Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams facts for kids
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| Industry | Food service |
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| Founded | 2002 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Founder | Jeni Britton |
| Headquarters |
Columbus, Ohio
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U.S.
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Number of locations
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66 retail locations |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Stacy Peterson (CEO) |
| Products | Ice cream and novelties |
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is a popular ice cream company. It started in Columbus, Ohio, and is known for its unique flavors. Jeni's has more than 80 ice cream shops and sells its ice cream in stores all over the United States.
Contents
The Story of Jeni's Ice Cream
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams was started by Jeni Britton-Bauer. She is still the main creative person behind the company.
Before making ice cream, Jeni studied art in college. One day, she got some scented chemicals. This made her interested in essential oils. She started making her own perfumes and sold them for a few years.
Jeni then tried mixing cayenne pepper oil with chocolate ice cream. She found that ice cream was great for carrying different scents and flavors. This led her to start making new ice cream flavors using essential oils. Just two weeks later, she decided to make ice cream her business. She even left college to follow her dream!
Jeni first sold her ice cream at a farmer's market in Columbus, Ohio. In 1996, she opened her first ice cream shop. It was called Scream Ice Creams. Jeni worked there for several years, creating many new flavors. Some of her first famous flavors were Salty Caramel, Wildberry Lavender, and Queen City Cayenne. After four years, she closed Scream to learn even more about making ice cream.
The first Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams shop opened in 2002. It was also in the North Market area of Columbus. This new shop offered many more choices for customers. Within the first year, Jeni's husband's brother joined the company. This made them a team of three.
In 2006, Jeni opened her first store outside the North Market. The company continued to grow and open more locations. In 2009, John Lowe became the company's first CEO.
As of November 2022, Jeni's has about 1,800 people working for them.
Where to Find Jeni's Ice Cream
As of May 2022, Jeni's has "Scoop Shops" in fourteen states. You can also find them in the District of Columbia. Jeni's ice cream pints are sold in over 3,000 grocery stores across the country. You can also order them online. In 2021, the company made $95.7 million.
Delicious Ice Cream Flavors
Jeni's uses high-quality ingredients. They get them from local farmers and producers. They also use dairy from cows that eat grass. As of August 2022, Jeni's had 37 ice cream flavors on their menu. They often add new flavors based on the season or special partnerships.
- Almond Milk Cortado
- Bangkok Peanut
- Boozy Egg Nog (made with Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, but it's non-alcoholic!)
- Brambleberry Crisp
- Brown Butter Almond Brittle
- Coffee With Cream and Sugar
- Cold Brew with Coconut Cream
- Cream Puff
- Darkest Chocolate
- Gooey Butter Cake
- Honey Vanilla Bean
- Pistachio and Honey
- Queen City Cayenne
- Salty Caramel
- Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Wildberry Lavender
- White House Chocolate Chip
Fun Partnerships
Jeni's often teams up with other brands. In 2022, they worked with Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. They created a non-alcoholic 'Boozy Eggnog' flavor. More collaborations happened in the years after that. For example, they made a 'Biscuits With the Boss' flavor. This was to promote the TV show Ted Lasso.
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and Jeni's worked together again in December 2023. They made a 'Hot Toddy' sorbet flavor. It was released in January 2024.
Keeping Ice Cream Safe
In 2015, Jeni's had a problem with a type of bacteria called Listeria. They had to recall all their products to keep everyone safe. They recalled products again in June 2015.
After this, Jeni's worked very hard to make sure their ice cream was super safe. Jeni wrote that they did many tests in their kitchen. They tested almost 200 spots every day for two months! This was much more than what was usually recommended. They wanted to find out where the bacteria came from and get rid of it. They also had other companies check their kitchen. This was to make sure everything was done correctly. Jeni said this experience made them stronger and helped them learn a lot.
What People Say About Jeni's
Many people and news outlets have praised Jeni's ice cream.
In 2010, the show The Best Thing I Ever Ate on Food Network gave Jeni's a good review. The Washington Post and The Huffington Post also reviewed it positively. In 2012, U.S. News & World Report even said it was the number one ice cream in America!
The Chicago Tribune said in 2011 that Jeni's was becoming famous for its amazing desserts. They noted that Jeni's uses milk from a family farm in Ohio. Time magazine said Jeni's has a huge fan base.
The Atlantic magazine also gave a great review. They said Jeni's flavors are special because a lot of effort goes into making them. What seems like a fun idea at first turns out to be a true work of art when you taste it. The New York Times and Today also reviewed Jeni's positively. In 2007, The New York Times said Jeni's was more creative than other ice cream makers. They mentioned flavors like goat cheese and Cognac fig sauce.
Awards and Honors
Jeni's has won several awards for its delicious ice cream.
In 2012, Jeni's won a Sofi Gold Award. This was for their Lemon Frozen Yogurt. In 2013, they won another Sofi Gold Award for their whole product line. From the very beginning, Jeni has used local products from Columbus and Ohio. This includes milk, fruit, and even whiskey.
In 2018, Fast Company named Jeni Britton Bauer one of the Most Creative People in Business. In 2019, Inc. magazine listed Jeni's on its Inc. 5000 list of fast-growing companies.
Jeni Britton Bauer also received a special honorary degree from Ohio State University. This was the same university she left to start her ice cream business! She even gave the speech at their summer graduation in 2016.
Jeni's Cookbooks
Jeni Britton Bauer has also written cookbooks to share her ice cream secrets.
In 2011, she published her first cookbook, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home. This book became a best-seller on New York Times best-seller list. The Wall Street Journal called it the "homemade-ice-cream-making Bible." Jeni even won a James Beard Foundation Award for this cookbook. It was also nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards that year.
In 2014, Jeni Britton Bauer published Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream Desserts. This book helps people make their own ice cream-based treats.
In March 2019, she published her third cookbook. It's called The Artisanal Kitchen: Perfect Homemade Ice Cream: The Best Make-It Yourself Ice Creams, Sorbets, Sundaes, and Other Desserts.
