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Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
IndustryFood service
Founded2002; 22 years ago (2002)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
FounderJeni Britton
Headquarters
Columbus, Ohio
,
U.S.
Number of locations
28 cities[1]
Area served
Regional for some products and national for others
Key people
Stacy Peterson (CEO)
ProductsIce cream and novelties
Websitejenis.com

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is an ice cream company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Jeni's has over 80 ice cream shops and retail distributors in the United States.[1]

History

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Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams was founded by Jeni Britton-Bauer, who is the current chief creative officer.

Before starting Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Britton-Bauer attended The Ohio State University and studied art history and fine art. While in college, she was given vials of scented chemicals by a chemistry graduate colleague, which led her to gather essential oils, make her own perfume, and sell her perfumes for a few years.[2]

Bauer experimented with the essential oil of cayenne pepper and combined it with chocolate ice cream to make spicy frozen chocolate. She determined that ice cream was "the perfect carrier of scent," and thus began making other flavors of ice cream with essential oils. Two weeks later, she decided that she wanted to make scented ice cream as a business and dropped out of Ohio State.[2]

Bauer first sold her ice cream at a farmer’s market in Columbus, Ohio.[3] Later on in 1996, Britton-Bauer opened her first storefront in the North Market area of Columbus, dubbed Scream Ice Creams. Britton-Bauer worked there for several years while further developing flavors.[4] Some of the first few flavors were Salty Caramel, Wildberry Lavender, and Queen City Cayenne. After four years, Britton-Bauer closed Scream and attended the ice cream short course at Penn State.[2]

The first Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams opened in 2002, also in the North Market. This establishment offered a wider variety of serving options than Scream, which provided customers one flavor at a time. Within the first year, the brother of her then-boyfriend (now husband) Charly joined the company, making him the third member of the company in addition to Britton-Bauer and Charly.[2]

In 2006, Bauer opened her first store outside of North Market and continued to expand into other locations in the area. In 2009, John Lowe was appointed as the company's first CEO.[2]

As of November 2022, the company has 1,800 employees.[5]

Operations

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As of May 2022, "Scoop Shops" are located in fourteen states and the District of Columbia.[6] Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams pints are also distributed in over 3,000 high-end groceries and markets nationwide, as well as through online ordering.[7] In 2021, the company brought in $95.7 million.[4]

Products

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As of August 2022, Jeni's had 37 ice cream flavors on their menu, with new and changing flavors based on seasonality and partnerships.[8]

Partnerships

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Jeni's partnered with Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey in 2022 for the non-alcoholic 'Boozy Eggnog' flavor.[9] They partnered again in December 2023 for a 'Hot Toddy' sorbet flavor, which was released in January 2024.[10]

Listeria

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On April 23, 2015, Jeni's initiated a recall due to the possible presence of Listeria in their retail pint ice cream.[11] The contamination originated with a retail product filling machine in Jeni's Ohio facility.[12] Jeni's initiated a second Listeria-related recall in June 2015, connected to the first recall.[13] There was another recall in June 2024, when its ice-cream sandwiches potentially contained Listeria - the company outsourced its ice cream sandwiches to Totally Cool, an ice cream manufacturer.[14] The company took steps to address the Listeria including recalling products, disinfecting their manufacturing facilities, and retraining their employees.[15] Jonathan Bernstein, a Los Angeles-based crisis management consultant, told Food Safety News that the company's initial response to the first positive Listeria test was "technically perfect." "They said we don’t know if anybody’s gotten sick, but we’re recalling everything, and they did it quick. In terms of response, they did the best possible thing they could do."[15]

Reviews

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Jeni's received a positive review on the "Hot and Spicy" episode of Food Network's show The Best Thing I Ever Ate (2010).[16] It was reviewed in The Washington Post (2011),[17] The Huffington Post (2012),[18] and U.S. News & World Report, who ranked it #1 in America in 2012.[19] The Chicago Tribune (2011) said "Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is gaining a national reputation for producing superior desserts made of milk sourced from a family farm in Ohio's Appalachian region."[20] Time magazine said it "has a large cult following among Ohio émigrés and ice cream geeks."[21]

The Atlantic positively reviewed it saying "Jeni's flavors are not successful simply because they are irreverent and ground-breaking. They work because a great deal of effort has gone into their crafting—what at first glance seems whimsical, upon first bite is proven artisanal."[22] It has also been positively reviewed in The New York Times (2011),[23] and by Today (2012).[24] In 2007, The New York Times said Jeni's had "surpassed the creativity of all other ice cream makers with its versions like goat cheese and Cognac fig sauce."[25]

Awards

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In 2012, Jeni's received a Sofi Gold Award in the "Dessert or Dessert Topping" category for Lemon Frozen Yogurt.[26] In 2013, Jeni's won another Sofi Gold Award in the "Outstanding Product Line" category.[27] Beginning with her early days at Scream and continuing to the present, Britton Bauer's ice cream has incorporated products local to Columbus and Ohio, including milk, fruit, and whiskey.[2][28]

