Easy-peasy-ice cream-scoopy.
Or not?
With decades in gastronomy, numerous ventures and projects behind, product development brought me to a new and exciting area.
The task was clear. I wanted to know the exact amount of the portions being consumed at each ice cream parlor, making operations more manageable and predictable.
What could be simpler than a scoop, designed to count the portions? After two years of technical, design and brand development, the child was born:
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Protected by international patent.
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During high season, it costs the price of two scoops per day
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Works during power outages
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Rapid movements (when cleaning or freeing stuck scoops) are not counted
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Precise accounting per location is sent via SMS at the end of the day
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21 scoops were tested in 9 ice cream parlors during the peak season of 2023
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Simple interface, real-time data, 99.9% accuracy
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Available from May 2024, at introductory price until the end of the year
The system employs a data processing unit placed at the point of sale that communicates with the ice cream scoops equipped with electronic devices for portion counting.
The patented system counts the number of scoops dispensed without disrupting the sales process and transmits this information to the appropriate person. For precise and reliable counting, the electronic devices in the scoops detect and recognize the scooping motions. The system can separately handle motions for cleaning the scoop or freeing stuck scoops. The data is periodically transmitted to the central data collector unit, which aggregates and forwards the daily sales data via the internet. This allows for monitoring of sales volume at any place and time.
The system also facilitates efficient energy use and faultless operation with several innovative solutions. For example, it employs reduced energy consumption standby mode initiated by the resting position of the scoops, fault-tolerant local communication, and dynamic or self-learning motion analysis during use.
The portion counter system can be applied to any type of portioning scoop or point of sale since each involves a characteristic motion for dispensing portions.
Moreover, the system is suitable not only for ice cream but also for the sale of other creamy food products, providing effective, accurate, and reliable data collection regarding the actual number of portions sold.