In fact, CEO Cliff Kennedy says the company could easily add another 50 franchisees, called "Happiness Hustlers," as needed. "We can serve hundreds of franchisees in the facility we are in now," he says. "When I bought the company in 2018, I looked at where I expected to be in the future, and knew I had to quadruple the size of the freezer and have the ability to expand within the walls I have already created. I created a plan for 10 to 20 years down the road."

Frios Pops don’t have many ingredients, consistent with Kennedy’s goal to "clean up the labels." For example, at the facility, Frios only brings in all real fruit. "We used to have dye in our Blue Raspberry flavor. That is now dye-free," Kennedy stresses.

VIDEO | Inside the Plant at Frios Gourmet Pops

"We mix product into batches and then it goes over to our pouring team," Kennedy reveals. "Our pouring team is amazing. They don’t even need to talk to each other because they have done it for so long."

The employees are very technical in how they pour and how they swirl, the CEO continues. "They do not simply pour into molds and go."

Once Frios Pops are poured into molds, it then goes to get wrapped, then to the freezer and to franchisees throughout the country. "We have a simple process when making our pops. But it is also very technical because of the gourmet aspect of the products and the inclusions we add to our products," Kennedy says. "We have a set production schedule we strive to meet every week. For efficiency purposes, our employees work four 10-hour shifts per week. We found this to be much more effective than five-day shifts."

Frios will have more than 60 flavors available at its franchise locations this year and maintains more than 100 SKUs. Kennedy of course loves every flavor the company manufacturers, but when pressed to pick a favorite, Key Lime Pie is his first answer. "That was the flavor I tried first and led me to want to get involved in the business (in 2018)."

However, today, Kennedy points to White Peach Lemonade as his favorite flavor. "I don’t know why, but that flavor is incredible. What is amazing about it was that flavor was a hit on its first iteration," the CEO reveals. "When I first tasted it, I said, ‘We are not changing a thing.’ White Peach Lemonade is my ‘guilty pleasure’ these days."

Special franchisee program

Please see the Processor Profile story to read plenty about Frios’ franchisee program. However, there was one significant thing not mentioned in that feature that we will address here. Frios takes part in a unique E-2 visa program. An E-2 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows nationals of treaty countries to live in the United States while investing in and actively managing a U.S. business. "We have recently had franchisees come in from Canada. This is a way for them to invest in America. But they must start a business," Kennedy said. "They have been very successful."

Residents of many other countries have also taken in the E-2 visa program, including two franchisees who just moved from Portugal. "They are doing amazingly well. We just had a conference and they attended. They are excited about joining a business that is growing and thriving," Kennedy relays. "It’s a great opportunity for them. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world. Everyone knows ice cream."

The CEO adds he made an excellent decision when he decided to get involved with the E-2 visa program. "People are looking for an opportunity to move into the U.S. who are good English speakers. So, there are no language barriers on day one," Kennedy maintains. "I had a do a deep dive about what the E-2 visa process would look like for us. What I realized is that these franchisees are looking for the American dream. Their happiness is coming to America. Our core tenet is bringing happiness to communities. That is a perfect match for us. It is exactly what we are looking for."

Kennedy adds it is difficult to express in words how excited those coming to the United States are about running Frios franchises. "They must hug me 15 times when they see me," he jokes. "It is so unique and special to share in that happiness. We provide an opportunity for them to be wildly successful in the United States."

Frios is looking for more franchisees to join the fray. The company has a significant social media presence, something it hopes to boost even more with a new character the company expects to soon introduce online. "We are a fun brand. Everything we do is built around the culture of happiness. The only time I have ever seen a sad face is when a kid drops their pop," Kennedy relays. "But it only takes 10 seconds for us to say, ‘Here’s another one.’ It’s the least we can do."

The CEO concludes that giving back to the communities that support both the company and its franchisees will always be near and dear to his heart. "When I started as CEO, I put in a freezer at our children’s hospital. I told the hospital that I don’t care how many pops are consumed and that every pop in the freezer will always be free," Kennedy asserts. "It has now been seven years. We always keep that freezer full. There are so many stories I hear about kids coming out of surgery and going to cancer treatments. I have received pictures showing them smiling while eating our pops on the bed. Those children deserve happiness. If Frios can provide that — even for only a few minutes — we will continue to do so."

For more information about Frios, visit https://friospops.com.