Thailand ice cream co. rolls out Houston expansion plans

A Thailand ice cream maker, known for its cold rolled sweets, plans to expand in Houston as it grows around the U.S.

I-CE NY expects to open five Houston locations in the next two years, a company representative said in an email. The Bayou City will be the eighth location in the U.S. for the ice cream chain, which started its nationwide expansion with a shop in New York in August 2015.

 

The company plans to open its first spot inside The Woodlands Mall by mid-June. Amir Ali is the Houston franchisee. It has already opened a Texas location in Carrollton, according to its website.

I-CE NY started in Thailand under the brand I-TIM-PAD in 2011. Since then, the company has grown to more than 250 franchised locations in that country.

The ice cream maker offers rolled ice cream that’s popular in East Asia. Customers choose an ice cream base, toppings and a sauce, which is then prepared in a couple of minutes. The ice cream base and other ingredients are poured over a plate that can get as cold as below-zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Then, the ingredients are chopped and smashed together with metal paddles as they start to get cold. Afterwards, the ice cream freezes into a thin layer, which is scraped into rolls.

An Orlando, Florida-based ice cream chain is also growing in Houston — Twistee Treat aims to open 40 to 50 cone-shaped spots in Houston in the next five years.

Jack Witthaus produces digital content for the Houston Business Journal’s website and social media accounts. Follow him on Twitter.

 

www.bizjournals.com