The 3 Ms to Choosing the Right Frozen Yogurt Machine

We believe that selecting the right type of frozen yogurt machine for your shop comes down to the 3 M’s: Machine Type, Mixes and Maintenance.

M#1: Machine Types

Generally speaking you have two machine choices when considering the right machine for your new business. The differences in type comes down to the refrigeration unit used in the machine. The refrigeration types available are air cooled and water cooled machines:

•  Air cooled machines are essentially “plug and play” machines. They can be operated nearly everywhere as long as they are connected to an adequate power source. Air cooled machines are suitable for a number of locations including self-service stores, standalone applications in convenience stores and temporary placement at shopping malls.

•  Water cooled machines can be cheaper to operate than air cooled machines but they require more permanent placement including the incorporation of a glycol system and access to both power and water.

M#2: Mix Types and Availability 

 The success of a frozen yogurt business hinges on a number of different factors but location, machine quality, operation costs and personnel will have little effect on the success of your business if your yogurt isn’t tasty! Frozen yogurt mix generally comes in either a liquid or powdered form and both have their advantages and disadvantages. Before you decide on a liquid vs. powdered yogurt mix we encourage you to consider the following things:

• Taste
• Customizability
• Presence of active cultures
• Availability
• Storage
• Shelf life  

M#3: Maintenance

While the initial purchase price is an important part of your decision about which frozen yogurt machine to purchase, maintenance intervals and costs should also be taken into consideration.

For some machines the general maintenance duties can be performed by the shop owner and the parts can be easily ordered through the distributor. Certain manufacturers also make machines that can be easily serviced by a local commercial refrigeration company of your choice. Others require all maintenance and service to be performed by their licensed technicians.

This difference can result in a significant increase in the monthly operation costs of your machines. As a result, we believe it is important to consider the cost of maintenance and repairs in your decision to purchase new frozen yogurt machines.

We encourage you to keep the 3 M’s in mind while you are considering the different frozen yogurt machine manufacturers.