A successful business isn't just somewhere that sells a great product. It's somewhere that makes people feel good walking in to, somewhere that puts a smile on their face, that feels like a happy place to be, that becomes a part of the neighbourhood rather than just another shop in it. A destination, in the truest sense of the word.

We all know the kind of place, though they are sometimes few and far between. That’s because it’s a fairly difficult thing for any business to accomplish, and only a few ever really manage it.

Udderlicious is the perfect example of a brand that has absolutely nailed it

Walk past any of their shops on a warm afternoon and you’ll see the proof right there in the queue: kids dragging parents in, couples making it their regular Saturday treat, regulars who already know what they're having before they've reached the counter.

Raj and Raj have always understood that isn’t just about great ice cream – though there’s plenty of that, too! – it’s about running places which people feel genuinely connected to, and they work hard to keep it that way, even when there’s plenty else on their plates.

The next generation of ice cream entrepreneurs

One of the ways they make themselves a genuine part of the community every year is through a kids' enterprise project with a local school in Islington. The idea is simple but brilliant: give a group of children the brief to dream up a brand-new ice cream flavour, pitch it Dragon's Den-style, and then actually make it in-store. It's fun, it's creative, and it gives kids a genuine taste of what it means to run a business, while also tasting a lot of ice cream, obviously!

This year's entries did not disappoint. The two flavours the children came up with were Mango, Lime & Pomegranate Sorbet with a Raspberry Ripple, and Apple & Lemon ice cream with Candy Kittens. Both of which sound like exactly the kind of thing Udderlicious is already famous for…not bad for a bunch of school kids. If you’re considering opening your own ice cream shop one day, watch out for the next-gen competition already making its way up!

It’s a great example of how running a franchise like this isn’t just about the business, it’s also about what the business means to the people around it.

Behind the scenes, they're already thinking about summer

Udderlicious is not a business that relies on the sunshine to keep the tills ringing, but summer is obviously going to be the time when an ice cream business is really going to shine.

Raj and Raj know they need to be ready for the rush, so have been busy preparing. They know their business inside out - the patterns, the busy spells, the quieter stretches - and right now they're quietly getting everything lined up: the right people in place, the team prepared, every store ready to make the most of what will be an exceptional few months ahead.

A huge advantage to anyone thinking about joining the Udderlicious franchise, of course. It means you don’t have to figure all of that out yourself on the fly. The knowledge of how to run the business well is already there, documented, and ready to be handed over. That's one of the most valuable things a good franchise gives you, and it's something Raj and Raj take very seriously.

Oh, and there are four new flavours worth knowing about…

Even with all of that going on, the creative side never stops. This month sees four new additions to the Udderlicious range, and they're all pretty exciting:

Four very different flavours, and all exactly the kind of thing Udderlicious does so well: Matcha & Oreo, Ginger Beer & Lime, Blackberry & Apple Sorbet and Chocolate & Honeycomb; unexpected enough to get people talking, and good enough to bring them back for more.

Still thinking about opening an ice cream shop yourself? This is how you do it.

If you’d like to learn more about how an Udderlicious franchise could work for you, why don’t we have a conversation?

There’s no pressure, no obligation. Just a friendly call, simply click the button below this email to contact us and schedule a call at time that suits you.