Jennifer Schuler, CEO of Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, explains how the legacy brand is scaling up while staying true to its roots.
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is entering a new phase of growth under CEO Jennifer Schuler, who says the 80-year-old brand is focused on balancing expansion with a long tradition.
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Founded in 1945 by Alice Handel as a single convenience store, the company built its reputation on handmade ice cream. Decades later, entrepreneur Lenny Fisher expanded the business through franchising, according to the company’s website.
Now, in what Schuler describes as his ‘third era’, Handel is focusing on further national scale-up while retaining his core identity.
“We’re just custodians of it,” Schuler said. “…My job is to take what was true 80 years ago and make sure we continue that over time.”
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An exterior view of a Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream location. (Trade homemade ice cream)
The company has grown to approximately 175 locations, with franchising remaining central to the strategy. Yet Schuler emphasized that Handel uses a very selective approach.
“We have a very high bar for the franchise partners we bring on board and talk a lot about the values of the company and the vision we have for the company,” she said.
Schuler also noted that there is still significant room for expansion.
“There are a lot of exciting times ahead for the brand and a lot of growth potential because there is so much white space,” she said. “Yet you have a proven history of the brand continuing to chug.”
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Pints of Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream are featured in a variety of classic flavors. (Trade homemade ice cream)
In a competitive dessert market, Handel’s prioritizes consistency over trends.
“You’re not going to see us introduce some sort of fig and olive flavor. I bet there are some brands that are doing a great job. We’re not going to do that,” Schuler said. “… We’re going to do things that are very classic and that convey flavors very, very well.”
Schuler said her leadership approach was partly shaped by a year-long break after leaving Wetzel’s Pretzels, when she thought about what she wanted in her next role.
Various flavors of Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream are displayed with toppings and serving utensils. (Trade homemade ice cream)
“I wanted to be part of a brand that I thought could be special in a community — a gathering place in a world where there is more disconnect,” she said.
This vision is in line with Handel’s identity, which, according to Schuler, distinguishes itself in the digital world.
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“Especially in times of uncertainty, when people are feeling uncertain about the stock market or global conflicts, we generally find the ice cream sector to be as stable and strong as ever, because I think it’s the little pleasures in life that people look for.”
