Commercial frozen yogurt makers are a subcategory of the broader ice cream machines that make fro-yo for customers looking for healthier alternatives during the hot summer months. Yogurt has a different consistency than ice cream mixtures, milk, and water and requires specialized machinery to be processed perfectly. However, regarding controls and functions, frozen yogurt makers are not too different from their ice cream and soft serve maker counterparts.
They all have advanced temperature controls, high output capacity, and user-friendly interfaces for fast-paced store use. Investing in a frozen yogurt machine improves your dessert offerings, creates creative menu items, and attracts a health-conscious customer group to your store.
Commercial frozen yogurt makers are categorized based on their placement/size as countertop and floor models or the number of flavors they can make. These two parameters are the first things you need to consider among many. In addition to size and flavor number, you’ll also need to consider capacity, output per cycle, ease of cleaning and maintenance, durability and reliability, temperature controls, mix-in capabilities, digital controls, self-cleaning features, and brand reputation to make a profitable investment.
After considering these key matters, you can benefit from your chosen unit in 4 amazing ways: increased revenues, improved operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and versatility. As long as you install and maintain your fro-yo machine correctly, you can rest assured that these amazing benefits will be in your corner, boosting your business for a long time.
While any business can enjoy these advantages with the right marketing, ice cream parlors, restaurants, cafeterias, food courts, and specialty dessert shops are bound to observe a visible profit increase by adding a fro-yo maker to their establishment. Compared to soft serve machines and ice cream batch freezers, frozen yogurt machines create a lighter treat that many love for its low-fat content, probiotic benefits, and delicious taste.
What are The Types of Commercial Frozen Yogurt Makers?
The types of commercial frozen yogurt makers are distinguished based on their size/placement and the number of flavors/hoppers on the unit. You should assess the scale of your business and the number of flavors you wish to offer within your business scope to see which model will work best for you.
Countertop Models
Countertop frozen yogurt makers are meant for small to medium-scale businesses with limited space and low production volume requirements. You can invest in one of these models to offer frozen yogurt as an additional menu item without dedicating a large area to the equipment.
Their portability and ease of installation make them attractive for businesses offering frozen yogurt seasonally or at multiple locations or events. Despite their relatively small size, these units can produce quite a bit of fro-yo. The output of a countertop model could range from 2 to 52 quarts (1.892 to 49.21 kg) per hour, depending on its size. You should get several low-capacity countertop units instead of one with high-volume production to make the staff’s job easier and manage simultaneous orders with reduced wait time.
Floor Models
Floor model frozen yogurt machines are larger units designed for high-volume fro-yo production in medium to large businesses. As the name suggests, they are placed on the floor directly and take up quite a bit of space, which might not be ideal if you can’t accommodate such large equipment in your kitchen. Thanks to their robust build, floor models can handle continuous operation and last longer, making them suitable for busy environments where customers expect quick service.
They give more control to the user over the quality of the end product through features such as advanced temperature controls and multiple flavor options. High-volume floor models can produce around 7 servings per minute, great for ice cream and fro-yo parlors with customers queuing. Naturally, on average, floor models are more expensive than countertop units, but you can still find budget-friendly options. A floor model frozen yogurt machine’s price ranges from $6,000 to $28,000.
Single vs. Multi-Flavor Machines
Commercial frozen yogurt makers are distinguished by their ability to produce either a single flavor or multiple flavors simultaneously. Multiple-flavor units possess several hoppers for separate production and often have self-cleaning features to minimize the risk of cross-contamination and ensure the continuity of servings. While they require extra maintenance and are slightly more expensive, they contribute immensely to your menu and customer experience and, consequently, your profits.
Single-flavor machines produce one flavor at a time. They are an excellent choice for businesses that wish to focus on a specific frozen yogurt flavor or only offer fro-yo as one of the many dessert offerings of the establishment. These units are simpler to install, operate, and maintain and more cost-effective for businesses starting in the frozen yogurt market.
What are The Key Features of Commercial Frozen Yogurt Makers to Consider When Purchasing?
There are 9 key features you need to consider when purchasing a commercial frozen yogurt maker. You should assess the capacity and the output you need to meet the demand, ease of cleaning, self-cleaning features, ease of maintenance, durability, and reliability for the longevity of your investment, and temperature controls, mix-in capabilities, and digital controls for more precise control over the quality of your frozen yogurt. There is a great variety of frozen yogurt machines you can choose from based on these 9 qualities to make a lasting, advantageous investment for your establishment.
