2001 Best Merchandising Ideas: Cream Whippers

Don't let the name fool you. Whipped cream dispensers whip up much more than a mountain of light and airy cream. Cream whippers make delicious toppings for coffee drinks and cocoa, incredibly light mousses, pastry creams, and more. They're also cost effective and convenient. One pint of cream yields up to four pints of whipped cream, which is twice the volume of hand-whipped cream. And all that luscious cream is possible with just the touch of a button. Plus, the whipped cream will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 14 days.

Whipped cream dispensers are simultaneously decadent and sensible. They give customers the best of both worlds: A way to splurge without spending a fortune. As a result, many methods can whip up excitement for this category.

Cream Lover's Coffee Bar

Americans have two favorite socializing spots: Bars and coffee joints. Over the years, we've done a fine job of recreating the cocktail hour experience at home. Bar trays, cocktail shakers, stirrers, glassware, decanters, and martini olives — these accoutrements make home entertaining an event.

Sure we've invested in home espresso machines, upscale coffee makers, and gourmet coffee beans, but most of us have neglected the trimmings that make coffee at home an event. Our guests receive a cup and saucer, coffee, milk, and sugar — end of story. But that should be just the beginning.

Help your customers recreate the coffee bar ambiance at their next dinner party with a display that showcases java's stylish side — include your whipped cream dispensers. In a high-traffic area of your store, arrange a bar cart and several bar stands. (If you don't carry these items, partner with a retailer who does.) On your cart and tray stands, display everything you stock for making a delicious cup of coffee. This might include a selection of whipped cream dispensers, a coffee maker, an espresso machine, attractive coffee glasses, flavored syrups, gourmet sugars, and ground cinnamon and cocoa powder toppings.

Schedule a weekend during which you'll open the Coffee Bar to customers. Conduct demos throughout this weekend on making delicious and decadent coffee drinks. Here's your chance to show customers how to make plain and flavored whipped cream using flavoring syrups or liqueurs. Concocting both varieties couldn't be easier. To make plain whipped cream, simply fill the dispenser with fresh, chilled cream; screw the head on the bottle; insert the cream charger; shake briskly and dispense gorgeous ripples of whipped cream. To make flavored whipped cream, your demonstrator will simply add a flavoring syrup or liqueur to the dispenser. Be sure your demonstrator then shows customers the ease with which cream whippers are cleaned.

During your demo, give your Coffee Bar ambiance by playing jazz or other cocktail hour-ish music. Pass out samples of your coffee creations to customers as they shop. Finally, create a leaflet with various coffee and whipped cream recipes for your customers to take home.

Slimming Summer Desserts

Cream whippers literally pump up the volume. They help create light and airy whipped toppings and desserts, each serving of which has fewer calories than hand-whipped varieties. Take advantage of this fact with a summertime Skinny Summer Desserts Promotion focusing on desserts that taste 100 percent decadent.

Choose a week at the start of the summer for your promotion. Every day of the week, feature a different coffee drink or dessert that is lower in calories and fat thanks to the help of a cream whipper. For example, fill a cream whipper with low-fat sherbet, raspberry syrup, and milk to dispense a dollop of raspberry delight. Top this creation with fresh berries and pass out samples to hungry customers. On day two, serve up samples of diet root beer topped with vanilla frozen yogurt dispensed from a cream whipper. Day three, offer iced coffee drinks with toppings that only taste decadent. Day four, use your cream whippers to make chocolate mousse with cream, instant coffee, instant cocoa, and flavoring syrup. With cream whippers, the possibilities are easy and endlessly delicious.

Again, make recipe cards complete with nutritional information for all of your dessert and beverage creations available throughout your Slimming Summer Desserts Promotion. If you produce a newsletter, consider touting your whipped cream dispenser dessert recipes. Feature a different low-fat or reduced-calorie dessert recipe in each edition of your newsletter all summer long or year-round.

Snapshots

Show customers how to serve coffee in style with a Coffee Bar Display and Promotion that spotlight whipped cream dispensers.

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Pass out recipes for a bevy of coffee beverages made more special with a whipped topping.

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Host a Slimming Summer Desserts Promotion that highlights whipped cream dispensers.

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Promote the recipes for these easy and light desserts in your newsletter.