Handel’s Plans 200th Ice Cream Location in California

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream has announced its 200th location in Camarillo, California, with an opening scheduled for 12 November 2026. The milestone comes as the 81-year-old brand reports a record year for franchise development, supported by multi-unit agreements and further investment from existing owners.

California milestone for returning franchisees

The Camarillo shop is the third Handel’s location for franchisees Scott and Vanessa Sonnenberg. They also operate parlours in Stevenson Ranch and Sand Canyon, making the latest opening an extension of their existing California business rather than their first investment in the brand.

The Sonnenbergs have a further location planned for Simi Valley in 2027. Their expansion illustrates one of the themes in Handel’s latest development announcement: existing franchise owners are continuing to commit to additional sites alongside operators taking the brand into new markets.

With Camarillo, Handel’s says its California network reaches 70 parlours. Against the announced total of 200 locations, that gives the state a substantial place in the brand’s footprint. The milestone is therefore both a system-wide landmark and another addition to an established regional concentration of shops.

For the US franchise community, the ownership detail is as relevant as the headline location count. Camarillo is being developed by operators who already have experience running the concept, with another opening planned for the following year.

Agreements outpace the previous year

In its 12 November announcement, Handel’s reported signing agreements for 75 new units from January through November 2026. The company said that total already exceeded the number of unit commitments secured during the whole of 2025 and represented a record for the brand.

The majority of those agreements have been with multi-unit operators. Handel’s identified Chicago among the new markets those operators are bringing the brand into, while also highlighting continued reinvestment by existing franchisees.

Development agreements and completed openings measure different stages of expansion. The 75-unit figure describes signed commitments, rather than 75 shops already trading. For prospective franchisees, that distinction matters when assessing how a brand’s recruitment activity translates into its operating network.

The combination of new-market agreements and repeat investment gives Handel’s two routes for further expansion. The Sonnenbergs’ California plans provide a specific example of the latter, while Chicago features in the brand’s account of its wider development activity.

Record openings and new state entries

Handel’s said it had opened more new parlours during 2026 than in any previous year and was aiming to reach 35 new openings by year-end. That target remains distinct from the longer-term commitments represented by its development agreements.

The brand also reported entering Florida, Idaho and Washington. Those additions broaden its geographical reach beyond established markets such as California, where the Camarillo opening reinforces an already sizeable presence.

The company presented the expansion against a backdrop of persistent inflation and uncertain consumer confidence. Its announcement attributes the momentum to franchise partnerships, multi-unit development and investment from existing owners.

These are company-reported growth indicators, rather than a forecast for the wider franchise community. They show the direction of Handel’s own network without establishing that every market or individual shop will follow the same path.

Trading figures put growth in context

Alongside its development figures, Handel’s reported average unit volume of $1.1 million for 2025 and parlour-level earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 20.3% for 2024. It also said it was in its 11th consecutive year of system-wide same-store sales growth.

The financial measures relate to different reporting years and should not be combined as though they describe a single year’s results. Average unit volume is also a sales measure, not an individual franchise owner’s take-home income.

For prospective operators, the practical takeaway is to separate signed development commitments, actual openings and trading performance. Handel’s announcement offers evidence of expansion across all three areas, but an investment decision should still rest on current franchise disclosures, local operating costs and conversations with existing owners.