Serving up Ginger Snap Caramel Popcorn is simple with Gold Medal’s corn treat concentrate mix. With just a few ingredients you can offer this sweet and unique treat.
Quickly make and serve delicious Red Cinnamon candy coated popcorn in a 5 gallon corn treat cooker. Recipe can be doubled for use in a 10 gallon corn treat cooker.
Add a surge of excitement to your popcorn! Colors come alive and flavors are bolstered thanks to the unique combination of Glaze Pop® and Corn Treat Mix.
How is it done?
For Corn Treat Mixers - simply directly replace the white sugar in the recipe with Glaze Pop® and follow the standard corn treat cooking instructions.
For a smaller, 8-oz. Kettle, here is how.
• Turn on light and kettle heat
• Allow kettle to heat up for 5 minutes
• Take you Nask Pak® & Glaze Popcorn/Oil Kit and dump into the kettle
Note: If you are using a Popcorn/Salt/Oil kit - cut a small corner of the kit to
release all the salt. You only want to put in the corn and oil.
• Pour in 4-oz. of Glaze Pop® (1/2 cup).
• Close the kettle lid and leave popper doors open
• When rapid popping stops, dump the popcorn out of the kettle
• Repeat if desired
Tip 1: When making more than one flavor, start with the lightest color first.
Tip 2: For other size batches, the amount of Glaze Pop® you put in is half the size of the kettle.
For example: 8-oz Popper = 4-oz. of Glaze Pop®
Here are some of our must-try recipes:
For breast cancer awareness month, use Cherry Pink Glaze Pop® in combination with the Basic Corn Treat Mix to create a vibrant pink color.
Mouths will water for Maple Syrup Popcorn made with Maple Glaze Pop® and Basic Corn Treat Mix. Try adding in walnuts for an unforgettable recipe.
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Trick or treat? Many businesses are realizing that Halloween can mean a significant opportunity to market your goods in a different way. In 2018, Halloween spending was estimated at $9 billion, according to the National Retail Federations’ annual survey. It’s not just pumpkin patches and haunted houses who can benefit. But you may wonder how the Halloween spirit applies to you? Here are just a few examples from different business types:
Ice cream shops are typically into their slower season by the time Halloween hits. Give business a boost by promoting Halloween specials. Transform your waffle cones into witches’ hats. Add monster eyes and candy corn as toppings. Consider selling special limited time fall flavors like pumpkin ice cream. Offer a discount to kids who come in costume.
Grocery stores are the Halloween candy destination, but what could they do to generate more sales? With gourmet popcorn, you can offer a fresh alternative. For example, mix popcorn with gummy worms for a creepy treat that kids will love. Add seasonal flavors such as caramel apple. Play it up by decorating your popcorn shop and have an associate hand out samples in costume. And don’t forget to advertise party trays for those Halloween parties – even better if they are themed.
Pumpkin spice practically fuels coffee shops in the fall months. Why not add other items to your menu that appeal to that flavor trend? Pumpkin Spice Popcorn or Praline Pumpkin Spice Fudge would make complementary additions. Just for fun, you can also use food coloring to make your whipped cream a Halloween color like orange or green. Create your own kids’ drink, give it a name like Witch’s Brew, and advertise it.
At the movie theater, popcorn takes center stage. Put a Halloween twist on it by using Orange, Green Apple, and Black Cherry flavored popcorn. If you offer nachos, you can use food coloring to make the cheese appear like green slime. Or consider selling ghoulish cotton candy. Spin it in a green or orange color, then add a small plastic spider before bagging.
Type of popcorn traditionally used for movie theatre popcorn and other buttery corn or kettle corn. When popped, it bursts into a delicate shape with many protruding “wings.” This popcorn cannot withstand the force needed to coat popcorn with heavier candy flavors, and so is not typically used for caramel or cheese corn.
Choose from our Theatre Grade Popcorn Equipment & Supplies for THEATRE POPCORN at your home, business, movie theatre, gas station, supermarket, sports arena, carnival, specialty food store/chain, theme park, restaurant, zoo, museum, art gallery, catering, golf club, country club, fair, camp, educational facility, gift shop, roller rink, ice cream shop, bowling alley, mini putt, netflix and chill night, party rental, event, or national exhibition.
