Ice cream specialty shop giant Baskin-Robbins recently announced the signing of an agreement for the development of a new store with franchise group PWS Ventures, LLC. The new location will be in Dalton, Georgia. Paras Sharma of PWS Ventures, LLC, is participating in the brand’s special incentive program for U.S. military veterans to develop the new Dalton location, which is slated to open some time in the first half of 2016.
Under the veterans’ incentive program, Baskin-Robbins waives the initial franchise fee, and qualified franchisees who open in a timely manner receive reduced royalty rates for the first five years of operation.
Paras is a Senior Distributor Manager at Nestle Corporation who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for eight years. His wife, Wendy, works as an Implementation Manager for Unum. They have decades of experience in finance, marketing, sales and operation management between them, and their daughter Haley will act as manager of the Dalton area shop.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Paras spoke of their excitement about joining the Baskin-Robbins system. Paras loved the brand as a child, and visiting the local Baskin-Robbins on Saturdays with his family remains a fond memory. While Paras is familiar with the franchise business’ brand, he did say that he and his wife are new entrants in the foodservice industry. The couple own two Fantastic Sam’s Hair Salons but decided to diversify their holdings by joining with a foodservice franchiser that honors veterans. According to Paras, the franchise opportunity’s veteran incentives sealed the deal for the family.
Their daughter Haley also has management experience when it comes to franchising, including with concepts such as Applebee’s, KFC and Zaxby’s. The family is evaluating the possibility of opening another Baskin-Robbins in Gordon County, Georgia, after the Dalton location has opened. They hope to grow in Georgia and in the Chattanooga, Tennessee, market, where they’re active in the local community. Wendy and Paras organize a "Toys for Tots" drive annually through their Fantastic Sam’s locations, and Wendy is a volunteer with the local Habitat for Humanity.
Dunkin’ Brands CFE and Global Franchising and Business Development Vice President Grant Benson credited the franchise business’ continued growth in part to its passionate franchisees. He was excited to welcome the Sharmas into the Baskin-Robbins family, believing they will connect with customers and become a part of the local Dalton community.
About Baskin-Robbins Franchise:
Baskin-Robbins was founded in California in 1945 by two ice cream enthusiasts. Now, more than 300 million people visit Baskin-Robbins annually to try some of the more than 1,300 flavors in its ice cream library. The franchise opportunity offers customers a wide range of hard ice cream flavors, custom cakes, frozen beverages, take-home frozen treats, and premium soft serve ice cream.
Part of Entrepreneur’s 2015 Franchise 500, Baskin-Robbins is the largest chain of ice cream specialty shops in the world. There are currently more than 7,600 shops in nearly 50 countries, and the franchiser is looking for more franchisees in many areas.
To learn more about the Baskin-Robbins franchise, visit FranchiseExpo.com today.
