The New Model
Kilwins, the Petoskey, Mich.-based premium confectionery and ice cream franchise, has unveiled Kilwins Select — a smaller-footprint, lower-investment franchise format designed to accelerate national expansion as the chain closes in on 200 open locations. The model features a reduced build-out, simplified operations, and a curated assortment of top-performing confections and gifts optimized for high-traffic retail environments.
The move is a direct play for sites where a full-line Kilwins store isn't feasible — think dense urban corridors, tourist districts, and travel-retail nodes — while keeping the hand-crafted chocolate and super-premium ice cream offering that has defined the brand since 1947. Kilwins Select units can operate as standalone locations or as complements to existing full-line stores within a market, giving multi-unit operators a flexible expansion lever.
Why It Matters
Lower entry cost is the headline pitch. By trimming the footprint and simplifying the build-out, Kilwins is broadening its franchisee pool to include first-time owners who might have been priced out of the traditional model, as well as experienced multi-unit operators looking for a lower-cost add-on format. All franchise partners still receive the full suite of support — site selection, design and construction guidance, training, marketing, and ongoing operational backing.
"Kilwins Select represents the next evolution of our franchise opportunity," said Brian Britton, president and CEO of Kilwins. "We've created a model that allows more aspiring business owners to join our system without compromising the craftsmanship, hospitality and brand standards that have defined Kilwins for generations."
For convenience-adjacent operators, the Select format is worth watching. Experiential confectionery concepts have shown resilience in impulse-driven, high-footfall environments — the same real estate logic that underpins foodservice-forward c-store expansion. A smaller-format sweet-treat anchor can drive basket attachment in mixed-use developments and travel plazas where c-store forecourt traffic already concentrates foot flow.
Growth Trajectory
Kilwins currently ranks No. 1 in the candy, ice cream, and frozen desserts category in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 for 10 consecutive years and was named USA TODAY's 2026 No. 1 Best Dessert & Treat Chain. With nearly 200 units nationwide, the brand is actively recruiting qualified franchise partners across available territories to fill out its national map.
The launch of Kilwins Select fits a broader pattern in specialty retail and franchise development — brands compressing their physical footprint to unlock site types that were previously off-limits. Faster time-to-open and flexible real estate requirements lower execution risk for both franchisor and franchisee, a calculus that resonates in today's elevated construction-cost environment. Interested candidates can explore available territories at kilwinsfranchise.com.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
