Ice Cream Shop Business Plan Sample

Executive Summary

Concept

Beach towns need delicious ice cream ready and available for summer tourists and locals looking to cool down on a hot day. At Honey Darling ice cream shop we provide the locals of Newburyport, Massachusetts with locally-made and artisan inspired ice cream with international flavors. Ice cream shop owner Andrea Targis is excited to bring her ice cream shop concept to Newburyport, a busy and upscale city north of Boston. 

Mission Statement

Honey Darling’s mission is to provide a nostalgic and twee ice cream shop brimming with beautiful plans, local art, and, most importantly, deliciously creamy ice cream with exciting, seasonal, and artisan-made flavors. Honey Darling will be a neighborhood mainstay for a quick iced coffee or to stop after a long day at the beach at nearby Plum Island. With a walkup window, sandy beachgoers can place to-go orders with their families and friends and sit at nearby picnic tables or explore the city center. For dine-in guests looking for a custom sundae or to relax in the air conditioning with an iced coffee, there are cozy booths, polished wood tables, and lo-fi beats. 

Menu

Honey Darling will feature artisan-made ice cream with seasonal flavors and inspired by international desserts and unique flavor combinations. Guests will be able to try twists on classic favorites like the herbaceous rosemary vanilla or the cardamom caramel crunch. For guests hoping to broaden their horizons, internationally-inspired options such as Halo Halo Ube and Marzipan Blackberry Swirl will be offered. All ice cream will be made in small batches in-house and therefore only available for a short time!

Market

Newburyport Massachusetts is an upscale small city north of Boston with a historical downtown and beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean. With rustic shops and fine dining, Newburyport is a popular date night location for residents of northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Due to the refined style and ambiance of Newburyport, the only thing missing is an elevated ice cream shop for residents and visitors looking for delicious ice cream that’s a bit more interesting than standard ice cream stand faire. Honey Darling provides the perfect retail space with high quality ice cream that will become the perfect place to end a first date or a great weekend visit.  

Financing

Honey Darling’s founder, Andrea Targis, will be renting the retail space for the shop from a downtown real estate company. She has $100,000 saved for rent, and will be taking out an additional $50,000 in small business loans (SBA) to buy the freezing equipment and industrial ice cream machine.

Company Overview

Ice Cream Shop Concept

Honey Darling is a local ice cream shop for the modern family or patron. Boasting freshly-made artisan ice cream for adventurous palates, Honey Darling is innovative but not at the expense of nostalgia or delicious tasting desserts. Even relatively timid eaters will find something they like, and perhaps a new flavor they never expected to love. Because of all the homemade flavors (how can you choose?) Honey Darling will offer small samples served on wooden spoons for patrons who want to dip their toe in before making a decision. Additionally, Honey Darling will offer “ice cream flights” with 3-6 small scoops in miniature bowls served on a wood plank for patrons who, after trying a few flavors, really can’t decide and need to have them all. 

While New England is full of ice cream shops, what sets Honey Darling apart is their creative take on classic flavors, their integration of international desserts, and their homemade promise. All ice cream is fresh, made in-house, and cannot be bought elsewhere outside of local grocery stores or in small batch partnerships. Honey Darling ice cream is truly a local experience, and provides another delicious dessert option in Massachusetts’ beautiful Newburyport. 

Ice Cream Shop Service Model

Honey Darling ice cream shop serves the on-the-go patron with a sun-soaked family and the casual visitor exploring the city at a leisurely pace. The walk-up window will be open for quick and friendly to-go orders and inside will feature a cafe-style feel with iced coffee and other local baked goods as well as all the ice cream offerings and more elaborate ice cream menu items such as sundaes. 

Customers will also be able to buy hand-packed pints and quarts through the walk-up window or after finishing an iced coffee inside. Having two ordering options allows customers to pick their pace - either relax and stay a while inside or get back to their jam-packed day on the North Shore. 

