J.P. Licks
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersJamaica Plain, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
J.P. Licks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- J.P. Licks
- Legal name
- J.P. Licks
- Website
- https://jplicks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
J.P. Licks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Ice Cream Cafe
- NAICS
- Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Retail Bakeries (311811), Baked Goods Retailers (445291)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ice Cream & Gelato Shops (THAFAGAA)
Keywords
Where J.P. Licks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Jamaica Plain
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
J.P. Licks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts: Core revenue stream from hard ice cream, hard yogurt, soft serve frozen yogurt, frappes, smoothies, and dairy-free drinks sold at all 17 retail locations. Monthly limited-edition flavors drive repeat visits.
- Coffee and Espresso: Full espresso bar with coffee drinks and whole bean sales. In-house roasted coffee available for online ordering via jplickscoffee.com.
- Baked Goods and Bakery: Fresh baked goods including muffins, cookies, sandwiches. Croissants and pastries prepared in-house.
- Custom and Stock Cakes: Custom cakes, pies, Lixwiches, and cupcakes for celebrations and events. Both made-to-order and ready-to-purchase options available.
- Catering Services: Catering for events providing ice cream, sundae bars, and party packs for events.
- Loyalty Program: J.P. Licks Rewards app with points per purchase. College tier for students with exclusive perks. Birthday rewards and special offers.
- Online Merchandise: Online store at jplickscoffee.com selling coffee beans, merchandise including t-shirts and sweatshirts.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
J.P. Licks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
J.P. Licks operates a network of 17 retail cafe locations across Greater Boston selling artisan ice cream, hard yogurt, soft-serve frozen yogurt, frappes, smoothies, espresso beverages, baked goods, custom and stock cakes, and party/catering packs. The company roasts its own small-batch fair-trade coffee at its Jamaica Plain headquarters and rotates more than 45 ice cream flavors including monthly limited-edition releases.
Product overview
J.P. Licks is an ice cream, hard yogurt, coffee, and bakery company founded in 1981, operating 17 locations throughout Greater Boston. The company offers a diverse portfolio of products and services centered around its core frozen dessert offerings (ice cream, hard yogurt, soft serve frozen yogurt, frappes, smoothies, and dairy-free drinks), complemented by a full espresso bar, baked goods, custom and stock cakes and pies, and bulk/tubs for events. The business operates an online coffee bean store (jplickscoffee.com) and maintains a loyalty rewards program accessible via mobile app. Additional services include catering for events and delivery. The company is known for monthly limited-edition flavor releases, collaborative partnerships with local theaters and cultural events, and community engagement programs including an annual sock drive for Rosie's Place. Their coffee is roasted in-house at their Jamaica Plain headquarters.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- J.P. Licks Coffee: Online platform for ordering coffee beans and merchandise
Quantifiable outcome
- 1540+ pairs of socks collected in 2026 sock drive for Rosie's Place, record high
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use J.P. Licks
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
J.P. Licks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
J.P. Licks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Cirque Du SoleilminorLimited edition Sugar Cookie flavor collaboration for Twas the Night Before production at Boch Center, including social media giveaway with two winners.
- Downton Abbey: The Grand FinaleminorLondon Fog flavor (Sweet Cream with light lavender and Earl Grey tea) to celebrate the movie's release.
- Levain BakeryminorLevain à la Mode collaboration - J.P. Licks vanilla ice cream served alongside Levain cookies at their Back Bay and Seaport bakery locations during summer 2025.
- The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom HanksminorCreated exclusive Moon Pie ice cream flavor (white, fluffy with graham crackers) for the Lightroom exhibition at Saunders Castle, Boston.
- Boston CelticsminorCeltics Pride flavor created by assistant production manager Jonathan Vega featuring golden vanilla with caramel and sea salt, green marshmallow ripple. Featured in Boston Globe article.
- Broadway in Boston / Shucked the MusicalminorPartnership with Citizens Opera House featuring exclusive Awe Shucks sweet corn ice cream flavor with subtle sea salt to celebrate the Tony-award winning musical comedy.
- ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025minorCreated World's Swirl exclusive blue ice cream flavor for the 14th US hosting of championships in Boston. The 2016 championship drew nearly 108,000 fans.
- The Grinch (Boch Center)minorGrinch's Candy Cane Ice Cream and Sundae for Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical at Assembly Row location with meet and greet.
- Ellie FundminorBreast cancer awareness partnership featuring vanilla raspberry ripple ice cream. Created udder-shaped stickers for purchase with proceeds supporting breast cancer patients.
- Bluey (Boch Center)minorDual flavor (strawberry and mango) inspired by Bluey cartoon characters for Bluey: the Play at Boch Center. Served at the theater venue.
- Dog Man: The Musical (Emerson Colonial Theatre)minorBig Pink Donut flavor collaboration - strawberry ice cream with donut pieces, rainbow sprinkles, and frosting ripple for Dog Man: The Musical.