Capacity
The capacity of a frozen yogurt machine differs based on hopper count and cylinder size. The size of these components defines how much fro-yo mix you can put into the machine before you need a refill. Freezing cylinders are where the product is whipped into desired consistencies and kept from freezing or crystallizing.
At the same time, the hoppers are the storage sections for the fro-yo mix that is fed into the freezing cylinder chambers. Investing in large and numerous hoppers will eliminate the need for midday refills and save you a lot of effort during rush hours.
Similarly, high-capacity cylinders will ensure you have fro-yo at hand for longer hours without wait time. The hopper capacity of a frozen yogurt machine could range from 4 to 20 qt (4.012 to 20.062 kg), while the cylinder capacity ranges from 1.9 to 30 qt (1.905 to 30.094 kg) on average. Both capacities could increase depending on the model or the custom design.
Output
The output of a frozen yogurt machine refers to the amount of frozen yogurt the machine can dispense per minute or hour. Higher output machines are essential for businesses that experience peak times or serve many customers. It’s important to match the output capabilities of the machine with your business’s pace and demand to ensure smooth operations and customer satisfaction.
A single serving of fro-yo tends to be 4 ounces (113.398 g), half a cup, since the rest is filled with various toppings. Depending on the model, a frozen yogurt machine’s output could range from 2 to 19.8 pounds (0.907 to 8.981 kg) per hour or higher. You can use the following measure as a rule of thumb when shopping: a low-volume unit will create 1-2 servings per minute, a medium-volume unit will make around 4 or 5 servings, and a high-volume unit will create 7-8 servings.
Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance
Ease of cleaning and maintenance directly impacts the longevity and hygiene of your frozen yogurt machine. You should look for machines designed with easy-to-remove parts and smooth surfaces that can be cleaned without much effort. Ease of disassembly and reassembly makes your downtimes shrink and makes periodical check-ups and clean-ups a breeze.
Paying attention to these two details before purchasing can save you time and reduce labor costs in the long run. Regular maintenance is a must for the longevity of all commercial equipment, and picking a model from a reputable brand that offers straightforward maintenance procedures or support services would be a huge bonus.
Durability and Reliability
The durability and reliability of a frozen yogurt machine can be ensured by choosing models made out of robust and antimicrobial materials, such as stainless steel, that have long-term warranties, showing the brand’s confidence in its product. A durable unit will create consistent fro-yo for as long as possible and minimize downtime and repair costs. While a less durable alternative might come with a cheaper price tag, the amount you save won’t cover long-term financial losses.
Investing in the best you can find early on is best to prevent unexpected malfunctioning and such. You can gauge a machine’s reliability by checking reviews from previous buyers, investigating the brand’s overall reputation, and ensuring a solid support system and warranty offered by the manufacturer in case of issues.
Temperature Control
Temperature controls of commercial frozen yogurt machines are designed for precise control. By adjusting and maintaining desired temperatures, you can ensure the consistency of quality and taste for your customers. Also, some models have auto-control features for temperature and consistency to self-regulate the standardized production process.
Mix-in Capabilities
Mix-in capabilities refer to a frozen yogurt machine’s ability to directly integrate toppings like fruits, nuts, or candies into the frozen yogurt as it is dispensed. This feature enhances your customers’ variety and customization options, making your offerings more appealing. Toppings are a great way of making people think there are more dessert options when the base product is all the same. If mix-ins are essential to your menu, consider machines designed to handle this feature efficiently.
Digital Controls
Digital controls on frozen yogurt machines are designed to make operations more intuitive and precise. These controls include programmable settings connected to your phone through Wi-Fi connectivity, real-time machine function monitoring through apps or digital panels, and automated alerts for maintenance needs. These controls can enhance the consistency of your product by allowing precise adjustments to the machine’s operation through intuitively designed settings.
Self-cleaning Features
Self-cleaning features on frozen yogurt makers refer to automated cleaning between cycles to flush out the system without extra attention needed from the staff members. Self-cleaning is a significant time-saver and helps ensure the machine remains hygienic between uses. This is particularly beneficial in high-volume environments where time is of the essence. If you plan to change flavors between cycles, this feature greatly protects against cross-contamination danger.
Popular Frozen Yogurt Maker Brands
Popular frozen yogurt maker brands include Donper, Lunar Ice, Pasmo, and SaniServ. Partnering with a reputable brand with good customer support can improve the longevity of your investment and ensure you have the necessary professional help if needed.
- Donper: Donper has been in the industry since 1966, and they specialize in frozen drink and dessert machines. They offer the longest warranty in the industry with a 5-year compressor warranty, 3-year parts warranty, and 1-year labor warranty. Thanks to all the customer-centric measures, you can confidently invest in a Donper unit. They also have leasing and financing available.
