Why should you consider mobile ice cream catering?

Why should you consider mobile catering for frozen desserts?

by Paul Thornton

Carts and Grills Inc.

www.cartsandgrills.com

Recognizing that one of a caterer's biggest headaches is how to match the product needs with the equipment required to the size of the event, there are as wide a range of solutions as challenges.

1.         Simple cooler or cold box on wheels – this can encompass everything from an Igloo™ to a tricycle or pushcart.  It's generally not refrigerated but simply an insulated box, which may possibly use dry ice. 

2.         Cold Plate Freezer – slightly larger than the cold box, much heavier and relies on heat transfer from large metal plates embedded in the walls of the freezer.  This type of freezer needs to be plugged in overnight to cool down with the advantage that no power is needed at your catering event.  You are simply relying on the thermal qualities of the plates themselves to keep product from spoilage.  It can be transported on a small utility trailer or minivan.

3.            Standard Freezer – requires power continuously to avoid product spoilage.  Generally lighter than cold plate freezers, the disadvantage is that they must be plugged in continuously.  However, based upon the insulating properties of the freezer, you should be able to transport it 2-3 hours unplugged without risk of product spoilage. It also can be transported on a small utility trailer or minivan.

4.         Small trailer – these units generally comprise of a standard freezer and have all of the necessary support equipment such as sinks, awnings etc. on-board.

5.            Concession Trailer – generally a much larger, towable unit, which may contain several, built in freezers.  These units can be configured for a variety of other supporting products such as waffles irons, soft serve and/or dipped ice cream, or even complementary products such as hot dogs.

6.         Ice Cream Truck – generally vending only novelty items and soft serve ice cream.  Ice cream trucks are generally not used at specific events, but more a roaming opportunistic environment. 

In general, most caterers will be interested in the middle three configurations.  However, within these three configurations there is a range of scalability and overlap between the styles.

Regulations vary widely across the country from fairly loose to very strict.  The more relaxed Health Department may allow dipping from an Igloo™ with little more sanitation than 3 buckets of water.  The strictest – some of whom are in California – almost prohibit dipping in a mobile environment altogether regardless of whether a three bowl sink and clean running water is readily available.  The bottom line here is you must check with your local Health Department for guidelines before even considering a purchase.  For example, some states do not mandate a sneezeguard on your freezer; however, you may elect to use a sneezeguard for your own protection.  Other states allow you to forego a three-bowl sink if you have a dipwell with running water or even forego a sink altogether if you keep the scoop in the tub inside the freezer. Your cart vendor can work with you to provide enough information that your Health Department can view all of the details about your prospective purchase BEFORE you buy it – and may even issue a conditional license based on the information presented. Then, once you receive your cart, the physical inspection and actual license issuance should be much easier.

Typical events may range in size from under 100 to over 1,000.  Such events may comprise of corporate parties, children's' birthday parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs, school functions and outdoor fairs.  For the best flexibility you need to have a solution that can work both indoor and outdoors, and is potentially scalable for the larger events when they come along. Depending on the size of your business and your commitment to mobile catering, you may ultimately need more than one cart to be able to adequately meet all of your client's needs. For example, ice cream and gelato are served at different temperatures. While retail-store gelato display cases use forced air for refrigeration, this type of freezer is impracticable for mobile catering. The use of a freezer type that has an adjustable thermostat (i.e. NOT a cold-plate freezer) will allow you the flexibility of changing product types if your business model encompasses the ability to cater different event types. Cater an ice cream party on Saturday and a gelato party on Sunday!

Ever considered talking to a bank about sponsoring an event for their customers? Some organizations who you wouldn't think would purchase an ice cream cart have invested in one; is that because no one in their locale would cater their event? How about Country Clubs? Golf courses? Municipal swimming pools? Hotels? Realtors? Universities? Advertising companies?

Talk to the management company of your local high-rise or building supply company; ask to allow you to put a cart on their property in return for a share of the profits. Power is readily available (use theirs!) if not, you'll have to use a generator - although there is one company that can provide a cart powered by a battery.

You'll find off-premise catering much more profitable because your overhead is much lower – when analyzed as a separate business unit. You must, of course, have some kind of store or commissary available to meet Health Dept. regulations (which will affect your margins), but overall you'll find off-premise catering an invaluable and lucrative marketing tool.