Ice Cream Franchise Opportunities

Ice Cream Franchise Opportunities

I just got back from getting ice cream so I thought I would take a look at ice cream opportunities. Although we did have ice cream at a franchise, when it comes to ice cream we all can relate to Dairy Queen. Dairy Queen has been the ice cream icon and one of the most popular franchise opportunities of its time.

Many ice cream franchise opportunities followed Dairy Queen's lead, like Baskin & Robbins, Ben & Jerry's, Hershey's, and one of the latest in recent memory, Stone Cold Creamery. I'm sure there are plenty of other ice cream franchise opportunities, and I apologize for the ones I have missed.

Buying an ice cream franchise might be one of the best opportunities an entrepreneur can find. But as with all business decisions, it is critical to carefully research the market, all options, and to make the decision with the facts and figures collected. Don't rely on making this decision based on one's taste buds. Making an investment in a business that will succeed typically starts with research and gathering data. Do not by-pass this important step.

The next step to take before purchasing an ice cream franchise is to request information from several chains. The advantage of buying a franchise as opposed to starting a business from scratch is that investors buy into a proven business formula with strong corporate backing and a proven product. The prospective buyer needs to compare franchises to evaluate business structure, amount of investment needed, and level of ongoing corporate support. Most importantly, entrepreneurs must make sure of the quality of the product for each ice cream franchise opportunity of interest.

The next step should be to begin gathering data to determine if the market is strong enough to support an additional ice cream franchise in the area of interest. If entrepreneurs are opening ice cream franchises in areas with cold winters, it's best to account for seasonal fluctuations in sales. They need to ask the franchisor to present the information they have done which shows that the area can support another ice cream franchise. It is in the corporation's best interests to ensure that their stores succeed, so potential owners will likely have done research to assure a strong local customer base.

Finally, do you have the finances to invest into an ice cream franchise opportunity? Finding the proper investors or financing may take longer than you think. If you're going after investors, they can contact trade groups in the ice cream industry for statistics related to ice cream franchises that can assist with the final decision. Entrepreneurs may have to pay a small fee for the data, but these groups provide data about how much ice cream is consumed and purchased at an ice cream franchise versus restaurants and fast-food vendors.

Those who are satisfied that the market will support an additional ice cream franchise and that the investor has located a franchisor with whom they feel a strong business relationship is possible, they can move on to the other logistics of starting the business. Luckily, by purchasing a franchise, the owner will receive a wealth of guidance and proven best-practices to follow when starting up.

As I mentioned earlier, I did not get my ice cream this evening from an ice cream franchise, but it did bring up the idea for this post, and my thoughts about ice cream franchise opportunities. The reason I mention that is because the ice cream industry may have more successful independent ice cream businesses in the U.S.A. than any other industry. Although this is NOT a proven fact, just drive up and down the main roads in your community and see how many ice cream franchises there are versus independent ice cream businesses. Go ahead, do your own research!

You can find additional information about franchise opportunities at http://afranchisesolution.net.

Jeffrey Sloe, Internet Marketing Advisor to The Ultimate Team
440-725-3729
jeff@internetmarketingadvisors.net
http://ultimate.org