Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream announced that it will be debuting its first-ever South Carolina location in the Hilton Head area later this year. The new shop will be opening in the town of Bluffton at 65 Towne Drive, Unit 65 in Belfair Towne Village II, and will be owned and operated by new franchisee Derek Cohen who recently purchased the rights to develop Chill-N locations in the Hilton Head and Savannah, Georgia markets. His immediate plans are to open one location in each market for a total of two.
Cohen has had a longstanding career in the United States Marine Corps, joining as an infantryman in 2003 and serving in four deployments before becoming an administrative assistant for the Second Marine Division Career Retention Specialist. Over the past 20 years, he has held a variety of roles including career planner as well as the executive assistant to the chief operations officer at Quantico. He currently serves as the executive assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Middle East and Africa but plans to retire soon to focus on his new venture with Chill-N.
“As I was looking for an ice cream brand that could service the more than two million visitors that the Hilton Head area receives each year, I was immediately blown away by Chill-N and its level of technology. I believe that Chill-N is leading the way in which all ice cream shops will eventually operate, and I couldn’t be more excited to be part of a brand that is pioneering the future of one our country’s most beloved sweet treats,” says Cohen. “I’m looking forward to introducing Chill-N to the Bluffton community and growing my portfolio even further in the years to come.”
The new Bluffton Chill-N will feature the brand’s newest prototype which includes a new nitrogen system that has allowed the brand to reduce its investment to open a store by 20%, increased production efficiency, and enhanced the customer experience. Cohen will hire about 15 new employees for his first shop and has plans to open a second shop in Savannah, Georgia in the future. His long-term goal is to own five Chill-N locations as an established multi-unit franchisee.
“We are thrilled to welcome Derek to the Chill-N family as our newest franchisee. The communication and leadership skills he has developed over the past 20 years in the Marine Corps has provided him with a solid foundation to be adaptable to any situation, which is a key characteristic that we look for in an ideal franchise candidate,” says David Leonardo, CEO of Chill-N. “We have no doubt that Derek will make a great addition to our growing franchise system and look forward to all he will achieve in this new venture.”
Since opening its first location in the Village of Pinecrest in Miami 10 years ago, Chill-N has developed a cult-like following that has fueled the brand’s compounding growth and success. Chill-N has steadily grown its footprint to nearly a dozen shops in high-demand markets and has the unique distinction of never closing a franchise location. The brand’s ongoing commitment to innovation has consistently positioned it as a standout concept within its category and as a profitable franchise opportunity.
Here’s how Chill-N works: customers choose a portion size, then an ice cream base (milk, yogurt, or alt-milk option – coconut, almond, or oat) and then a flavor. Then the fun begins with the addition of premium toppings including candies, cookies and cereal, fresh fruit, sauces, nuts, and even Cuban coffee – because, of course, our Miami roots. Each scoop of ice cream is hand-crafted to order, and flash frozen on the spot using liquid nitrogen at a startling -320° Fahrenheit. Chill-N’s unique freezing process results in a fresh ice cream that is ridiculously rich and decadently creamy.
