Walking along Old Town Pasadena, we craved a sweet treat after my taste buds has been going through a series of savory delights. With its bright tangerine logo, we stumbled into the Italian Ice Cream shop.

Food.
Italian ice cream, aka gelato is made form milk and sugar. Famous for its light texture, it contrast a heavy American ice cream.
Fruits play center stage. The mango, peach, and yogurt flavors refreshes the palate. The menu distances itself with fresh fruit flavors.

Consultant hat.
Often times, I have friends that tell me they want to open a restaurant with out having the slightest idea about the entire operations. Food plays about 30% in the operation. Rent, labor, construction, insurance, and a host of other things add up to a big operation. View the Pinkberry blog for details. I like what I see in Piccomolo.

Pros:
-Branding. The ice cream taste great, but is the brand memorable. Piccomolo is hard to spell and remember.
-Labor cost is low. You can hired students to perform simple duties, scoop-smile-receive money. Its not rocket science. No high salary chef required.
-Food cost is low. Sugar and milk are cheap. So your profit margin is high. Your daily business transaction will be a few thousand. Your spoilage (food thrown away because it become rotten) is very minimal.
-Upkeep. The store has no grease. Very easy to keep clean.
-Marketing. Its a franchise so corporate does the marketing, but don’t forget the franchise fee and montly percentage.

Cons:
-Dessert business is affected by weather conditions. Sunny days, be prepared for a long line. On rainy days, make sure you have your music list at hand.
-Competition is high. You’re not competiting with retail dessert stores. Instead, you’re competing with every restaurant that serves dessert. I would analyze the seasonal weather conditions as well as evaluate the dessert menu are nearby eateries.

20 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 744-1788
www.piccomolo.com