Cream Flavors

Give your customers the option of choosing a cream flavor when they order their next shaved ice at your stand.

In a separate container, combine 7 ounces of flavored syrup to 1 ounce of evaporated milk. Stir well and pour the mix on top of your customer's shaved ice to give it a rich, creamy texture. It always works best if the creamy mix is chilled before use.

This recipe is most often used with Vanilla, Banana, Peach, Strawberry, Dreamsycle, Pina Colada, Coconut, Strawberry Cheesecake, Almond, and Egg Custard. But, we recommend that you test other flavors as well - you might come up with a very popular flavor for your stand.

To make a quart of cream flavor, combine 28 ounces of our award winning ready-to-use flavored syrup with 4 ounces of Evaporated Milk. Once evaporated milk is added be sure to keep the mix refrigerated. The mixture will usually will last 5 to 7 days.

This is a great way to add some variety to your menu. If you wish, you can probably charge an extra $.25 per serving for the additional cream that is added. This will boost your average sale price and ultimately increase your profits too.

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!

An Example for the Previous Post

This article discusses an example of shaved ice that is close to what I'm talking about in the previous post. While this delicious sounding shaved ice contains ice cream and sweet condensed milk, it also includes fresh chopped chunks of mango too.

If you're ever in Flushing, New York (Long Island), my recommendation would be to go try one of these tasty concoctions in person!

So, stand owners, are you doing something similar at your place of business? If so, let me know. I'm just curious to know if this is an up and coming trend or if it's just limited to a narrow sector of the market.

Juice Flavored Shave Ice and Snow Cones?

I've read in a couple places online about some concessionaires featuring natural, juice flavored snow cones and shaved ice. These items are being welcomed openly, especially in niche demographics.

One article I read discussed a vendor in New Mexico who is using fresh apple cider to create a delicious tasting snow cone. Another article discussed using fresh fruits and fruit juices to create a healthy and great tasting shaved ice treat.

So, my question is...are any of our readers experimenting with natural flavors (juices) or using fresh fruit on their snow cones or shaved ice? If so, please let us know how your natural products are being received by customers. Are you charging more or the same? Are you promoting this menu item heavily?

Depending on the location of your business, fruit juices and fruit combined with your shaved ice or snow cones may be an item that you want to add to your menu. It could be well received and generate new sales and customers for your business.

Just a thought...

NY Times Piece on Shaved Ice

I came across this short article in the New York Times today about a place in the city called Dessert Club. The article gives some good information about two types of shaved ice made and served there. It also gives you a couple of prices for those delicious sounds treats too. Again, this is just good information to know and use when looking at developing new menu items or verifying your pricing structure for the items you sell. Click here to read the article (it's short).

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.

Get into the Slush Drink Business

Do high profit margins interest you? If so, you should look into offering slush drinks. As an add-on product line or as a stand alone business, slush drinks are a popular commodity enjoyed by people everywhere! With profit margins reaching an average of 80%, it's not surprising that this is an attractive product for many business owners.

If you are interested in adding slush drinks to your existing business or if you are thinking of starting a business that specializes in slush drinks (also called granitas and frozen margaritas), please contact us at 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com. We would enjoy discussing your plans. We carry a full line of slush machines and our award winning syrup flavors create the best tasting slush drinks on the market today!

1-800-Shaved-Ice.com also has an 11 page Slush Drink manual available by request that details more information about these drinks, profit margins, information about various machine types and more! Give us a call or email us today!

Add Ice Cream to your Shaved Ice Menu!

At 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com, we have always referred to these tasty treats as "dipped delights." However, you can come up with your own creative menu name for this delicious dessert!

Dipped Delights – These shaved ice treats are very popular at neighborhood stands across the country. Simply add a scoop of ice cream to the bottom of any cup, add shaved ice, and top off with your customer's favorite shaved ice syrup. Your customers can now enjoy eating the shaved ice and ice cream at the same time! Encourage your customers to try one...they will be hooked!

We suggest charging at least $1.00 in addition to your regular shaved ice pricing. This is a great way to create additional sales and boost revenue for your stand.

Thinking of Expanding the Flavors on Your Menu?

As you already know, the quality and taste of the flavored syrups created by 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com is unmatched in the industry. Our award winning flavors have been creating loyal customers all over the nation for many years. If you are interested in adding additional flavors to your menu, we encourage you to review the master list of flavors that we offer.



With 75 flavors listed, we are confident that you will find a flavor that you would like to add to your menu. Our master list gives you a description of the flavor and its color. Most of the snow cone or shaved ice flavors listed are available in ready-to-use syrup form or concentrate form. Gallons or quarts in both forms are available. A few of our flavors listed are available only in ready-to-use form.

Snow Shakes are a Great Addition to Your Menu!

Add Snow Shakes to your menu and create additional sales with this unique offering.

Snow Shakes – Instead of a milkshake try a snow shake! Fill a 16 ounce cup full of shaved ice. Add 3 to 4 ounces of your favorite shaved ice syrup along with 3 to 4 ounces of evaporated milk. Stir or blend well! Add more ice for thicker snow shakes. Snow shakes are a great treat year round!

This type of shake is much healthier than an ice cream based milkshake, which is another benefit that you can use to promote this new product. Our suggestion for pricing would be to price is slightly less than milkshakes found at your local ice cream shops.

The Best Place to Buy Cotton Candy Floss Sugar

CottonCandyExpress.com is the best place to order Cotton Candy Floss Sugar on the Internet! Our excellent customer services and prices can't be beat.

Floss sugar is made from a special sugar that is not too fine and not too coarse. It's "just right."

