One of the most exciting aspects of the ‘Enterprise Development’ Module that I participated in was the creation of a concept business plan for a frozen yogurt parlour in Limerick. With the increasing popularity of healthy in Ireland it was a fun and timely project to be apart of. Below is the Value Proposition that our team used to justify the potential of our proposed business:

VALUE PROPOSITION

‘We provide a quality experience for young people who want an inexpensive social outing with their families’

Milís has identified a niche market for the growing trend of frozen yogurt which is not catered for in the Limerick locality.The business sees the opportunity to set up a self-serve frozen yogurt parlour in Limerick City, as this type of business does not currently exist outside of Dublin. Milís will be a sit-in experience where young families and teenagers can enjoy a top quality product offering without paying premium prices.

Frozen yogurt is a frozen dessert that has similar properties to traditional ice-cream. However, unlike ice-cream, frozen yogurt is made with cultured milk instead of cream; making it the healthier alternative. Soft serve frozen yogurt is sweetened and available in an assortment of flavours, resulting in it being a diverse product offering. To further broaden customer choice, soft serve frozen yogurt can be decorated with additional toppings and sauces.

Milís has carried out a features, advantages and benefits analysis (FAB analysis) to identify our unique selling points that we are offering to our potential customers.

(See appendix 1: Value Proposition and appendix 2: FAB Matrix for more detail)

Self Service – This feature is the foundation of the business as the ‘Do It Yourself’ model has been getting more and more popular as organizations seek cost cutting measures that will reflect in the prices given to customers. In this kind of relationship, the company provides all the tools a customer needs to serve themselves. The parlour will have two self service machines which will give our customers the fun opportunity to pour their own frozen yogurts. This would be a great attraction for the younger customers, and will free up some of the labour costs. The customers who are lured to the shop by the self-service option will represent a particular segment of our customer base.

Experiential –  For the benefit of Milís’ customers, the self-serve aspect of the frozen yogurt dispenser gives customers a new and unique experience. It is an opportunity to use the dispenser machines themselves – acting out the role of a traditional ‘ice-cream man’ – and be inventive with flavour combinations without the constraints of set menus.

Social – For added benefit, the frozen yogurt shop will be designed as a social space. The atmosphere will provide a feeling of welcomeness. The design of the floor space will guide users along the edges of the space as they move full circle around the room to construct their frozen yogurt cups.  In the centre of the space, a comfortable seating area will allow friends and families to interact while enjoying healthier alternatives to ice cream.