8 Fast-Growing Ice Cream Chains You're About to See Everywhere
It would be a colossal understatement to say that people in the United States really love their ice cream. From the classic vanilla and chocolate to exciting new ice cream flavors like Brownie Batter and Fluffernutter Pie, Americans just can't get enough of the creamy, frosty dessert.
According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the average American devours a whopping 20 pounds of the stuff each year. That adds up to about four gallons of the indulgent dairy dessert every 365 days—and the extra diehard ice cream fans (i.e. me) could very well be consuming more.
Luckily, ice cream chains operate a mind-boggling number of shops across America where consumers can satiate their cravings for a cold scoop. Though ice cream giants like Dairy Queen and Baskin-Robbins already boast massive footprints, some of America's smaller ice cream chains are expanding at a rapid pace right now—giving ice cream fans throughout the country more spots than ever to choose from.
Read on for the eight fastest-growing ice cream chains you're about to see everywhere!
Bruster's Real Ice Cream
Few ice cream chains have been growing quite as fast as Bruster's Real Ice Cream, known for its fresh-made frozen treats and rotating flavor selections. The company scored more than 40 new franchise location agreements throughout 2023, which should propel it past the 200-store mark once the new shops are built and open for business.
The new openings will come after a year of exciting growth for Bruster's, which opened new locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia throughout 2023. A strong financial performance has supported all of this growth. Bruster's said in a February press release that it has seen 10 consecutive years of same-store sales growth and 124 of its locations set all-time sales records in 2023.
Looking ahead, the company plans to focus on Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, and Kansas City, Mo., as it continued to expand.
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
This fast-casual chain is just as famous for its frozen custard as it is for its burgers. And in 2024, it has ambitious plans to open dozens of new locations.
After opening a record 62 restaurants in 2023, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers anticipates carrying out another 65 openings in 2024.
QSR Magazine reported in March that the chain has a whopping 550 restaurant development commitments and more than 140 existing projects that have either started construction, purchased land, or signed leases.
Freddy's, which currently operates more than 500 stores, also has a goal of reaching 800 restaurants by 2026. So, don't be too surprised if a new Freddy's location pops up in your area sometime soon.
The Rainbow Cone
After nearly 100 years in business, this iconic Chicago ice cream shop is finally bringing its colorful frozen treats to new parts of the United States.
Rainbow Cone—which serves not scoops, but "slices" of ice cream stacked atop one another—has embarked on an aggressive expansion push to bring its brand to new customers. The company first announced that it would begin franchising in 2022 and has since expanded to 21 locations throughout the Windy City area and other parts of the Midwest, Nation's Restaurant News reported.
The Rainbow Cone has another 30 stores in development, with a goal to expand further in the Midwest and add locations in Michigan, Arizona, Florida, California, Indiana, and Tennessee.
Culver's
Freddy's isn't the only frozen custard spot that's seriously growing its footprint right now. Culver's—a Midwestern chain known for its fresh frozen custard, Butterburgers, and cheese curds—also has some big expansion plans in the works.
Culver's plans to open 51 new stores in 2024, according to a franchise disclosure document released this past spring. The Midwest and South are two of the regions that will get new stores, with openings planned in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Florida, and Indiana.
This ambitious pipeline will allow Culver's to continue the rapid expansion pace it has achieved over the past few years. The chain, which ended 2023 with 944 locations, increased its store count by 52 units last year and by 55 units in both 2021 and 2022.
Andy's Frozen Custard
Andy's Frozen Custard had a great 2023 as it opened 21 new locations, bringing its total store count up to 147 across 15 states at the end of the year. Now, the frozen custard chain is carrying that strong momentum into 2024.
Since the start of the year, Andy's has debuted new locations in Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida. If its popularity is any indication, Andy's will have plenty of opportunities to continue expanding in the future. The company scored a five-star rating in Newsweek's 2023 list of America's Favorite Restaurant Chains.
Jeremiah's Italian Ice
A chain known for its soft serve ice cream in addition to its signature Italian ice, Jeremiah's Italian Ice reached a huge milestone this past May by opening its 150th location after five years of franchising. Despite the accomplishment, the chain has no plans to halt or slow down its growth efforts.
In a May announcement, the company revealed plans to add more than 60 additional stores over the next 18 months. That should push it well over the 200-unit mark. The chain looks forward to "continuing to bring our delicious treats to new communities across the nation," Jeremiah's CEO and President Michael Keller said in a May statement.
Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard
A competitor to Jeremiah's with over 550 shops, Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is also making some major expansion moves in 2024. The chain announced an exciting new development deal in March that will bring five new locations to Austin, Texas. The first of the planned locations is slated to open its doors sometime in 2024.
Rita's has been expanding in other parts of the country as well, recently opening locations in Arlington, Texas; Frederick, Md.; Chambersburg, Pa.; and Fort Wayne, Ind. Texas and the South in general are two key areas where Rita's wants to expand its footprint. Currently, the chain operates 575 stores throughout the United States, but is heavily concentrated in Pennsylvania and along the East Coast.
Marble Slab Creamery
Marble Slab Creamery—a Cold Stone competitor that specializes in ice cream combined with mix-ins on a frozen slab—is currently taking major steps to expand its footprint all across the world.
In late 2023, parent company Fat Brands announced plans to open 10 new co-branded Marble Slab and Great American Cookies locations across Texas. The new locations, made possible by two development deals, will open over the next few years.
Another develop deal announced this past February will bring 40 new Marble Slab locations to Canada over the next 10 years, according to a press release. The chain has also inked agreements for new stores in Puerto Rico and Egypt.
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