Hawaiian shaved ice brings to mind images of summer and beaches. Nothing feels better on a hot day than sitting in the shade with Hawaiian ice.

But what about when we don’t need to beat the heat? Where’s the appeal of Hawaiian shaved ice then?

It’s natural for business owners to be concerned with the off season in their specific field. Hawaiian shaved ice is no different. But unlike many other “seasonal” businesses, Hawaiian shaved ice is a viable year round business.

Thinking Outside the Season
Our associations of products with certain times of the year can make it difficult for us to separate the two. Products associated with winter can be hard to adjust to summer and vice versa.

So how we do we think around this?

Ultimately what makes Hawaiian shaved ice appealing isn’t summer, but the conditions of summer; namely heat. Summers also invoke a feeling of fun or celebration. By keeping these facts in mind, we can find a number of venues for Hawaiian shaved ice during the off season.

Thinking Specific
While the standard business model for Hawaiian shaved ice usually involves posting up in a busy area or moving throughout the day to chase the crowds, the off season requires a bit more forethought.

This is what makes local events an ideal stomping ground for Hawaiian shave ice during the “off” season.

Schools
As schools frequently host festivals, sports, and other on campus events, they provide the ideal venue for Hawaiian shaved ice. It may be freezing outside, but in a packed gymnasium filled with kids and their parents, a refreshing cool treat becomes appealing again.

Reaching out to a local school, or several, can be a way to establish a regular cash flow while your standard operating model isn’t feasible. Additionally, this provides advertising as you will be remembered on into the summer and for other possible events.

Festivals
Like schools, festivals provide an opportunity to reach potential customers. Whether they’re held inside or outside, the concentration of people and body heat makes Hawaiian shaved ice appealing to attendees.

Festivals with particularly active elements, such as the mosh pit of a music festival or a series of sports contests for a retreat or reunion, also serve to increase demand for cool refreshments

Sports Events
Whether you are competing or simply a bystander, Hawaiian shaved ice is an inviting treat at sports events. For someone competing in a marathon or contest of some kind, participants will be looking for something cold rather than hot even considering the season.

Likewise attendees packed into stands or arenas will also be attempting to counteract the body heat of the crowd as a whole. Even events like a hockey game where Hawaiian shaved ice can seem counterproductive, provide useful venues as children will be more likely want to want snacks that reflect their current environment.

Personalize Your Product
When working a venue or event, personalizing your product is an excellent way to increase sales. If you’re working at a school event and their mascot is a blue whale, you could consider having a sale or special that pushes blue Hawaiian shaved ice flavors.

For the on season, this is less effective because the customers are from a variety of backgrounds and situations. At a specific event, you know everyone there has that event in common, and can be used to maximize your profit.

Check out our variety of flavors to start concocting your year round shave ice treats.