- Lunar Ice: Lunar Ice is an innovative name in the industry with its various digital controls, such as micro-compressor controls to regulate refrigeration, low-mix alerts, hopper agitators, standby mode, and dispense counters for record keeping.
- Pasmo: Pasmo was founded in 2013 and quickly expanded since. You can find a Pasmo frozen yogurt maker or an ice cream maker in your favorite fast-food chain or even on military bases. Thanks to its reliability, many big establishments have opted to work with Pasmo, which is a good enough testimonial for someone looking for a frozen yogurt machine. They currently operate in 25 countries and have an extensive support network.
- SaniServ: SaniServ is an innovative brand with a large variety of frozen product makers. Their new frozen yogurt machines are equipped with new scroll compressors that are 20% more efficient and significantly quieter. Thanks to such optimization measures, SaniServ units can boost your profit margins and create a more comfortable work environment for you and your staff.
- Waring: Waring is a trusted name in commercial kitchen equipment, and their frozen yogurt machines are no exception. Known for their robust construction and durability, Waring frozen yogurt machines are built to withstand the demands of busy foodservice environments. These machines offer reliable performance, with powerful motors and efficient freezing mechanisms that consistently produce smooth, creamy frozen yogurt.
Waring designs its machines with simplicity and ease of use, making them accessible for operators of all experience levels. Features such as easy-to-use controls, quick cooling times, and minimal maintenance requirements make Waring frozen yogurt machines a practical choice for restaurants, cafes, and other food establishments. Waring’s commitment to quality and performance ensures that its frozen yogurt machines deliver excellent results, helping businesses meet customer demands efficiently.
- Spaceman: Spaceman is a renowned manufacturer of high-quality frozen yogurt machines known for their reliability, efficiency, and user-friendly design. Spaceman machines are engineered with advanced technology, including digital controls and innovative refrigeration systems that ensure consistent product quality and optimal freezing performance.
The company offers various models catering to business needs, from small cafes to high-volume frozen yogurt shops. Spaceman’s frozen yogurt machines are designed for easy operation and maintenance, featuring components that can be quickly disassembled for cleaning. With a focus on energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, Spaceman machines use eco-friendly refrigerants designed to minimize energy consumption, making them a popular choice for businesses offering delicious frozen yogurt while maintaining operational efficiency.
What are the Benefits of Commercial Frozen Yogurt Makers
4 benefits of using commercial frozen yogurt makers in your establishment are increased revenue potential, operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and versatility. By investing in a fro-yo maker, you can enjoy these perks and see a visible boost to your business.
Increased Revenue Potential
Commercial frozen yogurt makers can increase your revenue in three major ways. First, offering an additional dessert with colorful toppings can appeal to a larger customer base and attract more people to your store. Second, fro-yo, thanks to its low-fat content and probiotics, can attract the health-conscious crowd to your dessert store. Lastly, the ability to quickly produce large quantities of frozen yogurt means you can serve more customers in less time, maximizing revenue, especially during peak hours.
Operational Efficiency
Commercial frozen yogurt makers can improve the operational efficiency of your business through their high output, ease of use, and streamlined production process. With advanced features like digital controls, automated dispensing, and self-cleaning options, commercial frozen yogurt makers help reduce the time and effort required to produce and serve a product with high profit margins. This operational efficiency allows staff to focus on other tasks, improving overall productivity.
Cost-Effectiveness
While the initial investment in a commercial frozen yogurt machine can be significant, the long-term cost benefits and the high-profit margin of fro-yo make up for it. These machines are built to last and require minimal maintenance, leading to lower utility bills over time. Frozen yogurt requires few ingredients and can be sold for quite high profits with some toppings and good marketing.
Versatility
Commercial frozen yogurt makers offer versatility in product offerings. Some models can also produce frozen custard, sorbet, soft serve, ice cream, and fro-yo. This versatility allows businesses to expand their menu and cater to a broader customer base with only one piece of equipment. Use mix-in capabilities to improve your market appeal and competitiveness.
Installation Requirements for Commercial Frozen Yogurt Makers
The installation requirements for commercial frozen yogurt makers can be summed up in 5 points.
1. Electrical Supply: Frozen yogurt machines, especially floor models, need a dedicated electric circuit to support their power specifications. The voltage requirements for frozen yogurt machines range from 208-230V on average.
2. Plumbing Integration: Ensure a professional plumber does the installation to not disrupt the functioning of other water-based equipment. If your commercial frozen yogurt machine is water-cooled, it might require a water supply and drainage.
