IN recent times, more profitable investment could be found in food processing industries across the globe. This is informed by the current global food crisis and economic recession ravaging the entire world. African countries are the worst hit as malnutrition, poverty, hunger and disease attain frightening levels. In the light of this, the writer recommends food production businesses to aspiring investors wishing to increase their wealth. Ice cream making is one of such businesses. It is quite feasible and easy to operate, requiring only small start –up capital. It has growth and profitability potentials with minimal pay-back period.

The Project
The project is ice cream making. Ice cream is a frozen food made from sweetened and flavored cream or custard. It is a pasteurized milk fermented and conjugated to a custard-like constituency. It is a flavored and nutritious food with refreshing qualities suitable for consumption even by the weight conscious. Ice cream simply means a cream milk. For ice cream to be creamy, it must have paste. The paste is realized through the use of an active ingredient called stabilizer. The stabilizer binds all other ingredients used in ice cream production together to avoid separation. Many ice cream sold in the market have no stabilizer. They are simply water, sugar, milk and at times flavor and colour. Consuming such ice cream gives a sweet taste at the beginning and later turns to ordinary water and ice. A good ice cream must contain stabilizer that holds water and milk together. The writer therefore advises all interested operators to get some training on ice cream production and not to work on assumptions. A good ice cream must be solidified and creamy.

Production Ingredients  
Milk:– Skimmed milk. This is essential in the production of ice cream. It can be obtained from skim milk powder (SMP) and is available in brand name of cowbell, etc. In Nigeria, skim milk powder is very popular and therefore is recommended for this project. It must be ensured that the skim milk powder is obtained from a good source.
Stabilizer:- The function of the stabilizer is to absorb as much as possible free water, retard the growth of ice crystals during freezing and storing of the ice cream, enhance the body and texture, improve the melt down properties. In other words, the stabilizer forms gel with the water in the formular and gives a drier product which does not melt rapidly or leak water.
Sugar:- Granulated type. This sweetens the product and counters the fatness of the fat. It provides the solids to build up the body smoothness and mouth feel of the product. Also it lowers the freezing point of the mixture to prevent it from freezing to solid.
Egg:- Egg-White, that is the albumen, it must be fresh and raw.
Water:- Hot or fully boiled, cold water is also needed.
Flavour:- This given varieties, otherwise the product is described as plain ice-cream.  Some common flavours that can be used are Banana, Vanilla
Colouring:- Pink colour or yellow – (optional)
Preservative: Sodium Benzonate:  This is a chemical preservative against bacteria, yeasts and moulds employed to improve the keeping qualities of the ice-cream.

Content Measurement
Milk Powder – 800gm or Ikg or l mudu
Stabilizer – 1 milk cup
Sugar - 3kg or 2 mudu
Egg – 1 dozen or 12 pieces
Water – Hot water 1 litre, cold water 15 litres.
Flavour – 28ml x 2, or 2 bottles of 28ml content each.
Colouring – To taste
Preservative – 1 Teaspoonful

Production Process
There are six production processes to be observed in the ice-cream processing.
First, weighing or measuring of ingredients: Large scale production witnesses automatic measuring or weighing of the ingredients usually under computer control.  But for a small scale back-yard production, measuring and weighing can be done manually by hand.  Accuracy is quite necessary in measuring out ingredients because small errors may have quite large effects on the product.  All ingredients must be carefully measured or weighed as appropriate and assembled ready to be mixed.  Second, make a plastic bowl available. Put hot water into it and add the stabilizer and stir.  Dissolve the stabilizer by stirring until it is perfectly smooth.  Then add sugar and stir. Third, make another bowl available.  Break the eggs into it removing the yolk, using only the albumen.  Stir properly with fork-spoon until it bubbles (foam).
Fourth, the third bowl is provided. The milk is put into it and cold water is added.  Gradually dissolved the milk by stirring. Fifth, provide a bigger bowl that can accommodate the contents of the previous three bowls.  Mix step 4 into step 3 and stir properly, you may use a blender.
Transfer the mixed step 4 and 3 into the bigger bowl.  Then gradually add step 2 stirring continually until all is fully mixed up. Now add flavour and stir. Add colour if desired. Add preservative and stir.
Sixth, the ice cream is packaged into leather nylon or packed into plastic plates and refrigerated, ready for sale.

Marketing
Ice-cream production is a lucrative business with all the year round demand and sales peaking during the dry season.  The investor can employ the services of commission agents in his distribution network.  Super-markets, fast-food centers, hotels, amusement parks, youth and children centres, schools, beaches, etc are good sales outlets for the product.

Investment Cost Estimates    N
Pre-operational expenses   50,000
Production site               100,000
Plant and Machinery        200,000
Equipment                     200,000
Working Capital             100,000
Contingency                   20,000
Total                           670,000
Interested investors can contact the writer for details.