Jeni's is getting into the franchise business. Here's what the ice cream brand is looking for in potential franchisees.

"Jeni's will be looking for franchisees starting this fall to open stores in Southeastern and Midwestern states - both regions where the brand has already built a network of company-operated locations, said Sean Bock, senior advisor of franchising at Jeni's. While Jeni's doesn't have a set number of franchisees that it's looking for, Bock said that the company is looking to "go overboard" in supporting its first six to eight franchisees before it considers a broader rollout of the model."

""We want to take a methodical approach" that emphasizes "quality over quantity," Bock told Business Insider. Bock said that Jeni's is looking for people who have previous experience running franchises. "They know how to operate a food business," he said. Other franchisees could include fans of Jeni's who are looking to make a career pivot, he said. "There's going to be a small percentage who's going through life right now and saying, 'I want a change,'" he said."

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams plans to recruit franchisees starting this fall to open franchised scoop shops in Midwestern and Southeastern states where it already operates company-owned locations. The initial rollout will focus on an intensive support program for six to eight franchisees before any broader expansion. The brand seeks operators with prior franchise or food-business experience while also considering some fans seeking career changes. The company emphasizes a methodical, quality-over-quantity approach. Franchising offers buyers an established brand, menu, and policies in exchange for fees such as licensing payments or revenue shares. Jeni's currently operates about 90 scoop shops nationwide.

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