Business Idea: Chocolate Fountains are the Best Business Expansion for Restaurants and Event Agencies

Currently, the entertainment industry, including the restaurant business and all kinds of holiday agencies, is experiencing natural difficulties associated with the crisis. That is why the search for new ideas that could attract or at least save client traffic at the same level, as relevant as ever. “In this regard, a non-standard approach that evokes strong associations with a holiday, with a bright taste and an alluring aroma, may be of interest,” advises Igor Malyugin, an expert on startups. “If you ask yourself which product in this regard is a win-win, then the easiest answer is chocolate.”

In this regard, according to the analyst, a fairly simple and at the same time effective solution is to include chocolate fountains in the restaurant menu or in the list of various services. Representing cascades of bowls up to one meter high, chocolate fountains fully reflect their name. We will tell you about how the entertainment business can get additional income with their help.

Russian interest

Before you do any business, including attracting additional customers through chocolate fountains, it would be right to think about whether there will be a demand. It is clear that it would be unreasonable for the director of a restaurant, for example, for two hundred tables, to order a special study on this topic. As they say, the game is not worth the candle. But looking at the various forums where this issue is discussed is not so difficult, which we will do.

Kuzina Ksenia Eduardovna (23 years old): “... I have never seen a chocolate fountain and have not tried it, I heard only admiring reviews. But we also ordered a chocolate fountain, I hope that at our wedding we will at least take a peek at this beauty ... and if we're lucky, we'll also try it.

Lydia Slavnaya (28 years old): “When I saw the chocolate fountain for the first time, somehow it sunk into my soul, well, I really, really like chocolate.”

Kuritsyna (Kozlova) Anna Alexandrovna even posted a photo on the Wedding Services forum ( on right), where guests enjoy a chocolate fountain.

JustMarried_: “We had a chocolate fountain at the buffet while the guests were gathering, and according to the plans it was supposed to be the whole evening ... then we were told that everyone liked it so much that when it was turned off, the guests scooped up chocolate from below.”

There are a lot of posts like this. As you can see, most of the population chocolate fountains cause nothing but delight. And the demand for this product can be much higher than it seems initially.

Moscow-based restaurateur Roman Yashin, who was one of the first to include chocolate fountains on his establishment's menu, says the highlight of this spin-off business is the indirect benefit. “When I was offered a chocolate fountain, I immediately refused,” says the businessman. - He said, they say, customers get dirty, especially children, not to mention the tablecloths and floors. Meanwhile, when I thought about it and calculated the indirect benefit that would definitely “overpower” these possible troubles, I immediately agreed with the proposal.

Indeed, selling fruits and biscuits dipped into falling hot chocolate with skewers can add a quarter to an evening's income. By the way, chocolate fountain equipment can be profitably rented. So, in a post written by forum member sarahs-sweet-fountains on the ebay portal, there are events where this equipment is most often asked:

• weddings;
• bachelorette parties;
• stag parties;
• barmitsva - coming of age celebrations;
• birthdays;
• parties;
• Exhibitions;
• children holidays;
• presentations.

However, chocolate fountains are of the main interest precisely for entertainment and as a source of additional income. “For example, after buying a three-tiered nine-cascade machine JM Posner Cascade for approximately six thousand rubles in general, my income increased by two hundred thousand rubles for the year,” explains Roman Yashin. - My calculation was based on an increase in the average cost of the check of the tables being served. It cannot be said that chocolate fountains bring priority profits, but that they are a good help, that's for sure.

First of all wedding

Expert Jan Komarovski says that this business has good prospects, especially in wedding feast service. He believes that the best clue to whom to offer a "chocolate fountain" is a list of upcoming marriages. In many countries, this information is public and posted on the relevant websites. “In Russia, bridal salons can become such a source of information,” advises Igor Malyugin. “Agree with the managers of these stores, and they will show your equipment for a certain margin.”

According to statistics, in Russia in 2013, 1,225,501 marriages were registered, approximately one celebration per hundred people. Obviously, in some cities people get married more often than in others. At the same time, as some average indicators, these data may well be taken into account when calculating the profitability from the purchase of a chocolate fountain by a particular restaurant. “If one hundred thousand people live in the city, then you can roughly count on a thousand weddings a year,” Malyugin calculates. - At the same time, each restaurant occupies its own niche. Most often, these are two celebrations a week, since, as a rule, the entire hall is rented.

For an average provincial town, a restaurant check for a wedding of a hundred guests is about 200-250 thousand rubles, so adding a chocolate fountain to the menu with a price tag of one to four thousand rubles does not significantly change the customer's spending. Thus, one hundred weddings (two per week) will bring the restaurateur two hundred thousand rubles at a service cost of two thousand.

There are many ways to make a beautiful chocolate fountain. Although it is interesting in itself and attracts people, businessmen still try to show additional options.

“Put a table with a fountain near the wall, which should be draped with a beautiful white tablecloth with lace,” explains designer Sveta Mizintseva. - Against the background of her fountain will look brighter than in the middle of the room. Keep the fabric clean and change it if necessary.

“Think of lighting so that the fountain shimmers in a dimly lit room,” says Chef Ilya from Moscow. - Then you can look at it for as long as you like, like at a burning fire. This means that customers will come to him more often. ”

"Don't forget flowers and fruits as a great fountain decoration," writes sarahs-sweet-fountains. - The taste of flowing chocolate is in perfect harmony with marshmallows and strawberries. Sometimes it is reasonable to install two cars. One with dark and one with white chocolate.

Information for thought

As we have already said, you can earn on chocolate fountains as a separate business- Selling and leasing. Specialized portals for those who want to open such firms publish detailed instructions - from registration to local marketing policies. “A small but tasty-smelling office, dealer agreements with manufacturers of chocolate fountain equipment, equipment exposition and your personal charm - that's what you need to succeed in a small town,” they write in the article “Startup named chocolate miracle”. “But you should remember that in order for the business to generate income, you need to regularly arrange presentations.”

It is clear that business is business, and no one can predict 100% success. However, you can always find some average estimates that apply to one or another. “According to expert estimates, the break-even point of the company engaged in the lease of chocolate fountains, on average, pass for six months,” says Igor Malyugin. - In a crisis, it will most likely take more time. A plus can be considered an inexpensive start, about 100-150 thousand rubles. The money will be used to rent an office and purchase a small batch of equipment, such as CCF200DT (at a price of 6,500 rubles).”

In addition, you can turn your attention to the fact that a review of the market for the proposals of this device states the absence of fountains of domestic production, although this product has a high potential for demand from Russian restaurants and holiday agencies. All this, of course, may be of interest to our (real or potential) in terms of the development and production of domestic analogues.