Ice-cream season is in full swing when the ice cream display freezer is getting its moment of glory.

If you have a store, café, or restaurant to offer frozen treats to your customers this summer, or If you are planning to start your own ice cream business, then you’ll know that one of the most important and daunting investments you must make is buying an ice cream freezer.

Commercial display freezers are numerous, therefore, the need to follow certain criteria for you to get the right one is paramount. Not any model is a proper fit, therefore, do not pick the first one you come across.

1. Type and temperature

The reason why most people love ice cream is the variety of flavors available. This should be at the back of your mind as you get a freezer for commercial purposes. Pleasing your customers and achieving their loyalty should be your priority. Ice cream is perishable, and its contents can become compromised if the temperature slightly dips or rises.

Ice crystals can ruin the smooth, creamy texture of ice cream and frozen dairy products are a direct result of fluctuating temperatures. Ice cream that melts even slightly, forms ice crystals when refrozen. To ensure you are serving or selling the highest quality ice cream, you need to keep them on at an ideal temperature.

First and foremost ice cream should be stored between -12 and -24 degrees Celsius. This ensures the ice cream remains frozen and solid. As mentioned, when ice cream defrosts, ice crystals form which ruins that smooth creamy texture your customers crave. Those crystals create an unexpected, unpleasant crunch.

Although the ideal serving temperature is higher, the solid hard ice cream is always best for consistency that keeps it smooth at serving temperatures. This is important in self-serve novelty freezers or open displays because they are accessed more frequently and therefore you have to keep ice cream stored below the freezer line to avoid thawing.

There are basically two types of ice cream freezers. Those designed for self-serve ice cream products sold to customers are dipping cabinets. Dipping cabinets hold either large tubs of ice cream or trays of gelato. Both are designed for single-serve or hand-packed ice cream freshly prepared for customers.

And those designed for “dipping” service for ice cream parlors and gelato shops are display freezers. Display freezers are designed to hold pre-packed tubs of ice cream and/or a selection of frozen novelties such as popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, etc.

If you offer a wide selection of ice creams and gelatos for dipping services, it becomes complicated as the two types of frozen desserts have different recommended storage temperatures to maintain the right consistency. Therefore it is best to choose two separate dipping cabinets so you can keep each product at its ideal temperature.

2. Efficiency

If ice cream is your main business or even something your customers might frequently order, efficiency should be one of the first and more important considerations. Bear in mind that inefficient ice cream freezers may lose your money in the long run. Even if the investment in the right freezer for you seems high initially, if you need to maintain steady ice cream storage and display, it can pay itself off quickly.

If you’re looking for a freezer that can both store and display, you’ll want a dipping cabinet. These ice cream freezers are the single most efficient type of ice cream freezers for an employee who will be serving ice cream directly to customers. Although they typically are the most efficient freezer, it all boils down to what your exact needs are. We’ll go deeper into which freezer is best for what down below.

3. Capacity

When you’re researching capacity, consider how many customers you will have to serve, and how quickly the freezer can keep up with demand. Much as you may want and/or need a large ice cream fridge, you should think about the space that you have in your parlor. Even if you plan to sell this product alone, you don’t have to go for a large freezer for ice cream if you don’t have enough space for it. In the future, you may need to bring other food service equipment into your store, therefore, get a small ice cream freezer that does not occupy too much space.

Ice cream freezers are very important to stay at the top of the competition when it comes to ice cream shops. Always buy a freezer that can hold up all of the different flavors you have to offer. Customers like to have variety and if you have you have it then you should make sure to display that variety. The ice cream business flourishes with the approach of the summer season. Having a nice display unit gives an advantage over all the other shops which increases the customer influx of the shop. Displaying your beautiful ice cream variety is essential to increasing your customers and flourishing the ice cream business.

Eye-catching display units are essential for thriving in the fiercely competitive ice cream business. And when it comes to showcasing your frozen delights in all their glory, smad ice cream freezers are the game-changers you need. 

Head over to the smad website to browse the extensive range of ice cream freezers and find the perfect fit for your shop. Smad even offer customization options to match your brand and style!