Do you want to start a Snow Cone Business?
Snow cones are delicious, refreshing, and easy to make. They’re perfect for any occasion – whether you’re hosting a backyard BBQ or just looking for something new to do with your kids on a hot summer day. And they can be made in so many different flavors!
The best part is that it’s not hard at all to get started. All you need is some ice, sugar, and flavorings (like fruit juice) and you’ll be ready to go!
So what are you waiting for? Get going today!
How to Start a Snow Cone Business
To start a snow cone business, you need to get a snow cone machine. There are two types of snow cone machines: manual or electric snow cone machines. A manual snow cone machine is a block of ice with an attached scoop and tongs. This type of snowcone machine costs around $50-200 depending on the brand and quality but can be very affordable since it doesn’t require any electricity.
Electric snowcone makers are more expensive ranging from $150-$2000 depending on the brand name and model, but they do not have to move mechanical parts that can break and cause problems later like the manual snow cones would over time. To find these products online, search for snow cone maker or snow cone equipment in your computer’s web browser or use a snow cone maker/equipment supplier website.
Once you have acquired a snowcone machine, get the necessary snow cone supplies. You will need snow cones (in packs of 50), cups for customers to use while eating their snow cones, napkins for them to wipe their hands with after eating the snow cones, and some type of syrup or flavoring to add on top of the snow cone. Popular flavors include cherry, blue raspberry, grape, and pina colada.
Flavored syrups can be bought at any grocery store near where you live. Make sure that if there is a place for your ingredients to sit that it will not get directly exposed outdoors in rain or extreme heat because this could affect how well syrups mix or whether or not they are able to be mixed at all.
You will also need a snow cone mixing bottle. These snowcone mixers range in size and cost from $2-$5 depending on the brand. They can be bought at snowcone stores, snow cone equipment suppliers, online snow cone retailers or at grocery stores that carry snow cones and snow cone supplies.
This is very important for your business because it allows you to make syrups with artificial flavorings instead of using real fruit juice (which can be expensive) and means that you can save money by making the syrup yourself.
Next, decide what kind of table to use for your stand. The type of table you choose should depend heavily on where you want to open your snow cone stand. If you want to open a snow cone stand in your city, a table that has wheels on it can be very helpful because they are portable and the wheels make it easier for employees to move around when business is slowed down.
Tables that have wheels cost more than tables that do not have any wheels but might be worth the investment if your business does not take off as you would hope or if snow cones become a seasonal event instead of year-round like some snow cone stands have experienced. It is also important to decide if you want your table to fold up so that it can be stored during the winter months with snow being an issue with snow cone sales.
Types of Snow Cone Machines
There are two main types of machines – manual crank machines or electric ones that use an ice shaver attachment.
Manual crank machines require more physical labor but can produce larger quantities of snow cones per hour than electric models because there’s no wait time between batches like there is with electric models where the motor has to cool down before starting again after each batch of shaved ice cubes has been produced by the blade assembly inside the machine housing unit.
Electric models also tend to cost less than manual crankers but take up more space because they come with their own built-in stand whereas manual crackers must be placed on top of tables or counters when in operation as well
Seasonality of Snow Cones
During the hot summer months snow cones have been, and continue to be, enjoyed by people of many cultures worldwide; especially during parties or other festive occasions. Some snow cone shops are seasonal businesses that close for the winter season, while others remain open all year round. Favorable weather conditions can result in long lines at the snow cone stands due to constant consumer demand.
History of Snow Cone Businesses
Snow cones were made as early as 2500 BC in China using snow which was mixed with other substances such as tea leaves, sugar, and other flavors. The snow cones of the Chinese are called ‘Binglian Xiurong’, which means snow ice. Snow was also mixed with fruit in China.
Snowcone machines were invented by Nancy Johnson Newman from Texas in 1939. She had gone to a county fair where there was snow made from a machine that used water and flavoring syrups through tubes into a large block of ice. This got her thinking about how she could work on making the same thing at home but with crushed ice instead of snow. It took her three years to invent one that used shaved ice rather than chunks and another year to find the perfect syrup recipe for it. Her snow cone maker worked by using mixers hidden beneath the snow.
She supplied snow cones at the fair of 1940, and in 1942 she sold snow cone machines to a concessionaire in California. The snow cone business was highly successful because snow cones were cheaper than ice cream sodas, they cost just pennies when bought from snow-cone booths.
Before Nancy Johnson Newman invented snow cone machines another person made them using the chilled syrups that he made in his basement with a hose attached on the end so it would make syrup snow for people to eat. At first, this man wanted to sell these snow cones but instead decided to give away free samples which resulted in hundreds of thousands of people wanting to have snow cones like this all over America. Snow King refrigerated Snow Cone Syrup was introduced in 1941.
In addition to snow cones in China, snow cones were also introduced in India and Mexico as well. In Mexico, snow cones are known as raspados which means shave ice, a snow cone that is made with snow bases or crushed ice rather than shaved ice. Raspados are very popular in the Republic of Mexico, especially during summertime when they can be found on every street corner being sold by vendors using carts.
Ice cream trucks also sell these snow cones during the summer months too all over the United States and Canada; however, flavors like bubble gum & rock salt aren’t often available from them, unlike snow cone carts where many flavors can be found including chocolate syrup, strawberry syrup & root beer syrup, along with fruits such as oranges (including orange seeds), pineapples, strawberries, bananas & more which some snow cone vendors like to ad they melt right before their eyes after digging them out from a large pile of snow.
How to Start a Snow Cone Business Conclusion
Snow cone businesses are a great business to be in because snow cones are delicious, easy to make and they can generate high-profit margins
Snow cones are delicious treats that can be made into many different options. The snow cones can have fruit mixed into them, syrup added or some of both mixed together. Snow cones come in several flavors including orange, cherry, and even grape snow cones. Snow cone businesses are also convenient for the customers as they do not require many materials to make the snow cones plus the snow cones only take minutes to prepare.
