Cold Stone Creamery Plans to Expand Pass US Borders into Mainland China and Taiwan

Cold Stone Creamery®, the fastest growing ice cream concept in the United States, has reached an agreement with the President Chain Store Corp.(PCSC) to open 105 stores in Mainland China and 60 stores in Taiwan over the next seven years. The company plans to open its first stores in Taipei, Taiwan and Beijing and Shanghai, China by spring 2007. ‘Ultimate Ice Cream Experience®’ to ice cream lovers worldwide.

“We are truly excited to partner with PCSC to launch Cold Stone Creamery in China and Taiwan and further our expansion in Asia. We feel they are one of the true leaders in the restaurant/retail world in Asia and share the same desire we do; to make people happy around the world,” says Lee Knowlton, senior vice president of Cold Stone Creamery.

Currently, PCSC is the largest convenience store operator in Taiwan with more than 4,300 stores. Over the last 30 years, PCSC has introduced brands such as 7-ELEVEN, Starbucks Coffee and Mister Donut to the Taiwan market.

“Cold Stone Creamery is poised to become the market leader in China and Taiwan as the brand is highly respected and has a global appeal. This was especially evident after Cold Stone Creamery was introduced to Japan and Korea with great success,” says Hsu Chung-Jen, president of President Chain Store Corporation. “The partnership’s biggest strength is the ability to apply the most valuable experiences of PCSC and Cold Stone Creamery to the stores in China and Taiwan. We’re confident the existing ice cream atmosphere will be greatly invigorated by Cold Stone Creamery’s unique ice cream experience,” he continued.

“This is the ideal time to introduce Cold Stone Creamery in these markets with their robust economies and with the upcoming 2008 Olympics in Beijing,” Knowlton added. “Our commitment to the region is long-term as we’re dedicated to building a global brand.”

Next, Cold Stone Creamery has plans to open international stores in Indonesia, Mexico and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.

Cold Stone Creamery opened its first store in Tempe, Ariz. in 1988 and its first international store in the Roppongi Hills complex in Tokyo, Japan in November 2005. The company continues to lead the industry and was named the 11th “Fastest Growing Franchise in America” in the January 2006 issue of Entrepreneur magazine. Cold Stone Creamery is taking a bite out of the $20.7 billion U.S. ice cream industry with reported 2005 system-wide revenues exceeding $408 million.