Tuesday, June 30, 2009


Order Our Top 5 Flavors in One Package




Attention home shaved ice and snow cone aficionados! HawaiianShavedIce.com has packaged their top 5 best selling, most popular shaved ice and snow cone flavors together so you can order them together and save! Our "Summer Stimulus" sale is going on right now and you can save on our 5 most popular flavors.

This package includes one quart of ready-to-use premium shaved ice syrup in each of the following flavors: Blue Raspberry, Cherry, Grape, Lemon-Lime, and Strawberry.

Order today and they'll arrive in no time at all, allowing you to create delicious treats for your friends and family!


Hot Summer Days + Cold, Refreshing Shaved Ice = Potential Profits



Summer in many portions of the US has started out to be a hot one! If you operate a shaved ice or snow cone stand in these "warm" regions of the US, I hope you're enjoying a busy start to the summer.

In Amarillo, Texas, this stand is certainly reaping the benefits of hot summer days! Read more about their sales and other information that may be helpful to you in the operation and management of your own business.

I have friends who recently let me know that it was 102 degrees where they live in Texas. My suggestion to them? FIND A SHAVED ICE or SNOW CONE STAND to help them cool off!

It's hot out there! Some people don't like the heat and see it as burdensome. However, for folks like us, when we see the thermometer rise, we see dollar signs too! I hope your summer continues to be a hot and profitable one!

Monday, June 29, 2009


Cotton Candy Floss Concentrate



Are you looking to try a new, great tasting cotton candy concentrate for your business? If so, CottonCandyExpress.com invites you to try out Great Floss Concentrate. Each concentrate is stored in 16 ounce or 1 pound re-sealable tubs. In order to make your own floss sugar, just combine 1 to 2 tablespoons of concentrate to 10 pounds of cane or beet sugar. For the best results, mix thoroughly and do not use too much Great Floss Concentrate. You have the option of choosing from the following ten great floss concentrates:

Pink Bubble Gum
Orange
Blue Raspberry
Pink Vanilla
Cherry Red
Pina Colada
Grape
Strawberry
Mint Green
Watermelon


In order to make your preferred floss sugar from our concentrates, we recommend that you experiment with the ingredients before you sell your cotton candy. (If you have children or children in your neighborhood, they make great test subjects. Make up a batch of cotton candy, pass it out to them, and get their feedback on the taste and texture of your product.) You may find that you only need to use 1 tablespoon per 10 pounds of sugar, or you may find that you need to use more or less tablespoons per 10 pounds of sugar. Use what you like best or prefer, and stick with your own recipe regardless of what your competitors are using! Their recipe may be different than the one you use due the products or machine that they are using.

Order now and save even more on this great tasting product while it is on sale!


There Has to Be a Story Behind This Somewhere




I came across this article a couple of weeks ago. As many of you know, I like to look for shaved ice, snow cone, and cotton candy information that appears in the news media and then post it here.

This article and the local ordinance it discusses was amusing, but at the same time slightly annoying. Who in the world decided it was a good idea to set an arbitrary date for when a business could start selling snow cones and shaved ice. My first reaction was..."hmm...do they have a date for when ice cream sales can begin? what about hamburger and hot dog sales?" Anyhow...I thought it was interesting and worth posting a link to the article here in the blog.

Personally, I have never heard of a law like this being enforced. Have you? If so, please share the story with us!

Thanks!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009


Interesting Article about Shave It

As you know, I always like to feature shaved ice, snow cones or cotton candy articles that appear in the mainstream news. Last week, I came across an article from April of this year discussing a new start up company called Shave It (a California based franchise).

As usual, I encourage you to read the article about their store (as of this article, there are 3 locations in So. California). I also encourage you to visit their website (www.shaveitice.com). Check out their menu, their prices and how they market their company. There's a great deal of helpful, useful information there that may be of use to you in promoting your own shaved ice business. It's just good fuel for thought. Another "magic lantern" moment as I like to refer to them.

I hope you find it helpful for your own business.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009


Slush Machine 101, Part 2




The alternative to the bowl machine (as described in the previous article) is the box type slush machine. These larger machines generally come in single barrel or double barrel configurations.

Box type slush machines work differently than the bowl type. As we mentioned, box type machines are available in single or double forms. These machines hold the liquid mixture in two places: a freezing cylinder and a storage hopper. The freezing cylinder holds approximately 1.5 gallons (6 liters) while the larger storage hopper holds 5 gallons (18.5 liters). The total amount one side of a box machine can hold is 6.5 gallons (20 liters). The mixture is frozen in the freezing cylinder; it is not frozen in the storage hopper. Once the mixture is dispensed from the freezing cylinder, the same amount of product is replaced from the storage hopper into the cylinder. Because the freezing cylinder is smaller, you are limited in how many people you can serve at once. This machine is ideal for bars and restaurants where the machine will constantly be running.