What are Butterfly Ears? Butterfly ears are broken pieces of butterfly popcorn often caused by using too much force to scoop the corn. Broken corn loses visual appeal and creates waste, so it’s best to take care when scooping out servings.
Round ball-shaped type of popcorn that is stronger than butterfly popcorn and able to withstand harsher conditions. Mushroom popcorn is typically used for caramel and candy-coated corn as well as cheese corn since it holds up well during agitation in a cooker mixer or tumbler.
Make gourmet cupcakes using our Gourmet Popcorn Equipment & Supplies and your favourite cupcake mix!
Unpopped kernels can be an unwelcome and somewhat painful surprise if they should find their way to your teeth. It’s also a shame when leftover kernels end up in the garbage instead of your mouth in popped form. For snack vendors and concession business owners, discarded unpopped kernels translate into dollars and cents. But steps can be taken to greatly improve the percentages and keep unpopped kernels to a bare minimum.
Increasing the Popping Percentage
When it comes to popcorn poppers and popcorn making techniques, there are many variables. But the constant is the popcorn itself. Choosing the right brand of popcorn is a major factor in achieving a thoroughly popped batch of popcorn. This may take some trial and error. But just like any product, some brands of popcorn are simply better than others.
For concessionaires, popcorn and popping oil will often come in pre-measured bags and popping machines will generally be programmed for maximum popping efficiency. But small adjustments can still be made in regard to heating, oil amounts and agitation.
This is also important for the rest of us. Other than when using “air” popcorn machines that are built to evenly distribute kernels throughout the popping process, popcorn must continuously be agitated or shaken to allow as many kernels as possible to reach the heat source.
Other factors for popcorn popping success are being a good listener and popcorn storage. After the machine gun-like cadence at the height of a popping endeavor, listen carefully for when the popping slows down. Wait until there is a second or two between pops before removing the popcorn from the heat source. But don’t wait too long, or the popcorn will begin to burn.
Popcorn also contains a certain amount of moisture that allows it to pop effectively. So store popcorn in a tightly-sealed glass or plastic container in a cool area away from heat or sunlight.
Don’t forget that any unpopped kernels can be reused. Just add a few drops of water to moisten them up, re-insert them into your popcorn maker … and happy popping!
]]>Treat your concession customers to a fruity delight in this simple snow cone treat!
Make your party sweeter with a cotton candy burrito! It's easy to make, tastes delicious, and is a sweet sight to behold!
Start by putting ice in a blender and pureeing it until it is finely chopped. Fill your cup full of the ice, add your favorite strawberry flavoring, then add evaporated milk right on top and enjoy!
Concession Customers with Sno Kone Equipment & Supplies:
Treat your concession customers to a fruity delight in this simple snow cone treat!
Get Creative and try your own recipes with other flavours.
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If you’re thinking about buying a popcorn machine, the amount of options can seem overwhelming. Don’t worry! With six simple questions, we can help point you in the right direction.
Think about your venue. Is it a small or large venue? For example, is your venue a stadium or restaurant? Will there be a large or small crowd? These factors will determine what type of popper you get.
This is important to ask because it will determine what features your popcorn machine will have. If a volunteer is operating the popper, the machine needs to be easy to understand and use. However, if a trained employee is operating the popper, a more advanced popper can be purchased.
Estimate the number of customers you may have at the event. Are the lines constantly long or are there downtime periods? If you expect nonstop customers, your popper needs to be able to make several servings fast. Pick the popper with the correct kettle size to pop what's needed to serve your crowds.
Look at your venue space and determine where you will place your popcorn machine. Whatever area you choose, it needs to be one that the machine can fit in and function properly. Consider if you will have the popper placed on a counter, cart, or floor model.
Make sure that your venue has enough electricity to power your popcorn machine as well as everything else. Find out how much electricity is available for the popcorn machine. Check out how much electricity will be needed to use the popper. This will be a deciding factor when picking a popcorn machine.
