What maintenance arrangements should be in place when supplying granita equipment to bar venues?

When placing granita machines in bars, build maintenance obligations into your revenue-sharing deal. Members emphasize regular, preventive oversight rather than reactive repairs.

**Key practices:** - **Use retro/revenue share to cover maintenance costs** — Agree that a portion of takings goes toward machine upkeep, since granita machines break frequently and repair costs can be substantial. - **Schedule monthly site visits** — Have your representative visit the venue once a month to check the machine is running properly and catch issues early. - **Engage specialist support** — Contact **Joe Yates at Carpigiani** (joeyates@carpigiani.co.uk) for advice on Carpigiani machines; members noted he provides helpful guidance. **Icely** (via Lefit or his team) is another contact for support. - **Know your equipment options** — **Carpigiani machines** are reliable for serious frozen cocktail operations but are expensive; **blue ice machines** are a cheaper alternative if budget is a constraint.

**Caveat:** Granita equipment requires consistent attention. Without proactive monthly checks and clear maintenance funding built into venue deals, downtime and repair costs can quickly erode margins.