Anderson's Frozen Custard

What Anderson's Frozen Custard does

Anderson's Frozen Custard is a family-owned, multi-location restaurant and catering business headquartered in Williamsville (Buffalo), New York, founded in 1946 by Carl and Greta Anderson. The company operates seven Western New York retail locations (Kenmore/Sheridan Drive, Williamsville/Main Street, West Amherst, Delaware Ave/Buffalo, Union Road/Cheektowaga, Lancaster/Transit Road, and Grand Island) plus a mobile food truck branded #WeckOnWheels. Its core products are a proprietary, egg-yolk-rich frozen custard dispensed via specialized machines (distinct from soft serve), over 100 handmade hard ice cream flavors produced in-house by a team trained at Ice Cream School, and all-natural roast beef on weck sandwiches using beef raised without antibiotics. The company also wholesales its handmade ice cream to local restaurants and specialty shops.

The business generates revenue through pay-at-counter retail sales across the seven locations and food truck, online ordering for pickup and delivery via ToastTab, event catering under the Party2Go brand (platters, ice cream cakes and pies, sundae bars, make-at-home sundae kits, bagged lunches), nationwide shipping through a GoldBelly channel partnership, gift card sales, and a points-based loyalty rewards program. Customer segments are predominantly local Western New York consumers and families, supplemented by event and party hosts (consumer and corporate) booking catering or the food truck. GoldBelly extends the addressable market to US-wide former Buffalonians and brand enthusiasts.

The company is privately held, family-owned (currently operated by Holly Anderson, daughter of the founders, with management and leadership teams), employs 230+ full-time and part-time staff, and is incorporated in New York as Anderson's Frozen Custard, Inc. Its technology stack is conventional for a regional restaurant chain — ToastTab for digital ordering, loyalty, and gift cards; GoldBelly for nationwide fulfillment; PayPal for payment processing; Google Maps for location services — with the proprietary differentiation residing in the original frozen custard recipe, the in-house ice cream production capability, and the locally produced roast beef supply chain rather than in software or AI. The most recent material expansion was the 2025 acquisition of Adrian's Custard & Beef on Grand Island, the company's first new location in 25 years.

Name

Anderson's Frozen Custard

Legal name

Anderson's Frozen Custard, Inc

Website

https://andersonscustard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Anderson's Frozen Custard is a family-owned Western New York restaurant chain (7 locations plus a food truck) founded in 1946, serving proprietary frozen custard, over 100 handmade ice cream flavors, and all-natural roast beef on weck to local consumers, event hosts, and catering customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Frozen Dessert Restaurants

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Soft-Serve & Custard Stands (THAFAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Frozen Custard Manufacturing (AFAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Frozen custard retail
• Handmade ice cream
• Roast beef sandwiches
• Event catering services
• Comfort food restaurants

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Frozen Custard & Food Sales: In-person sales at 7 Western New York locations and food truck. Menu includes signature frozen custard, handmade ice cream, roast beef on weck sandwiches, and full comfort food menu.
2. Event & Party Catering: Party2Go featuring All Natural Roast Beef, handmade ice cream cakes & pies, make-at-home sundae kits, ready-to-serve sundae bars, and bagged lunches for events.
3. Nationwide Shipping: Partnership with GoldBelly enables shipping of frozen custard, roast beef, and ice cream products to customers across the United States.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Anderson's Frozen Custard is a family-owned frozen custard and comfort food restaurant chain serving Western New York since 1946. The company sells machine-dispensed frozen custard from a proprietary founders' recipe, handmade hard ice cream in 100+ flavors, all-natural roast beef on weck sandwiches, and a full comfort food menu, through 7 restaurant locations, a food truck, online ordering, catering, and nationwide shipping.

Product overview

Anderson's Frozen Custard operates as a multi-location restaurant and catering business in Western New York with a unified product portfolio centered on frozen desserts and roast beef sandwiches. The core offerings include Signature Frozen Custard (a rich, egg-yolk-based product dating to the 1946 recipe) and Handmade Hard Ice Cream (100+ flavors, hand-mixed), supported by All Natural Roast Beef on Weck sandwiches as a signature food item. The company extends its offerings through catering modules including Party2Go catering, ice cream cakes and pies, make-at-home sundae kits, ready-to-serve sundae bars, and bagged lunches. A mobile #WeckOnWheels food truck serves events throughout Western New York. Additional services include gift cards, a loyalty rewards program via Toast Tab, nationwide shipping via GoldBelly, and comprehensive nutritional information for dietary management. Seven physical restaurant locations across Erie County plus the food truck complete the service network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• #WeckOnWheels: Anderson's Food Truck brand, operating throughout Western New York serving their signature menu items at various events and locations.