3. Noise: Consider placing them at the back of the kitchen where they are out of the way and away from the customer area. While fro-yo machines are not too loud, old floor models could cause quite a bit of disturbance.
4. Space Assessment and Preparation: Check if the ground or the counter is level and strong enough to withstand the unit’s weight. You can reinforce and level it if it’s not suited to carrying such heavy equipment.
5. Compliance with Health and Safety Regulations: Check in with your local supplier for codes and regulations that are relevant to you to safely install your unit. As a general rule of thumb, federal and local governing bodies dictate that you hire professionals to install refrigerants and equip your staff with the necessary protective gear to safely carry out the installation process.
Maintenance of Commercial Frozen Yogurt Makers
Maintenance of commercial frozen yogurt makers can vary from model to model, but there are 5 basic principles you can follow to avoid unexpected malfunctions or premature breakdowns.
- Daily Cleaning: At the end of each day, you should disassemble all removable parts of the machine, including the hopper, dasher, blades, and nozzles, and wash them thoroughly with warm and soapy water to remove any residual yogurt mix. Then, rinse them with clean water and allow them to air dry. You can use food-safe sanitizers to eliminate the risk of germs. Purchasing an easy-to-disassemble unit with self-cleaning features can make your job incredibly easy.
- Routine Professional Check-ups: You should schedule routine professional check-ups once a year to ensure your unit is in tip-top condition. A professional can spot issues that might escape your eye and get ahead of problems.
- Temperature Monitoring: You should monitor the temperature levels of your unit to make sure there are no fluctuations that endanger your product. Commercial frozen yogurt makers also act as storage units because the product remains within the unit until it is dispensed for serving. This aspect of its use requires it to create and maintain the conditions to prevent fro-yo’s spoilage or crystallization.
- Lubrication: You should lubricate the moving parts like dashers and blades to prevent premature breakdowns and unnecessary wear and tear that will reduce the resale value of your unit. Make sure to use food-grade lubricants to comply with health codes for the job.
- Checking and Replacing Seals: The seals in the frozen yogurt machine can wear out over time, leading to leaks or reduced cooling efficiency. Such leaks, signs of wear, cracks, or degradation can endanger the compressor and the entire cooling mechanism of the unit and reduce the unit’s lifespan significantly. Replace them as needed to maintain a tight seal and prevent any leaks.
Industry Applications for Commercial Frozen Yogurt Makers
Commercial frozen yogurt makers have industry applications in various sectors, from ice cream shops to cafeterias and food courts. They offer countless benefits, such as improved profits and menu diversity. You can use a single commercial frozen yogurt maker to make various frozen treats such as gelato, sorbet, and frozen custard and attract different customers to your store.
Ice Cream Shops
Ice cream shops and frozen yogurt parlors are the most obvious beneficiaries of commercial frozen yogurt makers. These establishments can use fro-yo makers to diversify their menu thanks to their versatile production of a wide range of frozen treats and attract and satisfy various customer preferences. By providing traditional ice cream and healthier frozen yogurt options, your establishment can cater to health-conscious consumers without compromising taste. After all, fro-yo was the most popular dessert in Good Place for a reason!
You can also utilize the mix-in capabilities of your unit and enjoy the ease of creating menu alternatives with minimal effort and expanse.
Restaurants and Cafes
Restaurants and cafes benefit from incorporating commercial frozen yogurt makers as a solid dessert offering on warm days. While these establishments are not dedicated to fro-yo and frozen treats, they use such equipment in their fast-paced business models. A frozen yogurt maker can make sorbet, soft serve, ice cream, and more in one body with minimal ingredients. This means you can expand your dessert menu, offering guests a refreshing and lighter alternative to more traditional desserts without spending too much or dedicating too much staff time to desserts.
You can distinguish yourself from your competitors by offering highly popular frozen treats and enjoy high profits thanks to the incredibly fast production and serving pace such a unit will afford you. You can serve several customers at the same time and ensure customer satisfaction with highly standardized outcomes. You can target niche markets, such as those seeking vegan, gluten-free, or low-sugar options, thereby broadening your customer base.
Specialty Dessert Shop
Specialty dessert shops are another ideal setting for commercial frozen yogurt makers thanks to their focus on providing unique and innovative dessert experiences. Fro-yo is a perfect addition to such settings with its versatility. You can serve the base product with mix-ins or get creative with it and make a variety of yogurt-based desserts, including sundaes, parfaits, and smoothies. Specialty shops can attract customers looking for something different from the standard fare, and yogurt-based desserts are not as common as ice cream-based ones. Using fro-yo can give you a much-needed edge and set you apart in the competitive market.
