Over the past few years, Stadscafé Simons has grown from a modest eatery into a bustling hotspot with more than 400 outdoor seats. In addition to its spacious terrace, the café boasts two charming dining rooms and a to-go counter located on a busy shopping street. Recently, a new crowd favorite was added to the menu: soft serve ice cream.
Rising Demand for Soft Serve
The to-go counter at Stadscafé Simons initially offered mostly traditional scoop ice cream. But that changed when customers started asking for something different. “More and more people were requesting soft serve at the counter,” says owner Robby Welling. “So we decided to expand our ice cream offering.” That decision turned out to be a big success.
Choosing NISSEI
Before serving their first swirl, Simons had to find the right soft serve machine. “We visited trade fairs and tested several machines and ice cream mixes,” says Welling. Eventually, they landed on a compact RAPP soft serve machine from NISSEI. “It doesn’t take up much space, but it delivers the output we need for our business.”
Ease of Use First
Their first introduction to NISSEI happened at the Horecava hospitality trade show, where the RAPP machines stood out — especially for their ease of use. “With the touchscreen interface, even a beginner can get the hang of it. Cleaning the machine is also super straightforward.
NISSEI also offers strong support to make soft serve sales even easier.
“They come by twice a year for scheduled maintenance,” Welling explains. “And whenever we have questions, we get answers quickly. Everything’s taken care of.”
Soft Serve in Desserts
To keep soft serve sales going even during the colder months, Simons incorporates it into many of their dessert offerings. “That way, even when walk-up traffic at the counter slows down, soft serve sales continue through our menu,” Welling says.
Their menu includes fun kids’ sundaes as well as indulgent options for adults — like a banana sundae with soft serve or a deluxe creation with KitKat and chocolate drizzle. It’s a varied menu that delivers high margins with ease. “When you use soft serve in your desserts, you can really make it work for you.”
Profitable and Reliable
With the RAPP soft serve machine from NISSEI, preparing desserts is quick and efficient. “The machine is efficient, easy to use, and the service is excellent,” says Welling. “And the investment paid for itself in no time.”