Sample Menu

• Sample Ice Cream Flavors

  • Rosemary Vanilla

  • Cardamom Caramel Crunch

  • Halo Halo Ube

  • Marzipan Blackberry Swirl

  • Black Forest Cake

  • Cinnamon and Paprika White Chocolate Macadamia Nut

• Iced Coffee

• Local baked goods (not made in-house but purchased for sale from local bakers) such as muffins, brownies, cookies

• Sundaes

  • Pick two flavors and pair with a baked good and add a sauce like hot fudge or marshmallow creme for a one-of-a-kind sundae

• Milkshakes of current ice cream flavor offerings available with malt powder by request

• Toppings for the ice cream such as sprinkles, hot fudge, caramel, and other candies and nuts

Design and Layout

Honey Darling will be a slow-moving vibey cafe on the inside with sun-soaked plants and polished wood tables and a fast-paced walkup window outside. Signage will encourage patrons placing to-go orders to order at the window and those hoping to dine-in to head inside. Menus will be available on pegboards above both the walk-up window and inside, with inside reflecting the larger dine-in menu.

The staff will be seasonal local staff who are friendly, pleasant, and competent. Staff will wear vintage baseball tee shirts and long sleeve shirts that say Honey Darling in Traditional American tattoo script. The music will include lo-fi beats and soft house music to bring a sense of energy to the space. Plants will adorn the floors and floating shelves bringing a sense of nature inside, and local art for sale will adorn the walls, allowing customers to buy prints or pieces they see while in the shop. 

Management Team

Owners - Andrea Targis will be the owner and proprietor of Honey Darling. With a culinary and patisserie degree from Johnson and Wales University, Andrea is excited to bring her passion for ice cream to Newburyport. For now, Andrea will be using accessible small business accounting software and consulting with a certified public accountant (CPA) for her taxation needs. She will be running payroll on her own and employees will be paid through direct deposit. Andrea will handle the majority of social media and promotion, and she will invite help and input from staff as they become trained and learn more about the vision for Honey Darling. 

Shift Staff - For now, Honey Darling will hire hourly staff to assist Andrea in running the ice cream shop. Hourly staff will scoop ice cream, run transactions at the point of sale (POS) and provide friendly customer service. Shift staff will be trained on safety procedures and as they learn more about Honey Darling, be invited to have access to the Honey Darling Instagram account and answer DMs regarding hours and service as well as any special events. Additionally, shift staff will be invited to suggest new flavors or flavor combinations based on what they have tried recently and on any travels.

Cleaning - aside from day-to-day pickup, cleaning will be outsourced and handled during the day as the ice cream shop will not open until noon. 

Industry Analysis

Located in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Honey Darling will attract a combination of heavy foot traffic, visitors to the North Shore and patrons who live or have recently moved to the neighborhood or surrounding neighborhoods. 

Target Market

Newburyport is a quaint historical seaside town reminiscent of what visitors expect to see when they visit colonial New England cities. Newburyport is accessible through Boston’s commuter rail, and is close to southern New Hampshire. Local buses take visitors and residents throughout the town and parking is ample and available. 

Honey Darling aims to attract locals and seashore enthusiasts and become a local tourist attraction as well. Through local advertising and local hiring, Honey Darling aims to remain a locally-owned and operated ice cream shop and will partner with other local businesses to develop genuine partnerships and relationships with other ventures in Newburyport. 

Market Positioning

Rather than a typical ice cream stand common throughout New England, Honey Darling is purposefully elevated in terms of look, location, and flavor profiles. Honey Darling is for the modern family looking to try something new or to end a date night with interesting ice cream flavors to talk about. Because of Newburyport’s legacy of being a historical and traditional New England city, Honey Darling is aligned with their adherence to quality but provides a new twist with interesting and inspired flavors. 

Honey Darling also plans on integrating local ingredients when possible, partnering with local artisans and making all of their ice creams in small batches, providing a limited-time-only opportunity to try unique flavors and creating a sense of urgency for local patrons. 

Honey Darling’s ambiance will be upscale but approachable with natural materials and organics throughout the space, and the overall theme will be vintage, cute, but also high-end. 

