Franchising

Chicago's Rainbow Cone to sweeten up Southern California

Photo: The Original Rainbow Cone

May 6, 2024

Residents of Southern California can soon experience a Chicago favorite through a multi-unit franchise agreement between The Original Rainbow Cone and local entrepreneur Anne Hsiung, according to a press release.

Hsiung, a former nurse and mother, plans to develop three Rainbow Cone locations across the Southern California coast. Her fondness for the iconic ice cream cone dates back to her childhood in the Chicago area, where she first enjoyed it at the Taste of Chicago.

"My husband and I have always dreamed of opening a family business of our own and passing that legacy on to our children and their children's children," Hsiung said in the release. "When we heard that my favorite childhood ice cream shop was looking to expand outside of Chicago, we knew we needed to bring this delicious, nostalgia-inducing experience to families and visitors in Southern California."

This agreement marks another step in Rainbow Cone's national expansion strategy. Following successful openings in Florida, Southern California will be the first West Coast region to welcome the brand.

"After sharing our desire to bring Rainbow Cone's unique offerings to more communities across the country, we've seen many former Chicagoans reach out about bringing the brand to their new homes," Joe Buonavolanto III, EVP of The Buona Companies, the parent company of Rainbow Cone, said in the release. "We are ecstatic to introduce the beloved five-flavor ice cream cone to the Golden State alongside Anne and her family. Anne is the first to set her sights on bringing the brand to Southern California, but our team is still searching for other accomplished partners to help us bring the brand to other parts of the country."

Rainbow Cone, known for its unique sliced creation featuring chocolate, strawberry, vanilla with cherries and walnuts, pistachio, and orange sherbet, will also offer additional flavors, sundaes, and ice cream cakes in California. The Buona Companies are also the parent company of Buona, the country's largest family-owned Italian beef restaurant group.