How to display ice cream

 

Displaying ice cream might at first seem simple, purchase a freezer put some ice cream tubs in it and bang there you are. The most important tip is location of your ice cream display for maximum impact and sales.

 Placing the freezer at the back of your cafe or shop or behind your cash register really doesn't help anyone, even if you have a sign displaying flavours. Ice cream is an impulse buy, it is a visual product, people need to see it, colour and texture really stimulate the synapses and you need to make your customers drool.

Type of Freezer- There are various types of Chest freezers-  static freezers, ventilated scoop freezers, counter top, and even mobile.  Essentially you have to think about space and budgets.
If you are about to open a Dessert Cafe then your budget is probably a lot different from the corner shop.

 Ventilated ice cream freezers, such as the ISA Fiji range, tend to be more expensive but for a reason. They are designed to work in a busy business where the freezer is being accessed a great deal and the cold air is escaping. The ventilation ( normally fan based) forces cold air around the cabinet and keeps it colder quicker.

https://www.fridgesmart.co.uk/ventilated-scoop

A static freezer freezers keeps the ice cream frozen by chilling the metal plate the ice cream is placed on.  Static ice cream freezers are perfectly adequate in a business where ice cream sales are not the main stay of the business, but if you find you are doing more and more ice cream sales then you may want to consider upgrading to a ventilated ice cream freezer.  If you are not sure whether ice cream will sell in your business then we recommend a chest freezer.

https://www.fridgesmart.co.uk/static-cooling

An ice cream chest freezer can store both a mixture of ice cream and other products if required. There are also a number of ice cream chest freezers that are supplied with canopies which look quite professional and are relatively inexpensive. You can also brand the front of the freezer to match your business which also adds to the professionalism At Fridgesmart we stock the Tefcold SC & SCE ranges. They are definitely worth taking a look at.

https://www.fridgesmart.co.uk/chest-freezers-2

If you are a have a small cafe or just want to dip your toe into selling ice cream then you might want to try a counter top freezer. The Framec Mini is an example of this, it can hold two or three tubs, doesn't occupy much space and is easy to clean. You can also look at the counter top freezers such as the Tefcold UF range.  You often see these in cafes and cinemas where sales may not be huge but big enough to warrant a small freezer.

https://www.fridgesmart.co.uk/mini-cream-2v-ice-cream-freezer

 

 

Things to be aware of.

Check with your ice cream supplier what size tubs your ice cream is supplied in. The industry standard is 5 litre Napoli but some ice cream companies sell 4 litre pans. You need to make sure you know what you are getting and that the freezer you are buying accepts that size.

Storage of ice cream

Most ice cream freezers sold are actually for displaying ice cream and not storing them. This means at the  end of the day all the ice cream should be removed and placed into a storage freezer such as the
Mercatus D1-720 or something similar. This also allows for cleaning of the freezer. If a freezer is constantly left on and used to store Ice cream then ice will start to build up and it will have difficulty maintaining temp.  So at least once a week turn it off and let it defrost.

https://www.fridgesmart.co.uk/mercatus-d1-720

 

A number of Ice cream freezers are manufactured with under storage so they act as both display and storage freezers. Good examples of this are the Venus & Framec Top ranges.

https://www.fridgesmart.co.uk/framec-top
https://www.fridgesmart.co.uk/venus-elegante-56

 

Maintenance  of freezer

Looking after your ice cream freezer is not rocket science but is something that some people over look.
The Freezer vents should be cleaned regularly, If not the freezer could struggle, the compressor (fridge engine) may kick in more, and not only will you shorten the lifespan of the freezer, your electricity bill will start to creep up.

Defrost your freezer as specified by the manufacturer, your freezer will last longer and save you money.

Service. Get a qualified refrigeration engineer to annually service all of your refrigeration equipment.

 

conclusion

Hopefully this article has enlightened you to the array of options available when buying an ice cream freezer. If you are still unsure or need some extra help then don't be afraid to ask.  At Fridgesmart we have helped many clients with their purchases. Whether it's a counter top, or a custom made we know the importance of getting it right.