STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Carvel Ice Cream plans to expand its presence in Connecticut in the coming years, with the goal of opening five to 10 new franchised locations.
November 16, 2015
Carvel Ice Cream plans to expand its presence in Connecticut in the coming years with the goal of opening five to 10 new franchised locations. This comes on the heels of the ice cream franchise's September debut of its newest shop in Bristol, a company press release stated.
"Connecticut is home to some of our top-performing ice cream shoppes and we have an extremely loyal following in the state," said Scott Colwell, president of Carvel. "That's why we chose Connecticut as one of the first markets to debut our new shoppe design. We believe it will generate tremendous energy for our brand and ultimately spark franchise growth throughout the state."
In September, local franchisees Chris Skabardonis and Constantine Milonas opened a new Carvel shop at 650 Farmington Ave. in Bristol. The new shop design features a more contemporary atmosphere, digital menu boards and other updates that showcase Carvel’s menu items, including new dipping cabinets and a large display area for the brand’s ice cream cakes, the release stated.
The company is looking for highly motivated people with business experience who would like to own a Carvel. Interested candidates are invited to attend a Discovery Day event from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Carvel shop at 650 Farmington Ave. in Bristol to learn more about the franchise opportunity and meet one-on-one with company executives.
Longtime Carvel franchisee George Tsioflikis, who owns two shops in Watertown and Naugatuck, has found success with the brand in Connecticut. Tsioflikis has seen traffic and brand recognition increase since joining the system in 1996.
"Carvel enjoys strong brand awareness in Connecticut and serves the freshest ice cream available," Tsioflikis said. "Being the neighborhood Carvel owner is rewarding both personally and financially, and I’m excited for what the future holds for the brand."
The total initial investment for a full-service Carvel shop ranges from $250,000 to $380,000 and varies based on location, square footage and equipment package. Full-service Carvel shops range in size from 800 to 1,200 square feet.
Atlanta-based Carvel currently operates more than 400 franchised and food-service locations, and is a part of FOCUS Brands Inc, the franchisor of Carvel Ice Cream, Cinnabon, Schlotzsky's, Moe's Southwest Grill, Auntie Anne's, McAlister's Deli and Seattle's Best Coffee on military bases and in certain international markets.
