Bruster's Ice Cream

Bruster's Ice Cream, Inc. ,^[a] also known as Bruster's Real Ice Cream or Bruster's, is an American chain of ice cream parlors based in Bridgewater, Pennsylvania.^[2] Their primary operating region is in most states east of the Mississippi River. The company's main products are ice cream and frozen yogurt. The ice cream is made on-site with a milk-based mix at each individual store in order to avoid ice crystal formation. There are 200 independently owned locations in 22 states, Guyana and South Korea.

Bruster's Ice Cream, Inc.

Exterior of a Bruster's (now permanently closed) in Valdosta, Georgia in 2015
Trade name	Bruster's Real Ice Cream
Company type	Private
Industry	Restaurant Franchising
Genre	Fast-food restaurant, ice cream parlor
Founded	July 13, 1989; 36 years ago (1989-07-13)
Founder	Bruce Reed[1]
Headquarters	Bridgewater, Pennsylvania , U.S.
Number of locations	214 (2024)
Area served	United States (22 states) Guyana South Korea
Key people	Jim Sahene (CEO[1])
Products	ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes, hot dogs, soft drinks, frozen custard, cakes, waffle cones
Services	Catering Franchising
Revenue	US$190.4 million (2024)
Owner	Bruce Reed
Number of employees	2,300 (2024)
Website	brusters.com

History

A Bruster's in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Founder Bruce Reed (born 1955) got his start with the ice cream business in the 1960s, when, as a child, he helped out his parents at their diner, Jerry's Curb Service, in Bridgewater, Pennsylvania, a small town located 27 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.^[3] It was through this experience that Reed would learn from his dad the secrets to the restaurant business.^{[citation needed]}

In July 1989,^[4] Reed opened an ice-cream shop right next door to Jerry's, which was originally operated under a franchise from Handel's Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt. In October 1990, Reed dropped the Handel's franchise and renamed the ice cream shop Bruster's.^[5]

Bruster's also began franchising and has outlets in Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Guyana, and recently in South Korea as well. Bruster's remains headquartered in Bridgewater.

Co-branding

Some Bruster's locations also operate as franchisees of Nathan's Famous, with Nathan's hot dogs and other menu items sold in addition to ice cream.^[6]

Products

Bruster's contains more than 150 ice cream flavors from letters A-V.^[7] They also make handmade ice cream cakes, homemade waffle cones, milkshakes, sundaes, and banana splits. Bruster's has recently introduced a limited range of non-dairy ice cream flavors made with oat milk for people with intolerance to Lactose.

Notes

1. Pronounced /brustʌrs/ BREW-ster