Thursday, April 30, 2009


Warm Weather is Here Again - Make Cool, Refreshing Treats at Home



Now that warm weather is upon us and the school year is almost finished, it's time to start thinking about summer again. In light of the tight economic situation that is weighing down on so many families this year, why not invest in a way to make economical, delicious treats at home! HawaiianShavedIce.com has created 4 great shaved ice packages for home use. These packages are an excellent alternative to going out for dessert or treats with your family. Stay home and create tasty shaved ice treats for everyone!

Please visit our website and check out all four of our home shaved ice packages. We also feature over 75 delicious, mouth watering flavors sure to please everyone in your family! Order now and be ready to serve economical treats to your family all summer long!


What Our Customers are Saying...



Customer service is one of the most critical components of a successful business. At 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com, we always enjoy receiving feedback from our customers. Here are a few comments made by our great customers:

"I've had very good experience from this company. Their follow up on orders is excellent. My customers love their flavors. I'll continue to order my supplies from them since they have the best prices."
Mari, CA

"The folks at 1-800-Shaved-Ice are terrific. Their customer service and product knowledge is unsurpassed. Highly recommend them!"

Martha, NE

"Wonderful Seller! The products are top of the scale and the prices are very good. I highly recommend them!"
Mary, AZ

Thank you to all of our great customers! We appreciate the opportunity to be of service to you.


Shirts, Hats, Aprons and More for Your Employees



Establish your branding and professional image at your shaved ice business by ordering shaved ice themed apparel. 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com has created apparel in 3 different designs for shaved ice stands.



We have t-shirts, polo shirts, hats, sweatshirts, and aprons available in an assortment of colors and sizes. Over 40 different products are available!



Please note that since Hawaiian Shaved Ice apparel orders are handled by a different company, all apparel orders must be placed separately from any equipment and supply orders on our website. To visit our apparel website please click on the following link for Hawaiian Shaved Ice Apparel.

Thanks!

Monday, April 27, 2009


Excellent Resources for Concessionaires




I've discussed the Small Business Administration in previous articles, however I wanted to mention them again. There are some excellent resources available at the SBA Website.

I would encourage you to go to the site and review some of the great tools and information that is available to you. Remember...it's a FREE resource for you. Well, not completely free since you are a taxpayer. So, with that said though, take advantage of your tax dollars!

Not interested in reading through articles? Try out some of their podcasts. Download them and listen to them while you're driving to your stand or during a slow period. Some podcasts that stand out to me are:


Check List for Starting a Business


Featuring Wendy Baumann, President
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

How can a prospective entrepreneur know if he or she is ready to start a business? This checklist helps you identify what you need to know and what you need to do to start a small business.

Is Entrepreneurship for You?


Featuring Cheryl Mills, Associate Deputy Administrator
Office of Entrepreneurial Development
U.S. Small Business Administration

Each year more than 600,000 new businesses are started in the United States. Many will succeed while others fail. Find out if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur and how training maybe be the key to success.


The SBA Small Business Training Network—Log On!
Featuring Jim O’Connor, Director
Small Business Training Network
U.S. Small Business Administration

To succeed in business entrepreneurs must stay competitive. An essential ingredient to being competitive is training. Learn how SBA’s online Small Business Training Network—a virtual campus—can help potential and current small business owners start, grow and succeed.


This is only a sampling of the many podcasts that are available for free download. While these podcasts will not directly discuss concessions businesses, they are certainly full of tips for any small business and helpful.

If you get a chance to listen to one of their podcasts and find the information in it helpful, I would encourage you to leave a comment here so that other 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com customers can benefit from it too. Thanks!

Thursday, April 23, 2009


Profitability of Selling Slush Drinks

Whether you're at your local convenience store, skating rink, fairs, carnivals, water parks, community parks, catered events, restaurants, bars, or amusement parks, you can find slush drinks. Not only are businesses and concessionaires selling slush drinks because they are so tasty; they are also money makers due to their 80% gross profit per serving and their high production rate. So, what are you waiting for? Start enjoying and selling slushes today!

