I owe them the wholesale value of the ice cream at the end of the day. Sort of like a 1 day loan. I would then go out and peddle my wares! Sell as much ice cream as I could and when I returned, I had to pay the note that I signed earlier in the day. I would get credit for any unsold product and was expected to pay the wholesale dollar amount of the ice cream that was gone leaving me with the remaining profit. I was responsible for gas and I believe a $50 truck rental fee. When it was all said and done I usually went home with about $100 to $200 cash in my pocket for the day. This was 17 years ago so that was great money! I could return the following day if I wanted and do it all over again. It was very lucrative and I dont even know if these companies still exist. I moved away before the next summer came and since then I have always kicked around the idea of doing it again with my own truck.
There is nothing quite like the sight of turning down a residential street and seeing people come running down to the ends of their driveways waving money at you! When I saw adults out there I always thought "Jackpot!" The adults always spent more! The ice cream that appealed to them costs more!
Steve
Way back when, before I started bulk vending I was an ice cream man for 1 summer. There was a company in town that offered drivers daily leases of their trucks. Basically what I did was use their truck and their ice cream. When I picked up the truck each morning it was fully stocked with fresh ice cream. I would be responsible for counting the ice cream and signing an IOU statement agreeing that I owe them the wholesale value of the ice cream at the end of the day. Sort of like a 1 day loan. I would then go out and peddle my wares! Sell as much ice cream as I could and when I returned, I had to pay the note that I signed earlier in the day. I would get credit for any unsold product and was expected to pay the wholesale dollar amount of the ice cream that was gone leaving me with the remaining profit. I was responsible for gas and I believe a $50 truck rental fee. When it was all said and done I usually went home with about $100 to $200 cash in my pocket for the day. This was 17 years ago so that was great money! I could return the following day if I wanted and do it all over again. It was very lucrative and I dont even know if these companies still exist. I moved away before the next summer came and since then I have always kicked around the idea of doing it again with my own truck.
There is nothing quite like the sight of turning down a residential street and seeing people come running down to the ends of their driveways waving money at you! When I saw adults out there I always thought "Jackpot!" The adults always spent more! The ice cream that appealed to them costs more!
Steve
#4
Joven76
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Posted 20 September 2007 - 07:27 PM
I've done a lot of research... That Allscream board is pretty good... They had a few ice cream vendors listed here in NC... I've talked to a couple of them to get info...
I've gotten a lot of information via their message board, however I don't like it much... All of the members there bash one another and take everything so personal... I'm afraid to post any questions there cause I'm afraid I'm gonna be personally attacked for asking a question... However, if you search their archives, and look past the BS, there is some very good information... I even had one member ask me to personally call him to give me info... Little did I know he was a true salesman just trying to sell his trucks... He's very good, and even though I'm not interested in any of his trucks, I still got some great information from him...
My next step is to see what kind of permits and licensing I'll need... Oh, and I cannot forget about insurance... Perhaps I'll call my Allstate agent tomorrow... Since I have my house and vehicle insurance through them, perhaps they can tell me what I'll need to do and how much it'll cost...
But, as always, if anyone here has some advise they'd like to throw my way, I'd greatly appreciate it...
Christopher
I've gotten a lot of information via their message board, however I don't like it much... All of the members there bash one another and take everything so personal... I'm afraid to post any questions there cause I'm afraid I'm gonna be personally attacked for asking a question... However, if you search their archives, and look past the BS, there is some very good information... I even had one member ask me to personally call him to give me info... Little did I know he was a true salesman just trying to sell his trucks... He's very good, and even though I'm not interested in any of his trucks, I still got some great information from him...
My next step is to see what kind of permits and licensing I'll need... Oh, and I cannot forget about insurance... Perhaps I'll call my Allstate agent tomorrow... Since I have my house and vehicle insurance through them, perhaps they can tell me what I'll need to do and how much it'll cost...
But, as always, if anyone here has some advise they'd like to throw my way, I'd greatly appreciate it...
Christopher
#5
jkosmoney
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Posted 21 September 2007 - 12:43 AM
Ok... I've been in the bulk candy vending business for a little over 2 years and have begun to grow the business... It's time for me to expand... I've been doing some research on Ice Cream Truck vending and have come to the conclusion that this may be a venture worth looking into...
The reason I say this is I've seen a few ice cream trucks in the area that are very "questionable"... I personally would not buy from them... However, I have seen the business they get when driving through my neighborhood... What I have found out is I may be able to offer a different variety of vending abilities... I've seen some trucks that have soft serve vending, other have the candy bar ice cream varities... I've even seen one where they partnered with a local ice cream shop, got discounted gallons, and sold that on their trucks...
So, I figure if I get a truck, really spruce it up, & offer a few more varities, it may be lucrative...
I know this is a big risk, so I want to make sure I have a well thought out business plan... But I don't have the first clue where to start... Does anyone do this type of business and makes good money at it??? Are there any websites you'd recommend to get information on truck set ups, where to buy inventory & marketing items, etc...
I figure once I have a descent business plan set, I'll then look into the local and state regulations on ice cream truck vending...
Any help you guys & gals can offer would be fantastic...
Thanks...
Christopher
I can't help you but this sounds like a very good idea I remember when I was younger and the ice cream truck would come through and a ton of kids would come out of the wood work... Just some insperation I supose...
