Go to any outdoor festival or street market, and likely you'll come across one or more shaved ice stands. For the consumer, shaved ice is a great refreshment that isn't as heavy or as sticky as ice cream. The variety of tastes and fun colors appeal to adults and kids alike. Each serving produces little waste, and even with the producer's mark-up, shaved ice is affordable to most everyone.

Starting a Shaved Ice Business

For the businessperson, shaved ice has a great cost-to-profit ratio. Once the actual equipment is purchased, the ingredients and supplies are very inexpensive and easy to obtain. Experienced shaved ice makers maintain that the production cost average for one eight-ounce serving is between 16 and 21 cents.

Another benefit of starting a business in shaved ice is the mobility of the equipment. The equipment needed to produce shaved ice is minimal. The main equipment (shaver, freezer, flavors and containers) is all easy to maintain and transport. A block-ice maker is also recommended; however, it is possible to buy block ice from ice companies. Check your local businesses to see if there's an ice producer in your area.

All of the necessary equipment is available from wholesale suppliers. Starting your own business may seem daunting, but starting with shaved ice is a great way for a first-time business owner to become accustomed to business practices. With your business owner experience, this may easily lead to bigger business opportunities!