Jennifer Schuler and Hillary Frei have an extensive history together. The two served as interns at General Mills when they were fresh out of business school and they later joined forces as executives at Wetzel’s Pretzels.
Today, Schuler is CEO and Frei is CMO of Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, an ice cream chain that is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. Schuler and Frei each joined the company in the past year and are tasked with growing the 150-unit brand while respecting its role as a community-oriented shop.
Schuler and Frei joined the latest episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches to share how they plan to be good stewards of the heritage brand, and how they’re innovating at an 80-year-old concept that features only walk-up windows.
In this conversation, you’ll learn more about why:
- Brand development isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon
- Restaurant executives should respect the arcs of their respective brands
- Generosity is an underappreciated characteristic of successful brands
- Your franchisees should reflect your brand values
- Your guests may treat you as an independent restaurant, and you should lean into it
Contact Sam Oches at [email protected].
