Captain Ice Cream is a company that has invested in a special ice cream truck that travels around the United States to sell a variety of ice cream flavors to the general public.
The idea is based on a mobile ice cream truck that can travel long distances and attract customers on the streets to buy delicious ice cream.
It is a splendid venture that allows franchisees to buy mobile services so their products can reach a greater target market, allowing them to capitalize on higher sales and earn brand recognition.
The company’s founder is Tim Gavern, who has always been involved in the ice cream manufacturing industry and knows a lot about the behind-the-scenes operations, making his knowledge quite valuable for franchisees looking to sell more ice cream.
He is a self-made entrepreneur who inherited his family’s ice cream business and already has some success behind his name, which spurred him to expand his business and seek better opportunities.
He used his own money to invest in a traveling ice cream shop and named it Captain Ice Cream but understood that he needed additional funding to grow his business.
He entered Shark Tank, hoping he could convince one of the sharks to invest in his mission and give him the necessary funding to make his dream come true.
Tim was looking for 48,000 USD for a 25% stake in the company, which is a pretty low investment for a shark to make.
He reveals that he makes 200 USD per day working a four-hour shift and wants to invest in more mopes to grow his business.
Kevin isn’t impressed by his income and even less so by his profits, which causes him to back out.
Robert thinks it’s a long shot for the business to work and backs out despite liking the idea.
Barbara likes the ice cream but does not think Tim has enough knowledge or grit to make his business dream come alive and also backs out.
Tim manages not to secure a deal at Shark Tank.
Our Review of Captain Ice Cream
Captain Ice Cream tried to franchise the business by giving other successful ice cream companies an opportunity to invest in a bundle that included the van, moped, an umbrella, and more, which was somewhat enticing until people realized that he was charging 12,495 USD without the van.
Considering all the equipment, it would cost companies 44,495 USD to invest, which was a lot for a simple ice cream van business.
All the expenses did not include tax, delivery, and licenses required, which was a major put-off that deterred ice cream companies from investing in the business.
Tim continued to pursue his business despite not receiving Shark Tank funding, which shows that he was passionate about making his dream come true.
However, since the idea was quite unoriginal and was doable by just about everyone, he was not able to get people to invest in his mission and failed.
The company website is no longer running, and it appears that Captain Ice Cream went out of business.
Pros of Captain Ice Cream
There are some advantages to having a mobile ice cream shop since people of all ages love ice cream and are willing to buy it if it’s delicious and flavorful.
The idea was promising, and things could’ve turned out better if Tim had more experience and could make it more affordable for companies to want to invest.
However, Captain Ice Cream had some perks that are described below.
- The mobile van offers people an opportunity to buy delicious ice cream as they go about their daily business on the streets.
- The ice creams were available in many flavors and were quite delicious, which was a bonus.
- A mobile ice cream shop captures a greater target market than a stationery shop, which, in theory, is an advantage.
Cons of Captain Ice Cream
All companies have their fair share of cons, and that is also the case with captain ice cream, which got rejected as a viable business by the sharks.
Let’s explore some of the cons of Captain Ice Cream.
- The equipment and investment required to make it a feasible franchising option for many large ice cream companies were too costly with little return.
- A mobile ice cream shop isn’t an original idea, and many people who own similar businesses aren’t really that successful.
Who is Captain Ice Cream For?
If a company’s ice cream is delicious, it appeals to people of all age groups and is happily consumed by everyone.
However, people have their own ice cream preferences and will stick to established brands.
The world is also becoming more health-conscious, which means that ice cream may be limited to children while adults make more health-oriented decisions.
Are There Any Alternatives?
There are numerous ice cream brands that offer better options than Captain Ice Cream products, which is part of the reason why the business didn’t succeed.
Baskin Robbins, Ben & Jerry, and Haagen Dazs are the top ice cream companies that manufacture delicious products catering to a wide audience.
People aren’t always craving ice cream and may just want to store it in their freezers for later instead of having it out on the streets as they go about their daily business.
Our Final Thoughts
Captain Ice Cream was not a successful venture and failed to gain interest from any of the sharks, and their assumptions for why the business wouldn’t work turned out to be correct.
Tim did his best to follow through on his mission since his business was already somewhat successful due to his mother and grandmother’s ice cream parlors that he inherited.
The mobile ice cream shop was too expensive to invest in, and it wasn’t guaranteed that there would be any significant profits, which is why it primarily failed as a viable business.
Eventually, Tim faced reality and closed shop, and there hasn’t been any sign of movement from him in recent years.
