Local developers set eyes on double-digit growth as they expand in Orange County
Rita’s Italian Ice, the world’s largest Italian Ice concept with more than 600 stores, announced it’s furthering its expansion in California with another area development agreement for the development of Orange County, Calif. The agreement was awarded to OC Ice, which is led by veteran franchisees Jimmy Whalen, Joe MacDougall and Howard Joelson. Together, the group owns a total of six Rita’s stores in California, including: Laguna Hills, Irvine, Anaheim, Anaheim Hills, Mission Viejo and Dana Point.
“Every expansion has us excited as we work to establish our brand across the country, but this one has us especially excited,” said Eric Taylor, chief development officer at Rita’s Franchise Company. “Not only does this present us with a great opportunity to further expand in California, but we have three franchisees that have all seen great success with Rita’s and want to bring that same success to others. That’s what it’s all about here.”
The expansion decision comes just two years after Rita’s opened its first store in California, which is today one of more than 60 stores. Currently, Orange County is home to 10 Rita’s stores, and that number is expected to double in just three short years as OC Ice begins to execute its aggressive growth plan.
“We have big plans for Orange County,” said Howard Joelson, co-owner of OC Ice. “We all opened successful Rita’s businesses here and have a firm grasp on the competitive landscape and, because of that, the sky is the limit for OC Ice. We’re well positioned to support a full team of franchisees and bring our aggressive plans to life.”
The new agreement for Orange County opens up great opportunity for franchisees to join the OC Ice team and begin serving Rita’s signature “cool treats,” which has become a local favorite in just a few short years. Under the purview of OC Ice, franchisees will benefit from the unique opportunity to work hand-in-hand with seasoned franchisees and industry experts as they develop their own businesses.
“Our goal truly is to arm our team with every bit of institutional knowledge that we have to set each and every franchisee up for success. In the end, we can only be as successful as our team,” Joelson added.
For more information on joining the OC Ice team and purchasing your own Rita’s Italian Ice franchise, please visit http://www.ownaritas.com
Ranked #1 in Nation’s Restaurant News “Consumer Picks 2014” for Service and Value in the Frozen Treat category and 14th overall in the Limited-Service category, Rita’s Franchise Company is the largest Italian Ice concept in the world with more than 600 stores in the U.S. The company is aggressively expanding internationally with operating locations in the Philippines and Canada, and stores planned for the Middle East and the Caribbean. Rita’s, headquartered in Trevose, Pa., was also named one of the Top 25 Franchise High Performers by the Wall Street Journal’s “Startup Journal” and ranks #81 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s “2014 Franchise 500” list. For more information about Rita’s franchise opportunities, please visit: http://www.ownaritas.com.
The popular chain offers a variety of “Cool Treats,” including: its famous Italian Ice, made fresh daily with real fruit and available in more than sixty-five flavors; Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard; Sundaes; Light Custard; Frozen Custard Cakes; Custard Cookie Sandwiches made with OREO; layered Gelatis; and its signature Misto and Blendini creations. Since 1984, Rita’s has been dedicated to serving up a big dose of happiness with its freshly made, delicious treats in a fun-filled atmosphere, and thirty years later, it is still spreading “Ice, Custard, Happiness!” For more information about Rita’s Italian Ice, please call 1-800-677-7482 or visit http://www.ritasice.com.