Location Analysis

Newburyport is a gorgeous New England city north of Boston. In addition to historical landmarks and access to beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean, Newburyport is a great place for a dinner out or to explore the city by foot during the day. In addition to the Maritime Museum, there’s also the Museum of Old Newbury, both of which provide history buffs and tourists a place to learn more about New England and the history of the town. Nearby, Plum Island’s beaches are a popular destination for tourists and therefore quite a bit of traffic passes through the city en route to the beach and back again, providing the perfect opportunity to stop for dinner, a snack, or to rest before heading onto the Mass Pike in what will likely be a traffic-filled commute home. 

While Newburyport itself has less than 20,000 full-time residents, the city is part of Greater Boston, one of the most densely-populated areas in the country and with over 8 million residents in less than an hour radius. Newburyport has a mix of rental and owned properties with an average property value well over $500,000. 

Competitive Analysis

Marketing Plan

Honey Darling is all about community and experience. The price point is reasonable for a weekly treat and the flavors are special enough for a night out. Honey Darling aims to be a high quality ice cream shop that people will remember when they visit Newburyport and that locals can visit again and again. 

Customer Database

Honey Darling will distribute zine-inspired flyers at doorsteps around the neighborhood and provide the same flyers at neighborhood locations easily accessible on foot. Honey Darling will also be featured on tourist websites and Yelp. Because Honey Darling is a neighborhood ice cream shop, the store will rely on local marketing and social media as well as prominent signage and the benefits of their high-visibility location in downtown Newburyport. 

Loyalty Program

As a means to retain local customers and provide a low-stakes sense of competition, customers will have the option to sign up for digital punch cards for a free cone and a free cone on their birthday. Honey Darling will also run promotions for customers who are interested in trying flavors of the month, who will receive a 20% discount every time they stop in and try a new flavor.  

Community and Charity Involvement

Because Honey Darling seeks to be an inclusive and forward-thinking neighborhood business, the support will support local events such as gay pride, community sports teams, and other locally-specific initiatives. Honey Darling will provide sponsorship to local organizations that champion inclusivity, racial diversity, and equity. 

Public Relations

Honey Darling will participate in local word-of-mouth public relations as well as rely on Google reviews to bolster search engine optimization (SEO) and online visibility. Further, Honey Darling will solicit community feedback through their social media, specifically through Instagram Story polls and user comments. Followers will be invited to share their feedback and ideas and Andrea and affiliated staff will be prompt in responding and engaging with the community online. 

Honey Darling will also cross-promote local bakeries and businesses that make the baked goods sold at Honey Darling. Honey Darling will also make appearances at farmer’s markets and other vendor fairs in order to establish grassroots relationships with residents of Newburyport and surrounding towns and cities. 

Advertising and Social Media

Honey Darling will rely on a strong Instagram presence for all specials, to feature photos of limited edition flavors, and announce the availability of their ice creams, including when an item sells out. The beautiful plants and decor within the shop will provide photo-worthy opportunities for Honey Darling’s staff to promote the shop on Instagram, and the owners will spend time daily answering comments and direct messages with a casual and friendly tone. Additionally, Honey Darling will have two cats, Honey and Darling. These are Andrea’s cats and will be featured in promotions and social media. Additionally, Honey Darling will cross-promote other local businesses and events in pursuit of strong community relations and a culture of positive promotion.

Operations Plan

Staffing and Training

Honey Darling’s biggest priority is to hire the right hourly staff for the location. Andrea aims to hire ten part-time staff to start, working shifts of 4-6 hours, and rotating between dine-in and window service. 

Training for staff will take place in the months leading up to the shops opening. The owner will conduct interviews and hire the staff based on Honey Darling’s values and their answers to the below interview questions. 

Recruitment

To recruit friendly hourly staff, Honey Darling will rely on the recommendations from local restaurants and community-based hiring. The hiring process will prioritize friendly and competent workers who can multitask and love ice cream. The owners will prioritize personality and are willing to train less experienced staff who will be able to build the communal experience of Honey Darling. Additionally, Honey Darling will promote open positions on their Instagram and ask local nearby restaurants and retail shops to cross-promote in search of new talent. 

