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Bruster's Real Ice Cream signs 10-unit development agreement for South Korea

Bruster's Real Ice Cream announced it has signed a 10-unit development agreement for South Korea.

January 12, 2016

Bruster's Real Ice Cream announced it has signed a 10-unit development agreement for South Korea. The first shop is expected to open in spring 2016. Other new units are scheduled to open early this year in Waldorf, Maryland; Clermont, Florida; Durham, North Carolina; Cypress, Texas; and Maryville, Tennessee, according to accompany press release. 

"Our goal is to open 20 shops this year," said Jim Sahene, Bruster’s CEO. "Along with a true premium product that has a cult-like following, our new store designs are very appealing to prospective franchisees."

Bruster's offers operators an array of prototypes, including an in-line unit, as well as end-cap and free-standing designs that can accommodate drive-thrus. Bruster's also had its best sales performance in its 27-year history during 2015. The franchise set several sales records:

• Fourt- quarter comp sales were up 12.5 percent, making for the 11th consecutive quarter of growth, the longest growth streak in the brand's history.
• Same-store sales for the year were up 10.4 percent, the largest single jump ever, with transactions up nearly 6 percent, also a record
• Average unit volume grew to $395,000 — the highest ever.

"2015 was a huge year for expansion," Sahene said. "We opened 10 store locations and signed franchise agreements for more new shops than in the last three years combined.

Bruster's entered the Southern California market last year with two restaurants and added a second store in Guyana. New shops also opened in Lexington, Kentucky; Vienna, Virginia; Erie, Pennsylvania, Midtown Atlanta; Sandy Springs, Georgia; Apex, North Carolina; St. Augustine, Florida and Carter Hill, Alabama.