Home-delivered ice cream and grab’n’go: ice cream parlors start from here

The lockdown caused by the spread of the Coronavirus has forced many activities to stop and lower the shutter for a while. Ice cream parlors have also been affected by this situation. The beginning of phase two marked a new start, with the adaptation of its business to the security provisions indicated by the Government , Regions and Municipalities.

The arrival of summer favors the restart of ice cream shops. With the warm season, no one will want to give up enjoying a good ice cream during a walk, after dinner or by the sea as we have as told by Carlo Meo , international expert in purchasing behavior and experiential retail concept. An ice cream parlor is in fact the ideal space to queue up at the cash desk and enjoy the product elsewhere. The evocative value of ice cream increases thanks to high temperatures and sunny days.

For artisanal ice cream shops therefore the restart promises to be positive and full of possibility. In concrete terms, what are the tools available to these businesses to reinvent themselves in the light of new consumer needs? Let’s see it together.

Delivery

The take away or delivery service allows you to deliver the ice cream directly at the home of consumers, who can enjoy it quietly sitting on their sofa and thus avoid gatherings in the ice cream shop. The numbers for the moment tell the success of this mode of consumption. According to Deliveroo, the online food delivery platform present in Italy in 175 cities, the months of the lockdown saw the rise of ice cream which recorded a +58% in the order numbers.

As with the on-site delivery service, there are also rules and indications for the home which must be followed correctly. First of all, the quality of the ice cream, which must be always high and guarantee the possibility of variations of tastes and combinations. Secondly there is the question of packaging . Whether it’s the tub of ice cream or the cake, the packaging must be neat and pleasant. Obviously, the packaging must be adequate from a thermal point of view to guarantee the correct conservation of the ice cream until it reaches its destination.

Finally there are the practical and organizational elements to take into consideration. In fact, you have to decide whether to take care of the home delivery service yourself, employing your own staff, or whether to rely on the independent riders linked to the food delivery apps. In addition to the economic aspects to be evaluated, there are those related to safety, liability and legal compliance.

The grab’n’go

The grab’n’go – literally “grab and go” is a practice that is spreading a lot in ice cream parlors as a post lockdown strategy. In the grab’n’go ready-made products such as sticks, ice cream cakes, single portions and other creative ideas are displayed on site in display cases and vertical refrigerators.< /span>In this way, the customer speeds up service times, opting for a product that is ready for consumption and does not waste time choosing flavours.

For this consumer experience, sight therefore becomes an essential factor. It is important that the products are well displayed to attract the consumer and lead him to immediately choose the packaged ice cream idea, pay and go away. The grab’n’go could therefore be the key for artisan ice cream parlors to reinvent themselves and grow, both in terms of professionalism and turnover.

Orion’s solutions for the restart of ice cream parlors

Orion is always at the side of ice cream shops. Offers display solutions to help businesses restart and reinvent itself, adapting to every style and need.

Cosmo is the vertical showcase refrigerated that allows exposure without limits. It is a structure that requires little space, composed of a transparent structure and with high quality LED lighting systems. Thanks to its characteristics, it allows you to offer ice cream shop customers the maximum visual experience of products and creations. The collection can be entrusted directly to the final customer.

The vertical showcase Blue proposes a new concept of vertical exposure. It is a display cabinet that combines technology and design ensuring incredible functional performance. The lighting of the four sides is independent, and guarantees perfect display of the products. The ideal solution for ensuring the conservation of products with style and elegance.

The Drop in line of bathtubs by Orion is characterized by a minimal design, suitable for a pure furnishing style; Three different depths suitable for any type of venue: Maestro 750, Dock 600, Drop In 5000.
Modularity and flexibility come together in a new built-in system, with flush surfaces and finishes suitable for any type of display. Each ice cream parlor will be able to display sweet creations on an elegant and essential background.

So what is the future of ice cream shops?

The approach and the attitude that will be adopted from here on out. Those who understand the potential of this situation and know how to turn a crisis into an opportunity, adapting and reinventing themselves, have great growth potential b> and business. Those on the other hand who see only obstacles in this situation and do not accept the change both in mentality and in working methods could encounter difficulties, risking starting afresh very slowly or not to restart at all.