Fast Company named Jeni Britton Bauer one of the Most Creative People in Business in 2018.[29] In 2019, Inc. listed Jeni's as #2329 on its Inc. 5000 list.[30]

Britton Bauer received an honorary doctorate in business administration from Ohio State, the university she had attended but left in her sophomore year to pursue a career in ice cream, after serving as the commencement speaker at the summer 2016 graduation.[31][32]

Cookbooks

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In 2011, Jeni Britton Bauer published her first cookbook, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home, which became a New York Times best-seller; and The Wall Street Journal called it the "homemade-ice cream-making Bible." Britton Bauer won a James Beard Foundation Award for the cookbook.[33] The book was also nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards Best Food & Cookbooks that year.[34]

Britton Bauer published Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream Desserts in 2014 "to provide an audience with the tools to craft their own ice cream-based creations".[35]

In March 2019, Britton Bauer published her third cookbook, The Artisanal Kitchen: Perfect Homemade Ice Cream: The Best Make-It Yourself Ice Creams, Sorbets, Sundaes, and Other Desserts.[36]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Scoop Shops". Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Raz, Guy (February 28, 2018). "How I Built This: Jeni Britton Bauer". National Public Radio: How I Built This.
  3. ^ Leonhardt, Megan (2019-07-21). "Meet the woman whose name is on 2 million pints of ice cream". CNBC Make It. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  4. ^ a b Severson, Kim (2022-11-28). "Two Innovators on 'Telling Stories Through Ice Cream'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  5. ^ Jennings, Lisa (2022-11-15). "Wingstop exec Stacy Peterson named CEO of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream". Restaurant Business.
  6. ^ "Scoop Shops". Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  7. ^ Communication, Belle. "Belle Communication Named Agency of Record for Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  8. ^ Williford, Hanna (2022-08-04). "20 years of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams". CBUS Today.
  9. ^ Browley, Jasmine (23 October 2022). "Black-Owned 'Uncle Nearest' Whiskey Partners With Top-Selling Ice Cream Brand 'Jeni's' To Produce Boozy Egg Nog Flavor". Essence. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  10. ^ Hurt, Jeanette (14 December 2023). "Uncle Nearest And Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams Team Up To Create Sorbet". Forbes. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Recall". Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.
  12. ^ "Jeni's traces listeria to ice cream pint-filling machine - Chicago Tribune". 2015-07-15. Archived from the original on 2015-07-15. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  13. ^ "Public reacts to second listeria-related recall at Jeni's". The Columbus Dispatch.
  14. ^ Perry, Alex. "Columbus-based Jeni's Ice Cream sandwiches recalled over potential listeria contamination". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  15. ^ a b Siegner, Cathy (May 5, 2015). "A Tale of Two Recalls: Blue Bell and Jeni's Ice Cream". Food Safety News. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  16. ^ "Hot & Spicy". The Best Thing I Ever Ate. The Food Network. September 23, 2010. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013. See further: [1]
  17. ^ Jane Black (June 14, 2011). "An ice cream wizard brings the magic home". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  18. ^ "The Best Ice Cream Flavors For Summer: Our Editors' Picks, 2012". The Huffington Post. June 10, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  19. ^ Liz Weiss (May 29, 2012). "America's Best Ice Cream". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  20. ^ Wendy Pramik (September 3, 2011). "Columbus shows Ohio's adventurous side". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  21. ^ Josh Ozersky (March 9, 2011). "Can the Best Ice Cream in America Be the Biggest?". Time. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  22. ^ Terrence Henry (August 31, 2009). "An Ice Cream Surprise in Columbus". The Atlantic. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  23. ^ Florence Fabricant (December 20, 2011). "Jeni's Ice Cream in Holiday Flavors". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  24. ^ Katie Quinn (February 8, 2012). "Is ice cream the ultimate aphrodisiac?". Today. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  25. ^ Marian Burros (November 28, 2007). "The Gift Is in the Mail, and on the Web". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  26. ^ "2012 sofi Gold Winner: Outstanding Dessert or Dessert Topping". Food Spring. 2012. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  27. ^ "2013 sofi Awards: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams Product Line". Specialty Food. May 28, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  28. ^ Malone, JD. "Jeni Britton Bauer overcomes setbacks on way to ice-cream success". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2018-03-08. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  29. ^ "Jeni Britton Bauer, Most Creative People". Fast Company. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
  30. ^ "Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams". Inc.com. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  31. ^ Knox, Tom (August 29, 2016). "Jeni's founder nominated for honorary degree from Ohio State". Columbus Business First. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  32. ^ "Ohio State honors three at summer 2016 commencement". Ohio State University. August 5, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  33. ^ "2012 James Beard Foundation Awards Winners Announced". StarChefs. May 2012. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  34. ^ "Announcing the Goodreads Choice Winner in Best Food & Cooking!". Goodreads.
  35. ^ "Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream Desserts | Bake the Book". www.seriouseats.com. Archived from the original on 2018-10-28. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
  36. ^ "The Artisanal Kitchen: Perfect Homemade Ice Cream: The Best Make-It-Yourself Ice Creams, Sorbets, Sundaes, and Other Desserts". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
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