Cleaning your popcorn machine is a big part of keeping it operational. Make sure whoever is operating the machine knows and understands the daily unit and kettle cleaning procedures. The cleaning process for the machine may direct you to choose one popper over another.
For home and small business use, you should look at 4, 6, or 8-oz. poppers. These machines will produce 60-160 oz. of popcorn per hour. The convenient size means they can fit on a countertop or be paired with a cart. They run on a standard 120V 15-amp plug. All models come with a removable E-Z Kleen Kettle, so it is simple for anyone to clean and maintain. The PowerOff® Control is available on select models, which will automatically turn off after 15 minutes of idle time. This is ideal in situations when there is not a dedicated person operating the popper.
The next size up is the 12/14-oz. size, which is right for standard concession stands such as schools, corporate events, and fundraisers. You can anticipate producing up to 210 oz. of popcorn per hour. Countertop or cart display is possible. This size also has a 120V 15-amp plug. For easy cleaning, each has the stainless steel E-Z Kleen Kettle. In most cases, the person operating the popper will be trained. For added safety, consider models with the PowerOff® Control.
Larger concession stands need the volume of a 16-oz. popper capable of producing 240-320 oz. of popcorn per hour. This size works well in environments like retail locations, restaurants, cinemas, and some stadiums/arenas. For space, it would require either a large counter space or a cart/base. The 120V 15-amp plug is still used for these models. Additional features include: E-Z Kleen Kettles, PowerOff® Control, and Big Eye Electronic Heat Control. It is recommended that only trained employees operate this level of equipment.
When you require quality and quantity in your popcorn production, look at poppers sized 32 oz. up to 60 oz. Grocery stores, cinemas, stadiums/arenas, and manufacturing facilities require this type of a popcorn powerhouse. Production rates range from 500 oz. to 1,200 oz. of popcorn per hour. These are floor models that run off of a 120/208V or 120/240V 50-amp plug. Features may include: updraft ventilation, fire suppression systems, and filtration capabilities. Plus, with FlexiPop, you will be able to tailor the batch size. Training is required for all operators. Consider trying our PopClean® Elite Popper™ Series Popcorn Machines. These poppers are available with advanced membrane control or touch screen control. Features include: highest level filtration system, fire suppression system, user-friendly interface and step-by-step instructions for operating, customizable features, and usage reports.
Give your customers two reasons to smile: with great taste and cute overload! These holiday-themed waffles are sure to be a crowd-pleaser this season.
With bright and colorful Birthday Cake Popcorn Cake, any day can be a celebration!
Check out these Halloween-inspired multi-colored funnel cakes! Try making them in local school colors or other combinations that will resonate with your customer base.
For green funnel cakes: 1/3 cup Green Apple Signature Blends
For orange funnel cakes: 1/3 cup Orange Signature Blends
For black funnel cakes: 1/3 cup Black Cherry Signature Blends
A cherry, blue raspberry, and white chocolate flavor explosion, our rainbow popcorn is a treat for the taste buds! Perfect for unicorn parties, bridal showers, baby showers, and other gatherings.
Simply add water to create these delicious Belgian waffles.
Use rainbow-colored and white chocolate waffle cones as edible decor for your unicorn party!
Directions
Add a little gourmet to your waffle cones! Red velvet waffle cones are a fan favorite.
Treat your concession customers to a fruity delight in this simple snow cone treat!
Tip: You can also premix your cream syrup by mixing 4oz. of Evaporated Milk with 28oz. of ready-to-use Sno-Kone® / Hawaii’s Finest® flavors
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Quickly make and serve delicious Red Velvet Popcorn in a 5 gallon corn treat cooker. Recipe can be doubled for use in a 10 gallon corn treat cooker.
When your taste buds crave something sweet, try caramel corn. Covered in candy-coated confection, caramel corn is a flavorful highly profitable snack. When making caramel corn there are different methods to choose from and certain guidelines that you should follow. Before you get started, consider these tips to ensure your caramel corn is the best it can be.
