Rita’s is unique, and that’s a big advantage
In a world full of ice cream franchises, we offer unique frozen desserts that make customers go ‘WOW! WOW! WOW!’
There are dozens of ice cream franchises where people can get a scoop of butter pecan. Frozen custard — prized for its dense, creamy texture and intense flavors — is a rare offering. Finding silky-smooth Italian ice? Fuggetaboutit! Unless you already have a Rita’s nearby, great Italian ice is going to be hard to find.
Customers choose Rita’s because we are a friendly business with unique frozen treats. In the Northeast, we are an institution, thanks to three decades of happy customers who know what to expect. In newer markets, we have a unique advantage: We are unique!
This is a huge advantage in the nearly $30 billion frozen desserts industry because it helps franchisees win customers who are eager to try new things.
Maria Finley is a great example. She opened her first Rita’s in late 2018 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She experienced Rita’s for the first time while attending Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. “I tasted it,” Finley told Baton Rouge’s 225 Magazine, “and I was like, … What is this, and why don’t we have it in Louisiana?’”
Her customers agree. Carly A. left this Yelp review: “WOW! WOW! WOW! So the hype around this place has had me wanting to try it since they opened. I live across town, so I’m never out that way to stop by. I finally made a point to go by there for the first time last night and it was worth the almost 30 minute drive from my house! AMAZING. From the moment we walked in, the staff was so friendly and helpful. They have a great selection of flavors and treats! I got the gelati with cotton candy shaved ice and vanilla custard. The custard had the perfect texture and flavor and the shaved ice was the most flavorful frozen treat I’ve ever had. My husband got just the Georgia peach shaved ice and he absolutely loved it. They have so many different options of desserts and I can’t wait to go back and try more!”
Customers crave something new
It can be incredibly hard to stand out from the competition once you’re the 8th ice cream shop in a single neighborhood. It is also hard to earn loyalty when potential customers can get the same thing you sell from every grocery store, gas station, corner market, restaurant and musical truck in town.
Customers desperately want new choices. As the Culinary Institute of America notes in its report “Flavor, Quality & American Menus,” Millennial and Gen Z customers “crave new flavors and experiences.”
This is a huge advantage that Rita’s franchisees enjoy compared to ice cream franchises and other crowded parts of the frozen dessert industry, like frozen yogurt. In our core markets, we’re beloved because customers know they can’t get incredible Italian ice, frozen custard or Rita’s distinctive Blendinis or Gelatis elsewhere. In newer markets, foodies and other curious customers love us because we offer a new experience — and once they experience Rita’s, they spread the news.
Praise from industry experts
Our commitment to producing a quality product does not go unnoticed. Take a look at a few of our recent accolades