Cafeterias and Food Courts
Cafeterias and food courts are fast-paced environments where the kitchen staff can’t spend too much time and attention on various dessert offerings. Commercial frozen yogurt makers can effortlessly improve the overall dining experience in such spaces by creating standardized, delicious, and highly popular desserts. Since these venues serve a diverse customer base, including families, students, and professionals, opting for popular, simple desserts is important.
Frozen yogurt has the added benefit of being a healthier alternative to ice cream. They are often used in school cafeterias to give the kids a delicious probiotic treat. You can also offer toppings on the side to let people customize their fro-yo. This attracts and retains more customers without adding more duties to the staff’s plate.
Comparison with Other Ice Cream Machines
When considering commercial frozen yogurt machines, it’s essential to understand how they differ from other ice cream machines in terms of product output, operation, and customer appeal. These differences significantly impact the choice of equipment for your business, depending on your specific needs and target market.
Frozen Yogurt Machines vs. Soft Serve Machines
Frozen yogurt machines and soft serve ice cream machines may seem similar at first glance, but they differ significantly in their production methods and the types of products they create. While some frozen yogurt makers could be tweaked into soft serve production, that is not common nor ideal since these two products are significantly different in desired consistency and need specialized processing. Choosing between the two can be compared to apples and oranges purely based on their target demographics and production differences.
Frozen yogurt machines are typically designed for continuous production, allowing a consistent flow of yogurt to be dispensed on demand. This makes them ideal for high-traffic environments like self-service frozen yogurt shops, where quick service and various flavors are must-haves. In contrast, industrial soft serve machines are optimized for producing a creamy, airy variety of classic ice cream, with less emphasis on toppings and self-service business models.
The difference in target demographics is considerable and should be noted. Commercial frozen yogurt machines cater to people interested in healthier, lighter desserts with more nutritional content. While soft-serve ice cream has little to no fat, it lacks nutritional value. Industrial soft serve machines are more for people looking for a rich, traditional treat.
Batch Freezers vs. Frozen Yogurt Machines
Batch freezers vs. frozen yogurt machines interest many business owners due to the popularity of classic ice cream and fro-yo. The primary distinction between batch freezers and frozen yogurt machines lies in their production processes and the resulting product quality. Ice cream batch freezers are designed for small to medium artisanal production of frozen desserts in batches, where the mix is churned and frozen in a single cycle.
This allows controlled textures and flavors, making batch freezers popular in gourmet ice cream shops, targeting a more ice cream-conscious customer base. In contrast, frozen yogurt machines are designed for continuous production, allowing for a steady output of products that can be served directly to customers from the machine. This makes them particularly great for environments where quick service is critical, such as in self-serve frozen yogurt shops or cafeterias.
While ice cream batch freezers can be used to make frozen yogurt, they lack the storage and dispensing features of a commercial frozen yogurt machine. Batch-produced frozen yogurt requires careful storage to maintain its quality until served, so you’ll need additional refrigeration and display equipment. If your primary product is going to be fro-yo and you don’t want to splurge on additional equipment, a frozen yogurt maker is your best bet for a smooth operation.
Storage and Display Equipment
Regardless of your choice of machinery, you will need proper ice cream storage and display equipment to succeed in your operations. While small-scale productions can get away with dispensing fro-yo makers, ice cream and frozen yogurt parlors (where these products are the focal point) require supporting pieces of machinery. For instance, businesses utilizing batch freezers will need commercial freezer units to maintain the quality of the frozen yogurt after production.
These freezers ensure that the product remains at the optimal temperature, preventing issues like melting or ice crystal formation that can degrade the texture and taste. Also, storage units can help you produce as much ice cream or fro-yo as you want in advance to have ready-to-go products at hand for rush hours.
Visually appealing display equipment, such as glass-front freezers or well-designed self-serve stations, can act as storage cases with the added benefits of attracting customers and marketing the overall experience of a fro-yo purchase. An inviting and functional display case full of fro-yo and colorful toppings can significantly boost customer satisfaction, impulse purchases, and overall profits.
Conclusion
In conclusion, commercial frozen yogurt makers offer a fantastic opportunity for businesses to increase their menu diversity while catering to the growing profitable demand for healthier yet delicious treats. Whether you opt for a compact countertop or a robust floor model, investing in a reliable and feature-rich frozen yogurt maker can significantly boost your operational efficiency and profit margins.
By carefully considering key factors like capacity, output, ease of maintenance, and brand reputation, you can ensure that your chosen unit will serve your business effectively for a long time. Embracing this versatile equipment allows you to tap into new revenue streams, streamline operations, and delight your customers with consistently high-quality frozen yogurt.
