Jeremiah’s Italian Ice – the hottest brand in the frozen dessert category – has surpassed yet another milestone as the brand prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary, as well as, the opening of its 50th location. Proving itself a frozen force in the quick-service dessert space, the brand has successfully grown from 22 corporate units in 2019 to 50 units this year, and is on track to open an additional 20 locations by year’s end.
The 50th location was awarded to Hali Brecht and will be opening in Deltona, FL this August. Brecht started working at Jeremiah’s right out of high school as a part-time employee. In less than two years, she became a store manager and eventually an area manager, helping open a dozen corporate stores. Brecht’s new franchise will be located at 605 Courtland Blvd in Courtland, on the corner of Courtland Blvd & Fort Smith Blvd near Publix.
“Jeremiah’s is a place of so many incredibly important events – first dates, weddings, homecomings,” said Brecht “It warms my heart that one of our customers has even named their child Jeremiah in honor of our exceptional brand. It’s a remarkable testament to how special the Jeremiah’s brand truly is.”
Another exciting addition to the Jeremiah’s family is the LEAP Academy, which is a brand new Training and Development Center. At LEAP Academy, the paramount focus is to lead through the brand’s Core Values, Vision, and Mission that unite the company. Employees will learn the art of making the perfectly layered Gelati and master the skills needed to operate a Jeremiah’s franchise. At LEAP Academy, Store Managers, Franchise Owners, and high-potential Frog Squad Members, can also expect to perfect the Jeremiah’s Chill Chat, Launch Pad, GX360, and much more.
“As I look back on the last 25 years, I can honestly say I am humbled to be where we are today. This all started out as a high school dream and watching it come to fruition has been truly extraordinary” said Litwack. “I’m so grateful to have had such an incredible opportunity to give back to these communities, but without our customers and franchisees none of this would have been possible.”
Jeremiah’s is showing no signs of slowing down, awarding 194 franchise units across more than 74 franchise groups and projecting nearly 70 open units by year’s end. In addition, the brand is looking forward to expand its presence into new markets, with franchise agreements awarded in Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Nevada and Colorado.
“We knew that the concept was poised for growth when we first started working with Jeremiah’s,” states Cameron Cummins, Co-Founder of Pivotal Growth Partners and Chief Development Officer for Jeremiah’s Italian Ice. “I’ve been involved in franchising for nearly 20 years and I have never seen pent up demand resulting in growth like this before. We are proud of our team for all the hard work they have contributed and are eager to share Jeremiah’s delicious frozen treats with communities in new markets across the country.”
To help guide the brand’s rapid expansion, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice has partnered with Pivotal Growth Partners – an experienced team of franchise veterans who’ve led some of the top brands in foodservice to award-winning growth.
Each Jeremiah’s location boasts an upbeat atmosphere full of vibrant colors and offers over 40 flavors of indulgent high-quality Italian Ice, as well as creamy Soft Ice Cream. A synthesis of these two core products, the Jeremiah’s Gelati is the showcase of the menu with layers of Italian Ice swirled with thick, homemade Soft Ice Cream, offering nearly limitless flavor combinations. Jeremiah’s franchisees are embedded in the local community and are crucial to helping keep communities smiling through tough times. Jeremiah’s wants to continue to expand its footprint so people across America can taste how amazing their treats are and to help local entrepreneurs make their dreams come true.