Floss sugar is packed in sealed 3.25 lb. containers. Open the container, and pour into the spinner head. No messy mixing or unsanitary sugar buckets.

Each case of Floss sugar contains six 3.25 lb. cartons. One case has enough Floss Sugar for approximately 360 ounces/servings of cotton candy. Floss sugar flavors include:

Blue Raspberry
Pink Bubble Gum
Red Cherry
Purple Grape
Lime Green
Orange
Pink Vanilla
Strawberry
Watermelon

Order a couple different flavors today. Floss Sugar is a great tasting, easy to use floss sugar that will definitely please your customers!

Would You like a Little Sweet Cream to Boost your Profits?

At 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com, Condensed Milk (Sweet Cream) has always been our most popular topping. After you make a cup of shaved ice, simply pour a good amount over the top. Be careful though, because it can get very messy. You can also offer a double dose of sweet cream by adding the cream to the middle and to the top of the shaved ice. Prices range from 25 to 50 cents per dose. Check your local grocery store for 14 ounce cans which usually can be found on the baking ingredients aisle. Cost is around $1.40 cents a can. Some stands dilute the sweet cream with evaporated milk. The ratio is usually 2 cans of evaporated milk to one can of condensed milk. You can adjust the ratio as you see needed and according to your own taste.

This is a great way to boost your sales and increase profits over time with your shaved ice business.

Champagne Snow Cones =$$$

I found this article today from last summer and thought it was interesting enough to share with everyone. This concoction is probably best tried at home. However, if you have a restaurant with a liquor license, this might be a good candidate for a 'signature' dessert. It could also be a good money maker if you are in a position to sell this adult snow cone. $18 per serving is pretty pricey. However, I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there who would pay it for such a tasty treat!

Links to Cost of Goods Sold...Helpful Information!

Here are two links to some interesting information for those of you who are thinking about opening your own shaved ice or snow cone concessions business. These two charts display the COGS (Cost of Goods Sold). There are two charts, one for shaved ice and one for snow cones. Please keep in mind that these costs may vary slightly depending upon your geographic location.

All costs are rounded to the nearest penny. The cost of ice is based on the price of $1.00 per bag or block of ice. Ice cost will be cheaper if you make your own. Initially, you will need to lay out more money to purchase the necessary equipment for making your own ice. However, you will recoup your initial costs quickly because of the long term savings due to producing your own ice. One caveat though...please be sure to check with your local department of health. If you enter into the production of your own ice, you may be subject to quarterly water testing, installation of water filtration systems, and other requirements imposed by your health department. CHECK WITH THEM FIRST BEFORE MAKING YOUR DECISION. Flavored Syrup cost is based on preserved syrup at 2.6 cents/ounce, spoons, spoonstraws, and napkin costs are based on case prices, sold on 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com.

Shaved Ice COGS Chart

Snow Cone COGS Chart

We hope that you will find this information helpful in your decision making process regarding opening up your own concessions business. This breakdown of costs is also very helpful in evaluating your current and future menu prices.

Business Manual for Slush Machines

If you are interested in adding granitas or slush drinks to your menu, we suggest reading through our Slush Machine Business Manual. This manual covers a variety of different topics related to slush drinks. It's full of great information about recipes, serving sizes, and venue suggestions. It also contains helpful information on choosing the right type of slush machine to fit your needs. Go to 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com, email their customer care department and request a copy of the manual today. Find out how slush drinks can add to the profitability of your concessions business!

Shhh….Here are some of Our Secret Recipes

Looking for some tasty additions to your shaved ice or snow cone menu? Well, look no further! We have some absolutely fabulous recipes for mouth watering shaved ice and snow cones. Sour flavors, wine cooler inspired flavors, and cream flavors…the list goes on and on! Check out all of the great recipes we have to share at 1-800-Shaved-Ice. We also list some great topping ideas too for you. Toppings are a great way to ‘upsell’ customers and increase your bottom line revenues. Take a moment, check out our recipes and spend some time experimenting with them. You might find the next signature item for your shaved ice or snow cone business!

Slush Drink Information

If you are considering the purchase of a slush machine, here are some interesting numbers to review.

Based on past experience in the industry, about 54% of women purchase slush treats versus 46% of men. Women tend to purchase slush treats 3 to 7 times per week whereas men purchase slush treats 2 to 5 times per week. Out of the percentages of both men and women, the average age group of customers who enjoy the treat is 25-49 years old. Most customers purchase slush treats for snacks, thirst quenchers, desserts, and meal replacements.

The most common serving size for a slush drink is a 16 oz. cup that can average from $1.00 to $1.50. If you are at a special event, you may want to increase your prices slightly. In addition, you may serve several hundred drinks at one event. Please make sure you have enough mix available (you can serve approximately 120 – 16 oz. cups per case of slush mix). Your cost per 16 oz. cup is $.303, which is detailed below:

Supplies Cost
16 oz cup $.053
Slush $.24
Spoonstraw $.01

Total Cost: $.303

We hope this information is helpful to you in deciding whether or not to pursue the purchase and use of a slush machine.

Slush Machines on Sale

In addition to selling top of the line shave ice and snow cone machines at 1-800-Shaved-Ice.com, we also sell the very popular and dependable Bunn Ultra-2 slush machine. Bunn is a brand known for its quality and durability. Adding slush drinks to your menu line is a great way to boost your profits. On warm days, people will flock to your location for your great shaved ice, snow cones or slushes!

Plan ahead for next summer! Our slush machines are on sale. Check out our great fall savings now! Click here for more information.