Jeremiah's Italian Ice

What Jeremiah's Italian Ice does

Jeremiah's Italian Ice is a privately held frozen dessert franchise founded in 1996 by Jeremy Litwack in Winter Park, Florida, and headquartered in Orlando. The company produces and sells Italian Ice (40+ rotating flavors, 24 available daily, made fresh in-store from proprietary recipes) combined with Soft Ice Cream to create its signature Jelati layered product, plus premium Flavorites that add Layer-Ins such as Oreo Crumbles and Hershey's chocolate chips. The portfolio extends to Jelati Cakes (pre-packaged celebration cakes), Hop & Go Quarts, and Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches, supported by a Punchh-powered loyalty program (J-List Rewards) and an OLO-based online ordering system with DoorDash and Uber Eats delivery integrations.

The company operated as a single corporate operator for over two decades before launching franchising in 2019, after which the network scaled from roughly 10 company locations to 178 franchised units across 11 U.S. states by June 2026, primarily concentrated in the Southeast. Revenue is generated through franchise fees and royalties, retail store sales at franchised locations, catering and event vending, gift cards, and limited-time product launches such as Cheesecake Italian Ice and the Island Fire flavor. The customer base is highly distributed across individual consumers and families (positioned at under $12 for a family of four), franchisees seeking a turnkey QSR concept, and community organizations partnering on fundraising events (Ice Nights and partial proceeds programs with schools, churches, non-profits, and hospitals). No institutional investment, parent company, or public listing is identified in the available data.

Name

Jeremiah's Italian Ice

Legal name

Jeremiah's Italian Ice

Website

https://jeremiahsice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Jeremiah's Italian Ice is a privately held frozen dessert franchise founded in 1996, operating 178 franchised locations across 11 U.S. states. The Orlando-based company sells customizable Italian Ice, Jelatis, and Flavorites through company-owned and franchised retail stores, catering, and online ordering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Frozen Dessert Franchise

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Frozen Cakes, Pies, and Other Pastries Manufacturing (311813)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAFAGAJ

Shaved Ice, Snow Cones & Italian Ice Shops

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Dessert, Ice Cream & Specialty Sweets Shops

SECONDARYTHAFAGAA

Ice Cream & Gelato Shops

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Dessert, Ice Cream & Specialty Sweets Shops

Keywords

• Frozen dessert franchise
• Italian ice retail
• Soft serve ice cream
• Franchise restaurant
• Frozen treat catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Jeremiah's generates revenue through franchise fees from new location openings and ongoing royalty payments from franchisees. The company expanded to 178 locations across the U.S. as of June 2026.
2. Retail Store Sales: Individual franchise locations generate revenue through walk-in retail sales of Italian Ice, Jelatis, Flavorites, soft ice cream, and hop-away treats including Jelati Cakes, Quarts, and Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches.
3. Loyalty Program and App-Based Ordering: Revenue from online ordering through the J-List Rewards app and Punchh platform, with points earned on purchases redeemable for free treats.
4. Catering Services: Full-service catering and vending for events including partial proceeds events where a percentage of sales is donated back to community organizations.
5. Gift Cards: Reloadable gift cards sold at locations and online at shop.jeremiahsice.com.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jeremiah's Italian Ice is a frozen dessert franchise selling fresh-made Italian Ice (40+ rotating flavors, 24 available daily), Soft Ice Cream, and signature Jelati — layered combinations of Italian Ice and Soft Ice Cream — across 178 franchised locations in 11 U.S. states. The menu extends to Flavorites (premium Jelatis with mix-in Layer-Ins), Jelati Cakes, Hop & Go Quarts, and Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches, supported by catering, community fundraising programs, gift cards, and the J-List Rewards loyalty app.

Product overview

Jeremiah's Italian Ice operates as a franchise-based frozen dessert brand offering a portfolio of layered frozen treats. The core product lineup centers on authentic Italian Ice (40+ rotating flavors, 24 daily) combined with Soft Ice Cream (Vanilla, Chocolate, Swirl) to create signature Jelatis. Premium offerings include Flavorites (Jelatis with Layer-Ins like Oreo Crumbles and Hershey's chips) and Hop-Away Treats (Jelati Cakes, Quarts, and Oreo Sandwiches for take-home). The brand supports its retail operations with a loyalty program (J-List Rewards), catering services, community fundraising programs, and an active franchise development initiative. Products are made fresh daily in each franchised location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jelati: The signature layered frozen treat combining Italian Ice with soft ice cream. Also used as Jelati Cakes for celebration cakes.
• Flavorites

