For Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, “Ice Custard Happiness” is more than just a tagline – it’s the frozen dessert franchise’s philosophy. Rita’s is taking happiness to the next level by introducing bold, fresh flavors and game-changing products to the menu. By Lizzy Yeserski
For Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, “Ice Custard Happiness” is more than just a tagline – it’s the frozen dessert franchise’s philosophy. Rita’s is taking happiness to the next level by introducing bold, fresh flavors and game-changing products to the menu.
“A couple of things have launched,” announced Brianne Barket, Rita’s director of product development. “We have some new ice flavors for the year. We’ve got gummy bear ice that launched in March. It has real gummy bears in every single bite!”
In addition to this kid-friendly delight – and a nostalgic-themed flavor coming this summer – Rita’s debuted a highly anticipated line of frozen coffee in April. The frosty beverages, made with cold brew coffee and available in three flavors (original, mocha and caramel), are generously blended with Rita’s vanilla ice and custard and contain as much caffeine as a regular cup of coffee. It’s an exciting twist on the java game that Rita’s hopes to capitalize on.
“It’s very trendy. We’re seeing it in the marketplace a lot, so we’re excited to play in that space,” said Barket, adding, “It’s so good; people are loving it!”
Rita’s is known for constantly innovating and staying ahead of trends, which builds excitement for the headquarters, franchisees and guests who visit stores regularly for that taste of joy.
“Success for our consumers and success for our franchisees go hand in hand,” said Barket. “We’re focused this year to drive business from a drive-thru perspective, so we have moms and dads that come to our shops with their kids. We’re excited to offer them a frozen coffee, to get that pick-me-up they probably need in the middle of the day.”
Of course, the headquarters team thoroughly tests new products and analyzes data to ensure maximum profitability. That includes monitoring franchisee and guest feedback.
“One thing that is so key: We get out into the field, talk to our guests, talk with our franchisees,” Barket said. “We have a great field operations team to make sure that if there are problems or great success, we know about it. We can tackle problems right away or understand success so we can replicate it in the future.”
Overseeing the product development lifecycle is only one way Rita’s guarantees brand health. It all goes back to the brand’s unwavering standards, including delivering happiness with each mouthful.
“The quality that we have in our products speaks for itself,” Barket observed. “And happiness? That is in our name. It’s a part of our core values, and we live and breathe it every day. We believe that’s the meaning of Rita’s, and we want every guest who comes and visits our shops to have that experience.”
Rita’s wants to extend that contentment to every owner-operator and is inviting anyone with a zest for spreading cheer to join the mission.
“Rita’s is a fantastic brand. We truly want people who have a vision for the brand and are just excited to come to work every day,” Barket said.
Lizzy Yeserski