Catering with Gelato
As we move toward the height of summer, now’s the time to consider showcasing your gelato and brand at local festivals and events. Catering with gelato is a great way to expand your business and customer reach, that’s why we’re revisiting this P Magazine article by Christiane Carter, marketing support, PreGel America, to inspire your professional growth.
Social Event planners are no longer satisfied with ending their exciting events with the traditional pastry or cake offerings. Now event professionals are venturing out into the frozen dessert industry to explore alternative solutions for their dessert conundrum in order to please the increasingly complex tastes of their clients. Some of America’s most popular gelato brands have capitalized on this opportunity and have hit a gold mine: gelato catering.
If you already own a gelato shop, complete with a batch freezer and blast freezer, growing your company in this direction doesn’t require a large investment; but the size of your investment will depend on the kind of experience you want to provide the guests at each event.
Before digging into the details of unique flavor options, the first thing to consider is the structure in which you will want to hold your gelato and sorbetto to ensure its optimal presentation and quality.
$ Cooler/ Ice Box: This popular and inexpensive option is also the easiest to coordinate on the day of the event because it requires no electrical hookups or heavy equipment to install. The downside is that the gelato won’t stay at its optimal temperature for longer than three hours on average, so ensure your event is short, and communicate this important restriction to your client.
$$ Gelato Carts: This option really adds a festive presence to any social event and is the most popular option among gelato shops because of its mobility. Like with any gelato cabinet, it can be pricey to purchase and maintain, but because of its traditional Italian design, you should verify that the model you desire is supported by a manufacturer that provides excellent service.
$$$ Gelato Truck: This option opens the door for your business to take off, not just in the private social events realm, but also for public events such as food festivals or farmers markets. That means this option has more potential to have a higher ROI.
When it comes to impact, gelato shops that cater at special events aren’t just scooping gelato, they’re offering unique experiences that enhance the event. Two popular options for adding that special touch are listed below:
- Coordinated Toppings Bar: Any kind of activity that allows a guest to customize their experience will always be top-rated. Catering companies are setting up large buffet tables with countless sweet and interesting toppings that coordinate with the theme of the event, whether it’s by color or by flavor.
- Hot Waffle Action Stations: If you have an amazing waffle cone recipe, consider taking that on the road with your gelato as well. Eventgoers taking pictures of your staff making fresh waffle cones for their gelato not only creates a memorable moment for the guests, but adds branded marketing opportunities when the picture is posted online by an excited customer.
Keep these aspects in mind to make the prospect of expanding your gelato business into the social events industry a feasible probability.