Scottsdale, Arizona, March 5, 2008 – Cold Stone Creamery®, one of the fastest growing international ice cream concepts and part of the Kahala Corp family of brands, has reached an agreement with Cold Stone ApS to open more than 40 stores over the next five years in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The company plans to open its first store in Denmark in the world famous Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen later this year. This agreement marks Cold Stone Creamery's continued dedication to bringing the Ultimate Ice
Cream Experience® to ice cream lovers worldwide.
“We are truly excited to partner with Cold Stone ApS to launch Cold Stone Creamery in Scandinavia and to bring the ultimate ice cream experience to Denmark this year,” said Lee Knowlton, President of International, Kahala Corp. “They are incredible retail operators and share the same desire we do; to make people happy around the world.”
The majority shareholders of Cold Stone ApS are also the majority shareholders of Choose Holdings, which is the largest Build-A-Bear operator in Europe. Choose Holdings operates Build-A-Bear stores in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany, including their flagship store in Tivoli Gardens. The group shares the same passion as Cold Stone Creamery to provide consumers with unforgettable, customizable experiences.
It is an honor and privilege to be associated with Cold Stone Creamery, the ultimate ice cream experience, and we are very proud to bring Cold Stone Creamery to consumers across Scandinavia,” said Søren Nielsen, CEO, Cold Stone ApS.
While Scandinavia may be known for its brisk temperatures, Scandinavia’s love of ice cream is warm. According to Euromonitor, a market-research company, the average consumer in Finland spent $109.90 on ice cream in 2005.
Cold Stone Creamery opened its first store in Tempe, Ariz. in 1988 and its first international store in the Roppongi Hills complex in Tokyo, Japan in November 2005. Since then, Cold Stone has served millions of ice cream lovers in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, the United Arab Emeritus, Bahrain, Indonesia and Mexico. Cold Stone Creamery plans to open 120 new stores in 12 countries this year as part of its international growth strategy.
About Cold Stone Creamery
Cold Stone Creamery delivers The Ultimate Ice Cream Experience® through a community of franchisees who are passionate about ice cream. The secret recipe for smooth and creamy ice cream is handcrafted fresh daily in each store, and then customized by combining a variety of mix-ins on a frozen granite stone. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Cold Stone Creamery is part of Kahala Corp, a leading brand-building franchisor with a portfolio of diversified brands.