Franchise News

Local Owner Neil Hershman Opens Third Franchised Location in NYC  

America's favorite flash-frozen beaded ice cream treat Dippin' Dots has debuted a Times Square store that opened this month through an agreement with multi-unit franchisee Neil Hershman. The new store, at 234 W. 42nd Street, is co-branded with sister brand Doc Popcorn. Dippin' Dots was recently acquired by J&J Snack Foods Corp. (NASDAQ: JJSF), a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years.

"Times Square is one of the most iconic, energetic areas in New York City. It is a true crossroads of the world, now even tastier with the addition of Dippin' Dots' world-famous beaded ice cream," said Dan Fachner, President & CEO at J&J Snack Foods. "We are grateful for our partnership with Neil to bring Dippin' Dots ice cream and our fantastic Doc Popcorn product to the 50 million visitors that pass through Times Square each year."

Hershman opened a flagship Dippin' Dots and Doc Popcorn store in the Flatiron District in April 2021, followed by a second location in Downtown Brooklyn this past April. He also owns several 16 Handles frozen yogurt franchises throughout the city.

"I'm a big supporter of the cobrand and see a bright future for the addictive snack lineup. In addition to traditional retail and delivery at each of my three locations, we've seen a lot of success with our corporate catering for private events and parties in NYC," said Hershman. "Our location on the south side of 42nd Street, neighboring flagship tenants like Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the busiest movie theater in America, is second to none as thousands of New Yorkers and tourists will pass the store daily."

The store also features an outpost of Captain Cookie & the Milkman, a superhero-themed cookie and ice cream company. Customers can find favorite Dippin' Dots ice cream flavors like Rainbow Ice, Cookies and Cream and Banana Split, in addition to several popcorn flavors, including Better Butter and Caramel Bliss. Additional details can be found by following @DippinDotsNYC on Instagram.

Dippin' Dots beaded ice cream was created in 1988 using cryogenic technology to invent an unconventional ice cream that's remarkably fresh and flavorful. For the past 30 years, millions of people have fallen in love with the iconic treat, which is available in thousands of franchise locations, theme parks, stadiums, arenas, zoos, movie theaters, fairs and festivals, as well as shipped right to customers' homes. Doc Popcorn handcrafts a wide variety of fresh-popped specialty flavors of popcorn free of trans fat, MSG, artificial colors and preservatives.

Dippin' Dots has produced and distributed its flash frozen tiny beads of ice cream, yogurt, sherbet and flavored ice products since 1988. Made at the company's production facility in Paducah, Kentucky, Dippin' Dots distributes its unique frozen products in all 50 states and 7 countries through its franchised and direct distribution network. For more information, including franchise opportunities, visit www.dippindots.com. Follow Dippin' Dots on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Using whole grain kernels, proprietary flavor blends and other high-quality ingredients, Doc Popcorn handcrafts a wide variety of fresh-popped specialty flavors of popcorn free of trans fat, MSG, artificial colors and preservatives. Born in Boulder, Colo., Doc Popcorn started franchising in 2009 and has been consistently recognized as one of the top food franchises in the country by Entrepreneur's Franchise 500. For more information and to inquire about franchise opportunities, please visit www.docpopcorn.com.

J&J Snack Foods Corp. (NASDAQ: JJSF) is a leader and innovator in the snack food industry, providing innovative, niche and affordable branded snack foods and beverages to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets. Manufactured and distributed nationwide, our principal products include SUPERPRETZEL, the #1 soft pretzel brand in the world, as well as internationally known ICEE and SLUSH PUPPIE frozen beverages, LUIGI'S Real Italian Ice, MINUTE MAID* frozen ices, WHOLE FRUIT sorbet and frozen fruit bars, SOUR PATCH KIDS**Flavored Ice Pops, Tio Pepe's & CALIFORNIA CHURROS, and THE FUNNEL CAKE FACTORY funnel cakes and several bakery brands within DADDY RAY'S, COUNTRY HOME BAKERS and HILL & VALLEY. J&J Snack Foods Corp. has approximately twenty manufacturing facilities and generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue. The Company has a history of strong sales growth and financial performance and remains focused on opportunities to expand its unique niche market product offering while bringing smiles to families worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.jjsnack.com. *MINUTE MAID is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company. **SOUR PATCH KIDS is a registered trademark of Mondel?z International group, used under license.