If you are new to the popcorn business, you may not know there are different types of popcorn. For caramel corn, we recommend using Poppa Corn Mushroom. This type of popcorn is a larger size, easy to coat, and less likely to break. This is compared to butterfly kernels which are light and tender and not recommended for caramelizing.
It is important to experiment with different mixes and see what works best for you. For cookers/mixers, Caramel Corn Treat Mixes come in different formulations. This allows you to customize your popcorn however you want. Complete Corn Treat Mixes only require you to add water. While with Corn Treat Concentrate Mixes, you can add your own sugar, oil, and water.
Butter can add extra richness to your caramel corn. If you add butter to your caramel corn recipe, you can add it any time during the cooking process. Gold Medal recommends adding the butter about midway through the cooking process.
No one wants their caramel corn stuck and clumped together. To prevent this from happening use Free-N-Easy Candy Corn Separator. This lightweight spray is a caramel corn necessity. To make sure the cooker is well seasoned, it is best to aim the spray at the paddles and the sidewalls of the cooker mixer. As the popcorn tumbles it will pull any residue off the sidewalls and make sure it ends on the product. This spray will help your caramel kernels separate easily once they cool.
Humidity and altitude are two factors you need to consider when making caramel corn. The best way to cook caramel corn is in an air-conditioned /controlled environment. This allows you to control the humidity level and keep it low. For altitude, it is important to know that water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes. When you are at higher altitudes you may need to add a little extra water to the recipe to prevent burning and to produce consistent batches.
When getting ready to package your caramel you need to make sure the product is completely cooled. If you don’t you will be trapping moisture inside the packaging. We recommend packaging your caramel corn in a window bag/package or clear package so your customers can see the great product you made.
For more caramel corn supplies and mixes click here. Or curious about what equipment to buy check out these caramel corn accessories.
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Catering companies continue to feel the impact of COVID-19. With all social gatherings at a standstill, companies have changed overnight and now look for creative ways to adapt. Here are a few ideas on new services and items that could help you pivot during these unprecedented times.
1. Fresh Curbside Pickup and Delivery
You can easily pivot and offer curbside pickup or delivery options to generate business and get some of your employees back to work. Your event planners and servers can continue to serve your customers in a slightly different way – they can become logistic managers and delivery drivers. To do this make sure best practices are in place for curbside pickup and contactless delivery. This includes making sure the staff is up to speed on safety practices and knows how to accept these types of orders. Creating a special menu can help keep your pickup and delivery services moving efficiently.
2. Send a Meal to Friends and Family
As stay at home orders are still in place in some areas, help family and friends stay connected by offering a one-of-a-kind, 3-course meal that someone can order for friends and family as a gift. You can create 3-4 different multi-course menu selections featuring a signature dish or fan favorite. Offer one meal to be sent to the recipient and one to the giver so your customer can share the meal virtually with their friends or family. Make sure your delivery area and pick up guidelines are visibly stated so the expectations are set when a customer goes to order.
3. Catering menu for small gatherings and family parties
Since social gatherings have become significantly smaller – mostly limited to family only living in the home – offering a catering menu for small gatherings or a family party is a great solution. The menu can be customizable to the event: birthday party, graduation, picnics, and more. You can also create limited-time menus for holidays such as Canada Day and National Food Days like National Donut Day (June 5), National Fudge Day (June 16), National Fried Chicken Day (July 6), National Mac and Cheese Day (July 14), and more!
4. Themed Gift Baskets
Themed Gift Baskets can be a great add on to your business. With the ability to create them using prepackaged items like caramel corn, popcorn, cotton candy, nachos and cheese, pretzels, gourmet popcorn, snow cone syrups, pre-made cookies, fudge, desserts, and more, these items will fly off the shelves. Here are a few fun gift basket ideas:
5. DIY Kits and Family Meals
Create fun, family-sized meal kits to go! You can prep all the ingredients and provide instructions on how to prepare a delicious meal for families to cook at home.
After you have established your new offerings, make sure to get the word out. Update your website, social media channels, and call friends and family. And as you are promoting your new items, don’t forget to clearly outline and stress the safety practices you have in place. Show your customers your team is ready and committed to serving them in the best and safest way possible.