Products and services

• Signature Frozen Custard Rich, egg-yolk-based frozen custard in vanilla, chocolate, rotating daily specials, and seasonal flavors, dispensed via proprietary machines and sold at all 7 retail locations and the food truck.
• Handmade Hard Ice Cream Premium handcrafted ice cream with over 100 flavors produced annually, mixed by hand by a team of trained ice cream specialists and shipped weekly to all locations and partner retailers.
• All Natural Roast Beef on Weck Slow-roasted, hormone- and antibiotic-free all-natural roast beef (raised minimum 300 days prior to processing) served medium rare on kummelweck rolls with au jus and optional horseradish.
• Party2Go Catering Catering service offering all-natural roast beef by the pound, party platters, and complete event catering packages for corporate and private events of any size.
• Handmade Ice Cream Cakes & Pies Custom ice cream cakes and pies handmade to order for events, birthdays, and celebrations.
• Make at Home Sundae Kits DIY sundae kits for home gatherings, available in classic and custom configurations with ice cream, toppings, and assembly components.
• Ready to Serve Sundae Bar Pre-assembled sundae bars for larger groups, fully prepared and delivered ready to serve at events.
• Bagged Lunches Pre-packaged lunch options including beef boxes with salad and custom boxed lunch configurations for groups and events.
• #WeckOnWheels Food Truck Mobile food truck service operating under the #WeckOnWheels brand, serving Anderson's signature menu at events, private parties, and corporate functions throughout Western New York.
• Nationwide Shipping via GoldBelly Direct-to-consumer nationwide shipping of frozen custard, all-natural roast beef, and handmade ice cream products to customers across the United States via GoldBelly.

Quantifiable outcome

• Artvoice's 2015 Best Ice Cream in Buffalo award
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GoldBellycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGoldBelly is a nationwide food shipping platform that enables Anderson's to ship their famous frozen custard, all-natural roast beef, and handmade ice cream products to customers across the United States. This partnership allows former Buffalonians and fans nationwide to order Anderson's signature products for delivery.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Graeter's Ice Cream: Cincinnati-based premium handcrafted ice cream maker operating scoop shops in multiple states. Comparable as a multi-generation family-owned premium ice cream brand with traditional recipes, handmade production methods, and a multi-location retail model.
• Ted Drewes Frozen Custard: St. Louis-based frozen custard specialist operating iconic brick-and-mortar stands. Highly comparable as a multi-generation, regional frozen-custard-focused brand with similar cult following, seasonal demand, and limited geographic footprint.
• Cold Stone Creamery: National premium ice cream franchise known for made-to-order frozen desserts with mix-ins. Comparable franchise-style scoop shop model, customizable frozen treats, and ice cream cake offerings paralleling Anderson's Party2Go catering business.
• Perry's Ice Cream: Western New York-based ice cream manufacturer and operator that competes directly in the same regional market with both retail scoops and a strong wholesale/distribution presence. Both brands share WNY heritage, ice cream expertise, and a focus on traditional frozen desserts.
• Carvel: East Coast-based ice cream and frozen cake chain specializing in soft-serve and ice cream cakes. Highly comparable product mix (frozen custard-style treats plus ice cream cakes for catering), though Carvel operates primarily through franchising.

Broad incumbents

• Culver's: Midwest-based fast-casual chain famous for frozen custard as a core menu item. Comparable as a scaled frozen custard operator, though Culver's offers a broader menu (butterburgers, etc.) and operates a franchise model with 900+ units versus Anderson's 7.
• Shake Shack: Premium fast-casual chain featuring frozen custard as a core menu item alongside burgers and similar comfort food. Comparable as an elevated, premium-positioned restaurant concept with frozen custard, beef sandwiches, and a multi-location model, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Ben & Jerry's: Premium ice cream brand with both retail pints and scoop shop locations. Comparable product (premium handmade ice cream with creative flavors) and brand positioning (independent, mission-driven), though Ben & Jerry's operates nationally via Unilever ownership.
• Häagen-Dazs Shops: Premium ice cream scoop shop brand operating in malls and urban locations. Comparable as a premium-positioned frozen dessert retail concept, though Häagen-Dazs shops offer a more standardized, less regional/traditional experience than Anderson's heritage brand.
• Dairy Queen: National soft-serve and frozen dessert chain with thousands of franchised locations. Comparable product category (frozen treats) and fast-casual restaurant format, but operates at vastly larger scale with standardized soft-serve rather than Anderson's signature egg-yolk frozen custard.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/andersonsfrozencustard
• Instagraminstagram.com/andersonsfrozencustard
• Xx.com/roastbeefkimmel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/andersons-frozen-custard-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Anderson's Frozen Custard