- Blue Man GroupminorCreated Exploding Marshmallow Mouth blue ice cream with marshmallow swirls and colorful candy sequins. Sold Blue Man Group spin art at Boylston Street and Wellesley Centre locations.
- LEGOLAND Discovery Center BostonminorLEGO mural collaboration featuring Hibiscus mosaic created by Master Model Builder Megan Amaral at Assembly Row location. Second mural added in 2022.
- Johnny CupcakesminorCollaboration with Newbury Street neighbors Johnny Cupcakes (clothing brand founded by Johnny Earle). Released Applewood Smoked Vanilla ice cream flavor and co-branded 40th anniversary t-shirt design reflecting Johnny Cupcakes' 20th anniversary and J.P. Licks' 40th.
- Rosie's PlacecoreAnnual sock drive for homeless shelter. 7th year in 2026 collected record 1540+ pairs of socks. Also collected 826 pairs in 2021, more than double 2020.
- Apprentice LearningminorPartnership with Boston Public Schools organization for 6-week student internships at Jamaica Plain headquarters. Exposes students to ice cream making, cake decorating, coffee roasting, and marketing.
- Uber Eats, Door Dash, Grub HubminorThird-party delivery platforms for ice cream and product delivery to customers.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
J.P. Licks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Toscanini's Ice Cream: Independent Cambridge, Massachusetts ice cream shop with a strong local following and cult-favorite flavors. Directly comparable to J.P. Licks in artisan ice cream, Greater Boston geography, and small-batch craft positioning.
- Emack & Bolio's: Boston-based premium ice cream chain known for colorful flavors and cone creations. Competes head-to-head with J.P. Licks for walk-in customers in Greater Boston with similar product and customer base.
- Salt & Straw: Multi-city craft ice cream brand with rotating small-batch flavors and cult appeal. Directly comparable to J.P. Licks on product strategy (rotating limited-edition flavors) and experiential retail, though at much larger scale.
- Van Leeuwen Ice Cream: Premium ice cream brand with national scoop shops and grocery distribution. Comparable on product positioning, flavor innovation cadence, and brand-led storytelling similar to J.P. Licks' limited-edition approach.
- Gelato & Co. (Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams): National scoop shop brand known for inventive flavors and direct-to-consumer pints. Comparable to J.P. Licks on small-batch flavor innovation, premium positioning, and shop-as-brand-retail strategy.
Regional players
- Graeter's Ice Cream: Multi-generational craft ice cream maker with strong regional footprint and grocery presence. Similar to J.P. Licks in long-standing brand heritage, but operates in the Midwest rather than the Northeast.
Broad incumbents
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator with owned retail locations and a brand-led experience model. Comparable to J.P. Licks' in-house roasting, espresso bar, and cafe-bakery positioning on the coffee side of the menu.
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster with cafe retail and wholesale. Comparable to J.P. Licks on in-house small-batch roasting and cafe-driven customer experience.
- Häagen-Dazs Shop: National premium ice cream brand with company-owned and franchised scoop shops. Comparable retail format and premium price tier, but operates at vastly broader scale and with corporate ownership versus J.P. Licks' founder-owned model.
- Dairy Queen: Mass-market soft-serve and ice cream chain with thousands of franchised locations. Overlaps with J.P. Licks on frozen dessert retail and soft serve, but competes in a much lower price/quality tier.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
J.P. Licks social profiles
Digital presenceJ.P. Licks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
J.P. Licks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
J.P. Licks subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
J.P. Licks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
J.P. Licks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about J.P. Licks
What does J.P. Licks do?
J.P. Licks operates a network of 17 retail cafe locations across Greater Boston selling artisan ice cream, hard yogurt, soft-serve frozen yogurt, frappes, smoothies, espresso beverages, baked goods, custom and stock cakes, and party/catering packs. The company roasts its own small-batch fair-trade coffee at its Jamaica Plain headquarters and rotates more than 45 ice cream flavors including monthly limited-edition releases.
Is J.P. Licks a public or private company?
J.P. Licks is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was J.P. Licks founded?
J.P. Licks was founded in 1981. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is J.P. Licks based?
J.P. Licks is headquartered in Jamaica Plain, United States, in the North America region.
How does J.P. Licks make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts are the primary driver. The others are coffee and Espresso, baked Goods and Bakery, custom and Stock Cakes, catering Services, loyalty Program and online Merchandise.
Who are J.P. Licks's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Toscanini's Ice Cream, Emack & Bolio's, Salt & Straw, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream and Gelato & Co. (Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams). Graeter's Ice Cream is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Blue Bottle Coffee, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Häagen-Dazs Shop and Dairy Queen.
Does J.P. Licks have an API?
No public API is recorded for J.P. Licks.
What industry is J.P. Licks in?
J.P. Licks's product category is Specialty Ice Cream Cafe. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAGAA, Ice Cream & Gelato Shops. Its NAICS code is 31152 and its SIC code is 5810.