Interview Questions

1. What is your favorite ice cream flavor and why?

2. What do you think makes a good ice cream sundae?

3. What’s your go-to national ice cream brand?

4. What are some of your favorite types of desserts, in terms of ethnicity?

5. Which flavors get you excited?

6. What are your favorite desserts?

7. What is your customer service style?

8. What’s your favorite thing about the North Shore?

9. What are your 3 top restaurants or bars in Newburyport and why?

Job Descriptions

Owners: 

The owners will handle the financial and administrative operations of the business, work with the input of shift workers for marketing and creative ideas, fill in for shifts as needed, and work to help train the hourly staff. 

Hourly Workers:

Shift workers are responsible for greeting all patrons and making quality ice cream products in a casual atmosphere. They will participate in tasting new product offerings and brainstorming new ice cream flavors and sundaes, and experienced shift workers will also be able to update the shop’s social media and interact with customers online. All shift workers are responsible for stocking the freezers and refilling the toppings as well as operating the point-of-sale and cash register. 

Work Health and Safety Standards

In order to make Honey Darling as safe a working environment as possible for everyone, we will implement the following health and safety procedures.

• All staff are required to wear slip-resistant footwear. 

• All shift workers must be of legal age or have proper working certifications. 

• To avoid injury on the job, all staff will be trained on how to move heavy objects and boxes and how to handle the extremely hot or cold temperatures of the shop.

• Management staff will work to create safe practices and procedures and remove potential hazards to employees and guests.

• Staff will not be expected to work when ill and management will help to get shifts covered and keep the ice cream shop running smoothly so that the pressure doesn’t fall on ill employees.

• Honey Darling will follow all local health guidelines and restrictions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staffing Model

Honey Darling will operate an open-book management model where the shop’s finances and revenue are shared and disseminated to all employees. Honey Darling will hold bi-weekly staff meetings to share information about the business’s goals. The transparent model will foster goodwill with employees and promote a sense of inclusivity and community. 

• The owner will make a base hourly pay of $20 an hour plus shared tips. 

• Shift workers will make a base hourly pay of $12 an hour plus shared tips. 

• The owners will not take profits until the business is fully solvent and debts have been repaid.

• Long-term employees will be eligible for profit-sharing and potentially partial ownership. 

Customer Service Policies and Procedures

Three principles will guide guest service at Honey Darling:

1. Quality - patrons at Honey Darling should know they are receiving an elevated ice cream experience so workers will understand that every ice cream is made custom to order and done with precision and care. Sundaes will be made with love. 

2. Friendliness - a casual and no-stress dine-in customer service environment where guests do not feel rushed or pressured to make a decision and can sit and relax. To-go experience will be equally friendly but prioritize speed and competence. 

3. Community - Honey Darling is a community business in Newburyport, and has pride for the neighborhood and as a business within the neighborhood. Everyone is welcome and locals are made to feel at home. 

4. Creativity - by featuring new ice cream flavors and delicious baked goods from local bakeries, Honey Darling will be an ice cream shop with a little something extra. Staff will be knowledgeable and a part of the creative process and take pride in the creative offerings at Honey Darling. 

5. Inclusivity - Honey Darling is a forward-thinking small business and everyone is welcome. Staff members will treat all patrons with respect and dignity.

Suppliers

Honey Darling will work with several local bakeries. Honey Darling will also source local candies and toppings from Massachusetts and greater New England suppliers and look towards using local or unique products in their inspired ice cream flavors. Featured products will be mentioned on the menu by name and tagged on social media promoting a business model of pride and co-promotion.

Financial Analysis and Growth Plan

$8 average ticket per order, about 1.5 ice creams. 

Investment Plan

Andrea Targis will invest personal savings, for a total of $150,000 in initial investment. She has $100,000 saved for rent, and will be taking out an additional $50,000 in small business loans (SBA) to buy the freezing equipment and industrial ice cream machine. Total startup funds equal $200,000. The owners will not take a cut of profit until the business is able to pay back its loans and is completely solvent. Business lines of credit will be sought for some expenses, such as initial orders for equipment, supplies, and ingredients. They will refuse any lines of credit above 5% interest.