Products and services

• Italian Ice Authentic, refreshing frozen dessert made fresh daily in each location; available in 40+ rotating flavors with 24 featured daily, ranging from fruity to decadent profiles.
• Soft Ice Cream Rich and creamy soft-serve ice cream available in Vanilla, Chocolate, and Swirl varieties; served on its own or layered in Jelatis and Flavorites.
• Jelati (Gelati) Signature layered frozen treat combining any flavor(s) of Italian Ice with rich Soft Ice Cream; customers can layer up to 4 flavors of Italian Ice for custom combinations.
• Flavorites Premium Jelatis featuring Italian Ice, Soft Ice Cream, and decadent Layer-Ins such as Oreo Cookie Crumbles, Cookie Butter Crumbles, Mini Hershey's Chocolate Chips, Rainbow Sprinkles, and Rainbow Nerds; available as pre-built combinations or build-your-own.
• Jelati Cakes Pre-packaged party-sized frozen treats featuring layers of Italian Ice, Soft Ice Cream, and Layer-Ins; available in 3 flavors, serving 8-10 people, pre-orderable through the rewards app.
• Hop & Go Quarts Take-home quarts of Jeremiah's layered treats allowing customers to enjoy Flavorites at home; portable version of the layered Flavorite experience.
• Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches Soft Ice Cream sandwiches featuring Oreo cookies; available individually and in 6-packs as a grab-and-go treat.
• J-List Rewards Loyalty program via the Jeremiah's Ice mobile app (built on the Punchh platform) where members earn 1 point per dollar spent, redeemable for free treats at 50 points; includes member-exclusive offers, online ordering, birthday treats, and challenges.
• Catering Services Full-service catering including pre-packaged treats and fresh-scooping at venues; covers Ice Nights (partial-proceeds fundraising), full-service vending, and packages for parties, festivals, weddings, and corporate events.
• Community Fundraising Program Fundraising programs for schools and community organizations including Ice Nights and partial-proceeds vending events; connects local Jeremiah's locations with community partners for fundraising campaigns.
• Gift Cards Reloadable gift cards usable as payment at all Jeremiah's Italian Ice locations; available for purchase in-store and online at shop.jeremiahsice.com.
• Franchise Opportunities Franchise program offering entrepreneurs the right to own and operate Jeremiah's Italian Ice retail locations; brand has expanded to 178 locations across the U.S.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named 'America's Most Unique Restaurant Menu' in 2026 Datassential 500 Awards out of 18,000+ U.S. restaurant chains evaluated
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard: Direct franchise competitor combining Italian Ice with a frozen dessert (frozen custard) in a layered format. Operates a much larger, multi-regional U.S. system that Jeremiah's benchmarks against, with overlapping product concept, customer base, and franchise model.
• Cold Stone Creamery: National ice cream franchise built around mix-in customization, mirroring Jeremiah's Flavorites/Jelati "build your own" customization. Comparable franchise model, mall and street-front locations, and impulse/family treat positioning.
• Marble Slab Creamery: Ice cream franchise known for customizable mix-in creations, closely paralleling Jeremiah's Flavorites build-your-own positioning. Similar store format, franchise structure, and target customer.
• Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers: Growing Midwest/Sunbelt franchise built on frozen custard and a customizable menu. Comparable franchise system with similar mid-priced family positioning and recent multi-state expansion profile.
• Tropical Smoothie Cafe: Fast-growing Sunbelt-anchored franchise cafe. Comparable to Jeremiah's in franchise scale (~hundreds of U.S. units), Southern/Sunbelt geographic concentration, and impulse/affordable family positioning.
• Menchie's Frozen Yogurt: Self-serve frozen yogurt franchise centered on customization with toppings, analogous to Jeremiah's Layer-Ins concept. Overlaps in customer demographic (families, kids) and franchise-driven retail model.

Broad incumbents

• Baskin-Robbins: Established national ice cream franchise with broad flavor variety and a strong co-brand portfolio. Competes for the same family/impulse frozen-treat occasions with much greater distribution and brand spend.
• Dairy Queen: Iconic QSR and frozen-treat franchise with Blizzard treats and soft serve. Overlaps with Jeremiah's in soft-serve consumption occasions and impulse/family dessert occasions across a vastly larger U.S. footprint.
• Häagen-Dazs Shops: Premium ice cream shop concept from Nestlé operating both company and franchised units. Competes for premium/dessert-occasion share of wallet with broader brand and capital resources than Jeremiah's.

Regional players

• Andy's Frozen Custard: Regional frozen custard franchise with strong Mid/South presence, overlapping with Jeremiah's on frozen dessert occasions. Comparable franchise model but primarily competes in different geographies (Midwest/South central).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jeremiahsice
• Facebookfacebook.com/jeremiahsice
• Instagraminstagram.com/jeremiahsice
• TikToktiktok.com/@jeremiahsice

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jeremiah's Italian Ice