About Us

NOT ALL ICE CREAM IS CREATED EQUAL.

One bite and you'll agree—Ritter's frozen custard is simply the creamiest, best-tasting ice cream ever to cross your palate. Ritter's is made fresh all day, every day, using high-quality dairy ingredients. We add just a smidgen of pasteurized egg yolk and don't fluff up our ice cream with a lot of air (like many other brands) to produce an amazing combination of flavor and texture. And to the surprise of many taste buds, Ritter's is only 10% butterfat, which is actually less than most competitors.

TRUE FRANCHISE PROFESSIONALS.

John and Bonny opened the first Ritter’s Frozen Custard shoppe in Franklin, Indiana, in 1989. Today, under the TRUFOODS family of brands, Ritter’s Frozen Custard is headquartered in New York City, NY with shoppes all across the Midwest, Florida and Texas.

TRUFOODS, LLC, is our New York City based parent company created by former Goya Foods Vice President and COO Andy Unanue. TRUFOODS owns and operates some of the most highly regarded food franchise names in America including Ritter's Frozen Custard, Wall Street Deli, Naked Chicken Company and Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips comprising roughly 40 locations nationwide with annual system wide sales of approximately $10 million. TRUFOODS' goal is to grow its existing brands, doubling our number of units over the next five years.

THE BEST ICE CREAM YOU'VE EVER TASTED!

Variety is the spice of life. The Ritter's menu is like no other. With options of the best 140 flavors of super-premium ice cream made fresh every day, all day - Ritter’s Frozen Custard locations typically serve:

• Six (6) frozen custard flavors
• A sugar free option
• A fruit, nut and specialty flavor
• Italian ices
• Cones and dishes
• Sundaes and glaciers
• Shakes and smoothies
• Cakes and pies
• PLUS premium
  • Burgers
  • Hot dogs
  • Fries

Micro Satellite Scoop Shoppes

Ritter’s Frozen Custard multi-unit business model has far more potential than the typical frozen treat retailer. With Ritter's once you have developed a central unit with ice cream production, you can inexpensively develop multiple micro satellite retail-only scoop shoppes in the area.

Ritter’s micro satellite scoop shoppes are delivered product daily from production units, can be as little as 400 square feet and have a dramatically reduced investment and operating formula. This local production and supply chain formula makes your micro scoop shoppes absolutely ideal for — mall food courts, airports, high volume lifestyle centers, entertainment complexes and sports venues.

Training and Support

All franchisees must successfully complete basic training at a certified training store as well as a 15-day training program. The program will cover day-to-day operations, cost controls, staffing, labor controls and management skills. All the training will take place in an operating shoppe. To assist in your opening period, we will send one of our Regional Director of Operations to your shoppe for 7-10 days. Ritter's also hosts an annual franchisee conference, which brings franchise owners together to discuss opportunities to improve skills and business profitability. It also allows TRUFOODS to communicate with all franchisees about new product marketing issues, and operational improvements.

In addition to your initial training period, Ritter's will provide a support team that will coach you in various facets of construction, equipment, marketing, advertising, staffing, and training. Ritter's Regional Director of Operations will also make regular visits to counsel you on business issues such as operating procedures, inventory, cost control, profitability, and marketing. To ensure consistency, you will have the right to use our Operations Manuals and will be provided with marketing and operational updates.

Testimonials

"One of the most rewarding parts of owning our own Ritter's is working with our crew. They are proud of what they serve to our customers, they know that people love our products – it's a fun and friendly place to work. We also appreciate the corporate support. When you call, you don't talk to a machine. You can talk to real people who know your business and who are there to help you." - John & Renee Dame

"I was a 'corporate America' guy, with the same company for 27 years. After all those years, I decided that I didn't want to live in the corporate world and began looking for franchise information on the Internet. The Ritter's system fits who I am. It's about customer focus, the best products, and the cleanest environment. I feel like the training and practical experience provided by Ritter's has made the difference in business management, labor management and much more. Ritter's has been very supportive of my business." - Don Heyne

Ideal Candidate

We're looking for franchisees who are outgoing, have sales, and/or management experience, and are results oriented. A person who can build relationships with guests, team members and the community. A true team leader who has the motivation to excel! You must have a minimum of $150k in liquid capital, and be ready to make a total investment of approximately $369,900 to $1,100,000 and you must be ready to make a full-time commitment within three months.

Ritter's Frozen Custard is currently accepting inquiries from the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont.

Interested parties should have at least $150,000 in liquid capital to invest.

Veterans

• We offer a 50% discount on the initial franchise fee to qualified military veterans