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When you entered into 2020, you probably made some New Year’s resolutions. While losing weight, traveling more, or learning a new skill are great resolutions, what about your business? If you want your business to continue to succeed in 2020 it is important to have business resolutions as well. One resolution or goal every business has is to keep the company profitable. Earning a profit is important because profitability is essential to a company’s survival. Check out these three ways to keep profits rolling in all year long.
The first way to keep profits coming in all year long is to have a customer-first mentality. This means your mindset focuses on creating the ultimate experience for your customers. When you have a customer-first mentality your ultimate goal is to show your customer you put their needs ahead of everything else. A customer-first mentality means you continue to work on ways to improve your business and keep your customers happy. However, the needs and wants of your customers are constantly changing. Therefore, it is important to realize you can never be complacent. You must continue to adapt to the needs and wants of your customers and be ready to help them in any way possible.
The customer-first mentality is one that does not come easy. Your actions must reflect your customer-first mentality at all times. That means when a problem occurs you handle it right away. For example, when a message comes in from a customer, you respond right away and immediately start searching for answers. Doing these things will result in your customers trusting you and referring you to others. Ultimately, resulting in profits coming in for your company.
Click here for ideas of how you can use popcorn to show customers you care.
Another way to ensure your business will be profitable is by increasing your productivity. Instead of wishing for more hours in a day, be disciplined in how you spend your time at work. If you want to accomplish what needs to be done, make the most out of your time. One way to do this is by setting self-imposed deadlines. This means you create a deadline yourself on a project and stick to it. Beware, this may cause some self-imposed stress. However, a manageable level of stress can help motivate and keep your focus on the task at hand. Another good rule to follow to increase productivity is the “two-minute rule”. Recommended by entrepreneur, Steve Olenski, the “two-minute rule” helps you make the most of small windows of time that you have. It means that when you have a task that can be done in two minutes or less, you do it immediately. Doing the task right away actually results in less time than doing it later.
Being productive will help make your business profitable in every way. Increasing productivity results in more time for you to accomplish tasks, handle situations quicker and overall become more focused.
The final way to help your business stay profitable is by remaining visible and connected. This means that your business stays connected with your customers via all networks: social media, email marketing, and print. It is important to make your message known and show customers who you are as a company. Keeping your customers up to date across all platforms will help them remember who you are. Staying connected allows you to build relationships with prospects, leads, current customers, and even past customers.
When creating the message, be sure to showcase new and exciting things that are happening at your business. Such as new updates, new products, sales, company news, etc. This will help keep your customers interested and wanting more. When a customer knows who you are as a company and what you stand for, they are more likely to buy your product. Be sure to know what platform your target audience communicates on most and actively post there. Doing all these things will make your business more popular, likable, and well known. Thus, resulting in more potential profits.
If you’re thinking about starting a concession business, it can be overwhelming. But we can help! Find important recommendations in our blog, What to Consider When Starting a Concession Business. Then connect with a concession specialist at Poppa Corn.
]]>Running a small business is one of the most challenging and rewarding ventures you can take on, and selling food brings an even more unique set of circumstances. If you’re thinking about taking the leap and opening a food concession business, here are some factors you should consider before you get started.
Small business regulations vary by province and locality. Start by checking your city or county government website to find out what kinds of licenses and permits you may need. If you have trouble finding relevant information, a good strategy is to speak with as many people in your industry as possible and get their input.
Visit fairs, festivals, and other local events to get tips and information from experienced professionals. Ask questions about aspects of the business such as:
Once you’ve done your research and gotten some anecdotal information, meet with both an attorney and an accountant to make sure you’ll be set up properly and protected legally.
When you’re ready to get into the specific details of starting a concession stand, you should make your decisions carefully. With the right thought and planning, the equipment you purchase today could continue to generate profits for you far into the future. For a fun foods business, not just any equipment and supplies will do.
While you may be able to find equipment from an online seller at a low price, beware starting your concession business with low-quality machines whose manufacturers offer little to no warranty or service. Instead choose a manufacturer that stands behind their products and has your success in mind.
