Youngstown brand signs 20 new franchise deals, enters new states to start 2026

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, the iconic dessert franchise famous for its handmade ice cream, began 2026 with notable momentum across its system, highlighted by new market entries, increased franchise interest and continued sales growth during the first quarter.

The company, which started and remains in Youngstown, entered its 81st year with new locations in Vancouver, Washington; Oviedo, Florida; and Thornton, Colorado. The openings in Washington and Florida marked Handel’s debut in those states, extending its footprint into new areas while development continued across established regions. Handel’s now has over 175 locations open in 20 states, with another 150 parlors in the pipeline.

The growth was matched by a series of agreements from both new and existing operators, with deals inked for 20 additional units. Nine of these were signed with new franchisees, including six locations across two new markets for the brand: the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and Fort Collins, Colorado. Strong enthusiasm among existing franchisees resulted in agreements for the 11 remaining parlors in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas.

The brand also earned industry recognition during the quarter, ranking No. 133 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500, No. 19 on Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious list and was recognized as the Top Sweet Franchise slot on the same publication’s Zor Awards, which is determined by operator profitability. In 2024, Handel’s had an Average Unit Volume of $1,061,425*, which is one of the highest in the category, and is one of prime reasons why Handel’s secured the #1 slot on the list.

“Our strong first quarter is the result of our continued focus on franchisee profitability,” said Jennifer Schuler, CEO of Handel’s Ice Cream. “We’ve prioritized increasing the topline of our business, and our systemwide same-store sales are outpacing the rest of the industry by a large margin. When your entire organization is focused on driving sales and your franchisees are operating at the highest level, the system gets stronger and stronger. As we look ahead to the rest of 2026, we have no doubt that the strength of our concept will continue to fuel future development.”

The momentum that Handel’s is experiencing going into Q2 is a continuation of the record-breaking year the brand had in 2025, which also marked its 80th anniversary. In 2025, Handel’s signed nearly 60 franchise agreements, opened 20 new parlors, and entered three new states. In 2026, Handel’s is already on pace to set all new records.

“This is such an incredible time for the Handel’s brand,” says Erin Snyder, VP of Franchise Development of Handel’s Ice Cream. “We’ve been the best kept secret in the ice cream and dessert categories for a long time, and it feels like right now, the word is finally out. Our AUVs are one of the highest in the ice cream segment, we have over 15 years of systemwide same-store sales increases, and 60% of our growth is coming from our existing franchisees. This is a strong franchise system, with an 80-year track record of excellence, and so much more growth to come.”