Key advantages of box type machines:

  • Requires less attention (automatically refills itself after each use and eliminates the need to create a full batch all at one time like bowl machines require)
  • Great resource for bars or restaurants that create frozen, alcoholic beverages. Box machines create a great frozen base for margaritas.
Box type machines are generally used in less visible environments such as restaurants and bars because those locations do not need the visual attraction as much as convenience stores and other high traffic locations (carts, stands, etc.). 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com features Crathco box type slush machines. These machines are well known as "the original margarita machine" and are highly respected for their consistent, durable performance. We sell single barrel and double barrel machines. If you are considering the purchase of a box type slush machine and have questions, please feel free to contact us by either emailing us at CustomerCare@1-800-Shaved-Ice.com or calling us at 1-800-Shaved-Ice (1-800-742-8334). We will happily answer your questions!


Slush Machine 101, Part 1




Not only does 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com sell the best shaved ice and snow cone equipment and supplies, we also carry top quality slush and granita machines. There are two major types of slush machines, bowl type and box type. While many of you already know the difference between the two, we thought it would be helpful to explain each type and their respective advantages.

Bowl type slush machines are available in single, twin, or triple bowl configurations. The most common bowl type machine used is the twin bowl. The average capacity of frozen product per bowl is approximately 3.17 gallons (12 liters). Even though it takes longer initially for the bowl type machine to freeze when compared to the box style, you are actually able to serve more people at once with the bowl style machine due to its larger capacity. This type of machine is great for events where you want to serve a group of people at once such as: home use, wedding receptions, schools, and catering events. These are also popular machines for rental companies who rent them to customers for special events.

Key advantages of a bowl type slush machine:

  • Ability to serve larger groups of people at one time
  • Large freezing capacity
  • Versatile (ability to use one bowl as a base and then have multiple syrup flavors available for customers to choose)
  • Much easier to transfer from location to location than the heavier, bulky box type machines
  • Less expensive than box type machines (generally 50% cheaper)


Bowl type machines are excellent "attractors" too. Kids and adults will see your product swirling away in the bowls and will be enticed to purchase. 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com carries two bowl type machines and both are well respected brands with proven durability and track records. If you are considering the purchase of a bowl type slush machine, please feel free to call us at 1-800-Shaved-Ice (1-800-742-8334) or email us at CustomerCare@1-800-Shaved-Ice.com. We'll be happy to be of assistance to you!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Block Ice Mold



These ice mold pails are an excellent, easy to use way to make your own block ice. Simply fill the one gallon pail 3/4th full with water, cover with the included lid, and place in your freezer. The water takes approximately 2 to 3 days to freeze. Because of the design of the handy lid, these pails are stackable. So, if you have a chest freezer, you can stack these up two or three high, giving you a great supply of ice for your block ice machine.

These pails create block ice that works great in the Swan Block Ice Shavers that are sold at 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com as well.

** Ice produced is 7 1/2" in diameter
** Ice Mold is 7 3/4" tall with lid

Order several of these pails for your stand and start saving money by making your own block ice today! Order while they are on sale and save even more!

Swan Block Shaved Ice Shaver



The Swan Block Ice Shaver, model SI 100-E, is one of the best block ice shavers available on the market today. This easy to operate machine produces fine flakes of snow that easily absorb the flavors to make really excellent shaved ice treats for your customers. Operators can easily adjusted the texture of the snow with a single knob. It comes complete with a strong revolving shield to protect the operator from the spinning ice. This is an ideal machine for high volume locations.

This block shaver can hold up to a 7 pound block of ice (max: 6" square or 8" diameter by 6" tall). It features almost 10 inches of space under the shaving disc, making for easy access when filling the cup. For mobile stands or for overseas operation, the Swan block ice shaver is also available with 115 volt, 220 volt, or DC 12 volt motors.

Order now and save over $400 while these great machines are on sale at 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com!

Friday, June 19, 2009


Shaved Ice Flavor of the Week




As you know, HawaiianShavedIce.com occasionally runs weekly specials on our award winning ready to use flavored syrups. The special right now is Orange-Pineapple, a refreshing blend of two great flavors that will taste great on those warm summer days! Imagine, the taste of a freshly squeezed orange along with delicious fresh pineapple mixed in with cold, refreshing shaved ice...MmMmMm! Order today and save $3 per bottle! You may want to order two bottles...it's hot outside!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009


Another Great Example of Giving Back



Last month, I discussed the importance of giving back to the community through your business. I recently came across a press release issued by a Missouri based shaved ice company who had found a great way to give back to their community.

Murray's Shaved Ice of Ballwin, MO recently gave all participants of the 2009 Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure any size shaved ice treat for half price. Read more about it here. Two thumbs up to Murray's for coming up with a creative way to give back in their community!

It's not hard to come up with ways to use your business to make a positive impact for a great cause or for some other method of supporting your community. I encourage you to look into ways to give back in your community this summer!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009


Rainbow Snow Cones and Shaved Ice



Kids go crazy over almost any rainbow combination that you can create. Simply use a variety of colored syrups in order to produce a rainbow effect. Start pouring syrups, one at a time, in straight lines starting from one side of your shaved ice or snow cone cup to the other. Use colors that when mixed together, create new colors too. For example, if you use Banana (Yellow) on one side of the container and use Bubble Gum (Blue) on the other side of the container, a green strip will form down the middle (yellow and blue make green). It will look as if three flavors were used when in reality only two were. We often charged an additional 25 to 50 cents for rainbows.

This is just an easy, quick way to 'upsell' and generate additional revenue to your sales!