Braum's facts for kids
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Braum's location in Commerce, Texas
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| Private | |
| Industry | |
| Founded | 1968 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Founder | William Henry "Bill" Braum |
| Headquarters | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,
U.S.
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Number of locations
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300+ |
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Area served
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Key people
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| Products | Ice cream, soft serve, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, sundaes, hamburgers, chicken, french fries, soft drinks, salads |
| Services | Fast food restaurants Ice cream parlor Dairy store |
| Revenue |  US$5 billion (2021) |
| Owner | Braum family |
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Number of employees
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8,000 as of December 2021[update] |
Braum's Inc. is an American company. It runs a chain of ice cream shops and fast-food restaurants. The main office is in Oklahoma City. William Henry "Bill" Braum started Braum's in 1968. Today, the company has over 300 restaurants. They are found in five states, mostly in the southern United States. These states include Oklahoma and Texas.
History of Braum's
In 1957, Bill Braum bought his family's ice cream business. It was in Emporia, Kansas. He also bought their "Peter Pan" ice cream stores. Ten years later, the Peter Pan stores were sold. There was one rule: the Braum family could not sell ice cream in Kansas for ten years.
Bill Braum kept the family's dairy cows and ice cream factory. In 1968, he and his wife Mary started the Braum's chain. They opened 24 stores in Oklahoma in the first year. For a few years, Braum's brought products from Kansas to Oklahoma. Then, in 1975, they opened new facilities in Oklahoma. They also moved their dairy cows there. In the 1980s, Braum's even had TV commercials with a character named Ernest P. Worrell.
Braum's Store Locations
Braum's wants to keep its products very fresh. Because of this, stores are only opened within 300 miles (483 km) of their main farm. This farm is in Tuttle, Oklahoma. As of 2017, there are almost 300 Braum's stores. Oklahoma has 128 stores. Texas has 99 stores. Kansas has 27 stores. Both Arkansas and Missouri have 13 stores each.
What Braum's Sells
Braum's restaurants serve many tasty items. You can find ice cream, frozen yogurt, and hamburgers. They also offer sandwiches, salads, and breakfast foods. Each store also has a special grocery section. It is called the "Fresh Market." Here, you can buy dairy products like milk. They also sell fresh baked goods, drinks, and frozen meals. You can even find meats and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Braum's is special because it does almost everything itself. This is called "vertical integration." It means they own nearly every step of making their products. Braum's owns its own feed mill for the cows. They have their own dairy cows and a milk processing plant. They also have their own bakery. Braum's even owns its stores and delivery trucks. They have eight farms and ranches. These farms cover a huge area of 40,000 acres (162 square kilometers). Their main dairy farm is in Tuttle, Oklahoma. You can even take tours of this dairy farm. It's a popular place for school field trips. Braum's says it is the only big ice cream maker that still milks its own cows. They also make the packaging for their dairy products.
A2 Milk at Braum's
Braum's Family Farm has the largest group of A2 milk cows in the United States. A1 and A2 are different types of protein found in milk. Most cow milk has the A1 protein. However, milk from other animals like buffalo, goats, or sheep is mostly A2. Even human milk is mostly A2. A2 milk may be easier for some people to digest. It might help those with "cow milk protein allergies" or even lactose intolerance.
It took Braum's over 12 years to build their A2 cow herd. Now, Braum's only produces A2 milk. This special milk is sold in all Braum's stores.
