How To Start Ice Business In South Africa
What is Ice?
Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaque bluish-white color.
How To Start Ice Business In South Africa
1.Get operating premises
You have to find a space to work from, it doesn’t have to be a commercial building. It should ideally be big enough for you to be able to make all your ice. You can build a really big outside room where you will work from. Especially if you have a big yard, or you can use your garage or a similar structure.
2.Buy an Ice making machine
These machines range from as little as R2000 for personal use and to over R50 000 for commercial use. Try to maximize your budget, if you have R20 000 to spend then buy one for that amount, or else you won’t keep up with the demand.
3.Have your own water supply
You need water to make ice, lots of it, you can’t use municipal water or tap water, that will cut into your profits. It’s best to have your own water supply, it’s either you get closer to a water source like a river or you use rain.
4.Market your business
Your ideal target market is businesses, you won’t make a lot of money by selling to individuals. You have to target restaurants, hotels, bars, nightclubs and other outlets that serve refreshments. That’s where the money is, these outlets usually buy in bulk. This is why you have to have a good machine because they will think you are unreliable when you don’t deliver on time.
5.Register your business
Some businesses will not work with an unregistered company, make sure that you register your ice making business. It is currently R125 when done through the CIPC, the cost of registering a private company has never been this low.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
How much does it cost to start an ice making business in South Africa?
Generally, the smallest machine, the Ice Merchant, costs about R43,000 and the largest model, the Ice House, costs about R150,000. There are many ways you might make this investment, including a bank loan, personal loan, savings, or selling other investments.
Is ice making business profitable in South Africa?
While many would think ice is highly sought after all year round, given that the Zululand region barely experiences winter, the reality is that the business is only profitable during December.
Is ice making profitable in South Africa?
Ice-making can be very profitable if your business is run efficiently and your product is marketed well. Since water is the only raw material, producing ice seems fairly simple.
How much does bag of ice cost?
The cost of bagged ice ranges between R0.16 and R0.40 per pound. It’s important to note that prices differ based on the amount of ice in the bag and from location to location.
How much do ice machines make in South Africa?
How Much Do Ice Vending Machines Make? Based on typical pricing and average sales volume, you can expect to earn approximately R3,664 per month in net profit from your ice vending machine. Using those same assumptions, the expected gross revenue for the month would be R3,900 and estimated costs would be R236.
How do you manufacture ice in South Africa?
It is made by filling metal cans with water and lowering them into a bath of brine (usually sodium or calcium chloride) refrigerated to well below the freezing point of water. The water freezes in the cans and the ice blocks are removed from the cans after several hours of freezing.
What size ice machine should I buy in South Africa?
Bin Capacity: Choose a bin with enough capacity to hold slightly more than the amount of ice you typically use in 24 hours. Usually a 10-20% capacity buffer is enough to make sure the bin is large enough. Your Schedule: If you use a lot of ice on the weekends but not very much during the week, plan for your peak times.
How much water does a commercial ice machine use?
Commercial ice-makers typically use 15 to 25 gallons of water to produce 100 pounds of ice flakes or cubes, depending on the quality of the ice. Older water-cooled ice machines may use as much as 90 gallons to produce the same quantity of ice. These quantities do not include the water used to cool the machine.
How many watts does a commercial ice machine use in South Africa?
With average power consumption in the range of 1000 watts per 500 lb ice machine capacity, the authors estimate the peak demand of 2.5 million units to be in the order of 2,500 MW.
Does ice machine need dedicated circuit in South Africa?
The amperage in your standard outlet amperage typically 15 amps and the breaker is typically 20 amps. For these models, you need a dedicated circuit, ideally a 20 amp outlet, and 20 amp breaker. When installing an ice machine to a 110v outlet, check to see if they have a GFCI breaker attached.