For example, Poppa Corn offers an extended parts and service warranty, and we’re happy to consult with you about the volume of your business, the size of space you have available for equipment, and your budget to determine the proper machines for you. Our team will also help set up your machines and provide training for use and maintenance.
As you start to think about which foods you should sell, keep profits at the top of your list. Running a small business, especially in the beginning, can be financially challenging. If you’re opening a traditional concession stand, before you venture into experimenting with novelty items, start out with the basic tried-and-true profit makers – items like:
With low food costs and high demand, these staples will help you get into the black more quickly. Then, if business is booming, you can start branching out into other types of foods and see what resonates with your customers.
Your supplier should be more than a vendor. It might be tempting to start out buying from a wholesale store, but you may find yourself wasting more time than planned making trips to pick things up, only to find the store is out of stock.
Instead, choose a supplier who carries what you need and also has the expertise to help you with your business – someone who can offer recommendations on new items and resources for creatively making, marketing, and selling your foods.
Balance is important as far as pricing goes – you want to make a good profit and still sell your products at a fair price. In general, plan to charge two to four times what you paid for an item, but make sure to take into consideration what competitors charge for the same thing, and what industry trends look like. Think about your venue as well: larger venues catering to upscale events can sustain higher prices than smaller locales.
Keep a pulse on customer reactions to prices and adjust as necessary until you find the numbers that work best for you.
Your business may eventually outgrow your personal time and abilities, which is certainly a good thing. But before you get to that point, you should have a plan in place for finding and hiring quality employees. Waiting to look for staff until you’re already pushed beyond your limits results in hasty decisions that may not be best for your business.
Find tips for recruiting and hiring, as well as working successfully with millennials, who make up the biggest proportion of today’s workforce.
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Unless you’re committed to being a one-person concession operator, the success of your business measurably depends on finding, developing, and retaining effective staff to help with concession food stand management and operations. This can be a surprisingly big challenge for a small business in the concession industry, especially with the changes in today’s hourly workforce, which is largely comprised of millennials.
Staffing Challenges
Today’s small business owners are experiencing a new evolution of culture (see the infographic above for the statistics). There is often a high turnover of hourly/part-time employees, partly because it’s difficult to match a competitive payroll while also maintaining the profitability of a small business. At a time when millennials are prime candidates for this type of work, it can be a challenge to motivate and reward them, as they can have high expectations and be reluctant to make commitments. Lastly, it isn’t always easy to find (or to develop) employees who have a customer-friendly attitude, present themselves well to the public, and will also promote sales.
There are hiring solutions and best practices, however. When it comes to recruiting, look at it as a continuous process. Note that if you recruit only when you have job openings, the pressure to hire quickly can lead to costly mistakes, including less time for quality training.
Tips for Recruiting and Hiring for Small Businesses
Working with Millennials
As mentioned earlier, millennials make up the majority of the employee base for small businesses, including those in concessions. While they’re typically very good workers, there can be some obstacles that come along with this generation. Better understanding this new workforce will help you develop and retain the best of the best.
Millennials grew up with rapidly evolving technology. This is the first generation of “digital natives,” meaning they were born into a world with cell phones, social media, and the immediacy of online shopping. Because of the variety of technologies that have always been a part of their lives, they tend to be good multi-taskers with a lot of energy.
In general, millennials have been raised in an environment where norms and authority are questioned and everyone was a winner. Knowing this can help you better communicate with them, especially if you follow these tips:
There is much to consider when it comes to hiring, but Poppa Corn is your partner in the concession business. Not only do we offer resources for training your staff on operating and maintaining our equipment, but we can also help you develop best practices for concession food stand management, recipes, profitability, and the overall operation of your business. Call us today to see how we can help you succeed.
Sources:
You’ve worked hard to get your popcorn shop off the ground. Now you have an organized storefront or mobile business, excellent products, and a strong customer base – and it’s great! But how many hours are you putting in? How often are you able to take a break from your business and spend time with your family or enjoy your hobbies?
