Jeni Britton Bauer Builds Jeni’s Ice Cream from One Columbus Shop to 80-Plus Nationwide

Jeni Britton Bauer launched Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002 with a single shop at Columbus’s North Market. The business stayed rooted there as headquarters while growing into a national brand with more than 80 shops across the U.S. This steady expansion from local roots shows self-funded scaling at work, as recent reports on its Columbus operations point out.

Right now, the company faces its first big labor push there: 80 workers from all eight Columbus locations filed to join United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1059 on Nov. 25. The petition covers full- and part-time team leads and ambassadors, skipping managers and clerical staff. Jeni’s statement called the process routine and pledged respect for employee rights. Inc. Details from the Columbus Dispatch via Yahoo News lay out the shops in Short North, Clintonville, Easton, and beyond.

Product Launches Keep the Momentum

New and returning flavors drive sales growth. Wedding Cake ice cream hit scoop shops Nov. 20: buttercream base with gluten-free cake bits, lemon curd, and blackberry jam. Los Angeles locations rolled out a holiday lineup including Cranberry Panettone with Chocolate Sprinkles, White Chocolate Peppermint, Boozy Eggnog, Pistachio Macaron, and Dulce de Leche—in scoops, flights, or pints. A Dubai Chocolate Bar follows Nov. 25, mixing Pistachio Macaron and Milkiest Chocolate ice creams with fudge and toasted kataifi. Westside Today covers the rollout.

Boozy Eggnog, spiked with Uncle Nearest Whiskey and nutmeg, draws from Britton Bauer’s grandfather’s habit of doctoring his eggnog. Fans grab pints for $12 at Jeni’s site, or cheaper at Kroger, Whole Foods, and Fred Meyer. Reddit users call it “ridiculously smooth and creamy.” Yahoo reports the return.

Daily Challenges of a Growing Operation

Running a national brand means handling recalls too. Jeni’s pulled Passion Fruit Dreamsicle ice cream bars (batch 25-210) after a manufacturing mix-up added undeclared wheat and soy from a crunch topping. No illnesses reported, but those with allergies should return them for refunds. Sold nationwide in grocery stores. AOL via USA Today has the notice.

Britton Bauer herself recently relocated to New York amid this expansion, per the same report. She discussed her self-funded journey on Washington Post Live.

From that first North Market stand to 80-plus shops and seasonal hits, Jeni’s growth stays tied to Columbus and hands-on decisions—no venture capital needed.