Do you want to start an ice cream making business? If yes, you are in the right place. Any individual can initiate an ice cream manufacturing business on a small-scale basis with low startup capital investment.
Ice cream is a frozen blend of a sweetened cream mixture and air, with added flavorings. A wide variety of ingredients is allowed in ice cream. However, you must maintain the minimum amounts of milk fat, milk solids (protein + lactose + minerals), and air in ice cream making.
Is Ice Cream Making Business Profitable?
The per capita consumption of ice creams in India is approximately 200 ml. per annum. However, the average global per capita consumption is 2 liters. The lowest per capita consumption of ice cream leaves ample scope for Ice cream products in general in India.
The increase in per capita income in the urban population with a fast-changing lifestyle is driving the ice cream market presently.
Ice cream is a must-have item at parties, events, and occasional gatherings, particularly in marriages, meetings, and social gatherings. It is being used even in villages and towns. The consumption of ice cream is likely to increase in the future. There is good scope for any new entrepreneur to venture into this field.
Steps to Start an Ice Cream Manufacturing Business
1. Understand the Market
Frozen dairy production follows a clear seasonal pattern. Summer is the unchallenged season for eating ice cream and other related products. Production kicks up in March and April to fill retail and food service pipelines in the late spring and early summer.
June is the highest production month of the year, but production remains strong through August to satisfy summer demand. Production declines through the end of the year.
2. Ice Cream Manufacturing Business Legalities
In starting an ice cream-making business, you will need to decide first on the ownership pattern. Register accordingly at the Register of Companies.
In addition, obtain a Trade License and register your business. As you are starting food item manufacturing, you will need to obtain permission from FSSAI. Contact your local DIC office. Depending on the manufacturing process they will guide you about what specific license you will need to have.
3. Raw Materials For Ice Cream Making
There is a wide range of ingredients and formulations (recipes) you can use in ice cream. The major required raw materials are milk, milk powder, cream, or butter. Furthermore, various other ingredients are sugar, flavors, stabilizer, and color powder.
Additionally, the required packaging consumables are cups, a paper wrapper, a polyethylene-coated box (500 ml & 1000 ml. size), and a carton packet. All the raw materials and consumables are locally available.
You will need to ensure proper sources of uninterrupted electric power and water at your factory premises.
4. Ice Cream Making Machines
An ice cream plant has two main sections namely (A) condensing section and (B) the freezing section. Besides, there is a host of other electrical and mechanical equipment along with piping. The main required machines are
- Refrigeration compressor, 5 TR capacity complete with motor and accessories
- Cooled condenser complete with piping, the water spray assembly
- Liquid receiver
- M.S. Brine tank
- Agitator fan assembly
- Thermocole
- Push Cart trolleys
- Ice-cream freezer complete with extension
- Valve, shut off valve, etc.
- Electrical including motors
- Mechanical accessories such as a dehydrator.
You may also plan for an automatic setup. However, an automatic plan setup provides high production output with minimum manpower involvement.
5. Ice Cream Manufacturing Process
Basically, ice cream is a frozen dairy product. You can produce ice cream by suitable blending and processing of milk cream.
Generally, you will need to mix the milk products with sugar, flavors, and stabilizers. It forms a creamy texture through the incorporation of air by agitating during the freezing process. The main steps in the production of ice cream are:
a) Blend the Mixture
First of all, blend the milk fat source, nonfat solids, stabilizers, and emulsifiers. you have to ensure complete mixing of liquid and dry ingredients.
b) Pasteurize Mix
Then pasteurize the ice cream mix at 155°F (68.3°C) for 30 minutes or 175°F (79.4C) for 25 sec. The conditions used to pasteurize ice cream mix are greater than those used for fluid milk because of increased viscosity from the higher fat, solids, and sweetener content, and the addition of egg yolks in custard products.
c) Homogenize
Ice cream mix is homogenized (2500 to 3000 psi) to decrease the milk fat globule size to form a better emulsion and contribute to smoother, creamier ice cream. Homogenization also ensures that the emulsifiers and stabilizers are well-blended and evenly distributed in the ice cream mix before it is frozen.
d) Aging the Mix
Ice cream mix is aged at 40°F (5°C) for at least 4 hours or overnight. Aging the mix cools it down before freezing, allows the milk fat to partially crystallize, and gives the proteins stabilizers time to hydrate. This improves the whipping properties of the mix.
e) Add Liquid Flavors and Colors
Liquid flavors and colors may be added to the mix before freezing. Only ingredients that are liquid can be added before freezing, to make sure the mix flows properly through the freezing equipment.
f) Freeze
The process involves freezing the mix and incorporating air. You can freeze the ice cream mix in batches or continuous freezers. However, it depends on the type of freezer. Batch freezers consist of a rotating barrel. Usually, you can fill it one-third to one-half full with an ice cream mix. As the barrel turns, the air in the barrel incorporates into the ice cream mix.
g) Add Fruits, Nuts, and Bulky Flavorings (candy pieces, etc.)
Fruits, swirls, and any bulky type of flavorings (nuts, candy pieces, etc.) are added at this point. These ingredients cannot be added before freezing or they would interfere with the smooth flow of the mix through the freezer.
h) Cooling Storage
The ice cream is cooled as quickly as possible down to a holding temperature of less than -13°F(-25°C). The temperatures and times of cooling will depend on the type of storage freezer. Rapid cooling will promote the quick freezing of water and create small ice crystals. Storage at -13°F(-25°C) will help to stabilize the ice crystals and maintain product quality.
Ice cream must contain at least 10% milk fat and at least 20% total milk solids. In addition, it may contain safe and suitable sweeteners, emulsifiers and stabilizers, and flavoring materials. The finished ice cream must weigh at least 4.5 pounds per gallon.
Additionally, you must maintain at least 1.6 pounds of total solids (fat + protein + lactose + minerals + added sugar) per gallon, thus limiting the maximum amount of air (called overrun) that can be incorporated into ice cream.
6. Ice Cream Manufacturing Project Cost:
For a Plant Capacity of 1000 kg/day following is the approximate cost and returns:
- Plant & Machinery: Rupees 13 Lakhs
- Total Capital Investment: Rupees 98 Lakhs
- Return on Investment: 58.78%
- Break-Even: 31.65%
If you want to start an ice cream business, then you must have adequate knowledge of raw materials, equipment, and processing. The ice cream manufacturing business is a potentially profitable business if planned properly.