If you can’t remember the last time you really relaxed, it’s time to think about hiring some help.
Balancing the need for more workers with your budget and profit margins can be tricky. But there are plenty of circumstances in which not hiring people can actually hurt your bottom line. Think about these situations and which might apply to you:
- Are you frequently too busy to help customers in a timely manner? If business is booming and customers are waiting in long lines, they may get fed up and leave without ever making a purchase. You want to be able to handle demand in your shop at peak times. Having an additional associate to take orders, prepare items for purchase, and ring up sales helps reduce wait times and increase customer satisfaction.
- Do you want to expand your business hours? You can’t work all day every day without getting burned out. If it’s time for your store to stay open longer, then it’s time to hire employees. You’ll need someone you can trust to handle opening or closing so that you can step away.
- Do you want to offer more products? Once your store reaches a certain amount of business, if you’re in the back making fudge or gourmet popcorn, you can’t also be answering customer questions and running the cash register. To expand your lineup, you’ll either need employees who can operate your equipment or who can handle customer service.
- Do you expect business to pick up during a particular season? The summer season, as well as winter holidays, are common times to add temporary staff. These times that you’re busier than usual can be a great way to practice employing people without the pressure of choosing a permanent staff member. Offer jobs to high school or college students on break as you acclimate yourself to hiring, training, and managing staff.
There are a lot of reasons for hiring more staff, including some that may not have occurred to you:
- Find your passion again. When you’re at the job day in and day out, you might not even notice yourself getting burned out. But everyone needs some time away, even from things they love – and that includes you. Once you’ve got some employees you trust who can handle things while you’re away, you’ll be able to take a break and come back refreshed and remembering why you started your business in the first place.
- See things through someone else’s perspective. You live and breathe your business, and it’s entirely built from your vision. Adding a new perspective from someone who is not as invested as you are can be a breath of fresh air. New employees can help you solve problems you struggle with and can provide feedback on issues you may have overlooked. Just be sure to create an environment in which it’s acceptable and encouraged for your staff to point these things out to you.
- Give back to the community. As a small business owner, you have a special place in your community. With your hiring practices, you can become a mentor to young people working their first jobs and a social outlet for seniors looking for a way to supplement income and fill time. Hiring staff at your small business also helps keep tax dollars in your community and can stimulate your local economy.
If you’ve decided it’s time to hire, keep these things in mind:
- Will you need part-time or full-time workers? Think about the type of schedule you will want someone to work so you can be upfront about that from the start.
- Will you offer benefits such as health insurance? Employees of small businesses have varying expectations regarding benefits. With your first few employees, you are likely not mandated to offer any benefits, but laws can change, so make sure you’re up-to-date on what you’re required to provide.
- Will you do the hiring on your own or use a staffing agency? You have more control on your own, but advertising, interviewing, and choosing candidates can take a lot of your time. Staffing agencies can handle this for you, but you’ll pay for their time.
- How will you handle payroll and taxes? Remember that there’s more in play than just the salary you’ll pay employees. Make sure you’re confident in your accounting skills and caught up on laws, or hire an experienced payroll accountant to cover this aspect for you.
When you’re ready to hire, place ads near your business. A majority of people work close to their homes, or would prefer to. So advertise nearby, as well as using online job boards. Make sure to hire people who are willing to learn and who you think you can get along with, since you’ll be spending a lot of time together and trusting them with part of your business. And if business continues to boom, be prepared to hire additional staff so you and your employees don’t risk burnout.
]]>Your customers are what keeps your business running, so of course it’s important to show them your appreciation. There are countless ways to do so, and in this article we’ll focus on one versatile, fun, and affordable option: popcorn! Whether you’re looking to add a quick smile to a walk-in customer’s face or craft a special event for your top clients, popcorn can do it all.
The simplest way to recognize all customers who enter your business is by providing fresh popcorn free of charge. A popcorn cart in your public space is an eye-catcher, and the aroma will draw customers’ attention. A small popper will control waste and is easy for your staff to operate. Customers will love the light and tasty snack – just don’t forget to pair it with a beverage. Bottled water and soft drinks are good options, and keeping coffee and a selection of teas on hand is a good idea as well.
