Carvel plans to significantly expand its presence in Connecticut in the coming years, with the goal of opening five to 10 new franchised locations. This comes on the heels of the ice cream franchise’s September debut of its newest shop in Bristol, Connecticut.

Carvel is a leading regional ice cream brand in the Northeast and Florida, known for its signature ice cream cakes, Fudgie the Whale character, freshly made soft ice cream and other hand-crafted novelty treats. The company, which currently has 21 locations throughout Connecticut, is expanding throughout the state due to strong consumer interest, quality real estate locations, and high brand awareness, says Carvel president Scott Colwell.

“Connecticut is home to some of our top-performing ice cream shops and we have an extremely loyal following in the state,” Colwell says. “That’s why we chose Connecticut as one of the first markets to debut our new shop design. We believe it will generate tremendous energy for our brand and ultimately spark franchise growth throughout the state.”

In September, local franchisees Chris Skabardonis and Constantine Milonas opened a new Carvel shop at 650 Farmington Avenue in Bristol. The new design features a more contemporary atmosphere, digital menuboards, and other updates that showcase Carvel’s menu items, including new dipping cabinets and a large display area for the brand’s signature ice cream cakes.

The company is looking for highly motivated people with business experience who would like to own a Carvel. Interested candidates are invited to attend a Discovery Day event Wednesday, November 18 at the Carvel shop at 650 Farmington Avenue in Bristol from 7 to 9 p.m. to learn more about the franchise opportunity and meet one-on-one with company executives.

Longtime Carvel franchisee George Tsioflikis, who owns two shops in Watertown and Naugatuck, has found success with the brand in Connecticut. Tsioflikis has seen traffic and brand recognition increase since joining the system in 1996.

“Carvel enjoys strong brand awareness in Connecticut and serves the freshest ice cream available,” Tsioflikis says. “Being the neighborhood Carvel owner is rewarding both personally and financially, and I’m excited for what the future holds for the brand.”