The common serving size for slush is a 16 oz. cup that can average in price from $1.50 to $2.50. If you are at a special event, you may charge more due to your competition. In addition, you may serve approximately 120 – 16 oz. cups per case of slush mix. Your cost per 16 oz. cup is $.303, which is detailed below:

If selling slush drinks is of interest to you, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com over the phone or email us at CustomerCare@1-800-Shaved-Ice.com. The information shared above is part of our Slush Drink Business Manual. To receive your FREE copy, please call or email us and we'll email it to you.


Snow Cone Machines that Feature Maximum Portability




Does your business or organization need a snow cone machine that doesn't need conventional electrical outlets or a generator? If so, 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com offers three fantastic, high output commercial snow cone machines that operate on 12 volt battery power. With the addition of a deep cycle RV or Marine Battery, these machines can crank out hundreds of snow cones for hours on end.

Don't let available electricity hamper your snow cone business. With one of these 12 volt machines, you'll be able to sell snow cones where your competition isn't able.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009


Start Making Money with Your Own Shaved Ice or Snow Cone Business



In today's tough employment market, are you looking to start your own side business? The beauty of starting your own shaved ice or snow cone business is that you can start out small (inexpensively) or on a large scale. It's all up to you and your desired investment.

To learn more about starting your own shaved ice or snow cone business, we recommend that you read through our FREE business manual, COLD CASH. It features great, insightful information about opening your own concessions business. Click here to request your free copy today!

Our free 106 page shaved ice business manual is filled with time tested tips on how to open and operate your own shaved ice stand. Topics covered include:

Types of Shaved Ice and Snow Cone Machines
RTU Syrups and Flavor Concentrates
Secret Specialty Recipes
Business Revenue and Expenses
Advertising
Business Equipment & Supplies
State and Local Business Requirements
And much more!


Snow Cone Mojitos in California

Just in case you're in Santa Monica and you're looking for a refreshing adult-oriented frozen beverage, check out this place. Snow cone mojitos...sound pretty tasty! If any of you snow cone or shaved ice business owners happen to possess a liquor license, then this may be something to consider offering at your own location...just as long as your business isn't a drive thru location! Ha.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009


Interesting Article about a Snow Cone Business in Texas



I found this article today discussing a snow cone stand called Cajun Cones, which operates in Abilene, Texas. I like to share this kind of stuff with you because you can always gain a few little insights here and there from other businesses and the information written about them. Some highlights from this article include: their popular flavors, additional menu items, pricing and customer reactions to their products. All important things to consider and use to evaluate your own stand!

As I have discussed in the past, I like to label these things as "Magic Lanterns" because they are helpful and insightful. Enjoy the article!


Baseball Concession Stands



Ah, spring is here! Baseball season is officially upon us and we'll all be out enjoying evenings at the diamond watching our friends and family participate in baseball and softball games.

But, what about the concession stand at your local ball field? Is it well stocked? Do they have snow cones, shaved ice, or cotton candy available? If not...tell them to visit our websites! 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com has helped many different organization put together snow cone or shaved ice packages for their concessions stand. CottonCandyExpress.com is also eager to help organizations outfit their concessions stand with top quality, profitable cotton candy equipment and supplies.

The only thing better than a beautiful evening at the park watching a baseball or softball game is being able to watch it while enjoying a delicious snow cone, cup of shaved ice, or some cotton candy!


Shaved Ice Toppings: Marshmallow Cream



Marshmallow cream is a popular topping item in many areas (especially Louisiana and Mississippi), however can be quite frustrating to add to shaved ice. Prices range from 25 to 50 cents per dose. Your cost for a 7 ounce jar is usually $1.50. Larger quantities are available from suppliers if needed (case sales, larger jars).

Our suggestion is to purchase a couple of jars and add it to the list of available toppings. If it starts to sell well and is well received by your customers, then investigate purchasing marshmallow cream in larger quantities in order to lower your cost per serving and increase your profitability.