For clients who have made significant purchases or investments with your company, consider sending a gift to their home or office. Personalize the packaging or include a handwritten card to say thank you after the deal has closed. People don’t necessarily expect to hear from you as much after you’ve gotten their business, and a nice gift can go a long way toward continuing the relationship. Caramel corn or other specialty flavors like barbecue or hot jalapeño make excellent popcorn gifts.
A customer appreciation day doesn’t have to be a formal affair. Publicize the date in advance, make it open to the public, and plan to include special sales or discounts for those who stop in. To keep people inside longer and give your representatives a chance to speak with them about their needs, you can set up a few fun stations to visit. A gourmet popcorn bar with sweet, savory, and unexpected flavors is sure to be a hit. Adapt to the appropriate season, or use colors associated with your business. Other stations could include face painting or balloon animals for kids, as well as a raffle ticket booth for a local product or service.
Planning an upscale event for your best customers is a great way not only to show appreciation but also to solidify the partnership. Your efforts to go above and beyond will be noticed and can pay off with increased customer retention rates.
No matter which customer appreciation routes you take, be sure your employees are also showing their appreciation in smaller ways every day. Smiles, empathy, and thanks should go along with every interaction so your customers always feel welcomed and valued at your business.
]]>What are the top occasions for holiday spending? #1 is Christmas and Hanukkah, #2 is Mother’s Day, and #3 is Valentine’s Day.* Less than a month away, there are plenty of ways to drive sales that center around a Valentine theme – you just have to think outside of the (chocolate) box. Here are some unique food ideas for putting a relevant twist on your concession products for February 14.
Rely on red-inspired colors and flavors to set the tone. Cinnamon or strawberry-flavored popcorn can be served year-round, but February is the perfect time to put these center stage. Serve them in clear and/or heart-shaped packaging to add interest, so that they catch the eyes of your customers. Another fun recipe we recommend is red velvet popcorn – made even better when topped with a white chocolate drizzle!
Cotton candy is a fun sweet treat that will go over well for Valentine’s Day, especially when you feature gourmet cotton candy flavors, like chocolate strawberry or chocolate cherry. These decadent choices of Flossugar will wow your customers. Pro tip: Give cotton candy a creative presentation like a heart or flower shape. And use red, pink, or other decorative cellophane to dress it up and make it even more attention-grabbing for the consumer.
While fudge is another popular gift option, you don’t have to rely on just traditional chocolate flavors. Sell it with a softer look when you offer it with a unique twist. We recommend making vanilla cherry swirl fudge, which is both delicious and visually appealing. Click here to watch a demonstration on how to make a winged fudge swirl pattern. If you’re feeling especially romantic, try making a heart-shaped pattern!
Sweet and tart, this chocolate-covered strawberry fudge will be a customer favorite any time of year!
As a food business, you’re likely to struggle less with January’s retail trend of customer returns than other stores. This is great for your bottom line, but you still need to continue to generate sales after the holidays too. Here are 3 easy ideas to keep customers coming in and choosing to spend at your shop.
1. Encourage higher transaction amounts for customers spending holiday gift cards. If you typically offer $25 gift cards, for example, create a January deal for a certain percentage off purchases of $30 or more. This will incentivize people to spend more than their gift card amount to get the discount, resulting in additional sales dollars for you.
2. Attract health-focused consumers. With New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and eat healthy, many people will be scaling back consumption of sweets and snacks. Capitalize on the health benefits of popcorn as a low-calorie snack! Advertise your lightest savory flavors, as well as sweet flavors for an alternative to baked goods. You can promote Lemon Pound Cake kettle corn as a 130-calorie per serving replacement for cookies and cakes.
3. Advertise gift baskets for all occasions. Just because the holiday season has ended doesn’t mean people are off the hook for gift giving. Birthdays, baby showers, and plenty of other special life events call for presents, and a locally made gift basket can be a nice thoughtful touch, especially early in the year when people might be tired of choosing the right gift after the holidays.