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Handel's Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Handel's Enterprises LLC
Trade name
Handel's Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt
Private
Industry Dessert
Genre Ice cream parlor
Founded July 15, 1945; 78 years ago (1945-07-15) in Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
Founder Alice Handel
Headquarters ,
Number of locations
73 as of June 22,  2021 (2021 -06-22)
Area served
10 states in the U.S.
Key people
Rich Matherne (CEO)
Products Ice cream • frozen treats
Revenue IncreaseUS$30 million (2018)
Owner Leonard Fisher
Number of employees
925 (2021)
Handel's Homemade Ice Cream shop in Cedar Mill, Oregon (2018)
A Handel's Ice Cream shop in Oregon in 2018

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream is an ice cream company franchise founded by Alice Handel in 1945 in Youngstown, Ohio. As of November 2021, the company is operating 72 corporate and franchise stores in ten states. Today, it is owned by Leonard Fisher and maintains a corporate headquarters in Canfield, Ohio.

History

Handel's began when Alice Handel started serving ice cream from her husband's gas station in Youngstown, Ohio in the summer of 1945. The first batches were made using fresh fruit she picked from her own backyard, with old fashioned recipes. Handel's includes locations in California, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Arizona, Alabama, Utah, Texas and Nevada. The menu also expanded to over 150 flavors of homemade ice cream.[3] Its success has been reported in various publications including the Travel Channel, which recognized Handel's as "One of the Best Ice Cream Parlors in the Country."

In July 2002, USA Today rated Handel's as one of the top-ten best ice cream businesses in the country. In 2020, Handel's was named as one of the top 500 franchises by Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 ranking. The original stand—still located in Youngstown, Ohio—has been quoted as “The Busiest Ice Cream Stand in America” by Ohio Restaurant News.

Recognition

Its success has been reported in various publications including the Travel Channel, which recognized Handel's as "One of the Best Ice Cream Parlors in the Country." In July 2002, USA Today rated it as one of the top-ten best ice cream businesses in the country. In 2020, Handel's was named as one of the top 500 franchises by Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 ranking. The original stand—still located in Youngstown, Ohio—has been quoted as “The Busiest Ice Cream Stand in America” by Ohio Restaurant News.

It has been described by Ohio Restaurant News as "The Busiest Ice Cream Stand in America". Chocolatier Magazine called Handel's "One of the Best Ice Creams in America." In 2006, National Geographic named Handel's the #1 ice cream in its 10 Best of Everything book. Handel's success has also been documented by People Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, and the book Everyone Loves Ice Cream.

Fans of Handel's Ice Cream include former Senator Rick Santorum, Ed O'Neill, and Tom Cruise.