Frei, Former Head of Marketing for Wetzel’s Pretzels, Prizes Handel’s History
Hillary Frei, the new chief marketing officer of Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, sees the ice cream franchise’s history and delicious flavors as the brand’s major selling points. “The ice cream is just incredible. The reason it is great is because we really honor the traditions established and perfected by Alice [Handel] when she founded the brand in 1945 in Youngstown, Ohio,” Frei said. “Everything is handmade daily in the parlor with exceptional care. It is amazing to find a brand with such rich tradition and an incredible origin story that still has so much runway for growth. You usually get a mature brand with a great history or a younger brand with a lot of room to grow. Handel’s has both, which is so unique and exciting.”
Frei looks forward to honoring Handel’s traditions while pleasing today’s consumers. “We will always be rooted in the quality of the ice cream as well as a sense of generosity that runs from our portions to our involvement in the community.”
Other recent additions to Handel’s leadership team include CEO Jennifer Schuler and vice president of franchise development Erin Snyder. Schuler feels confident that Frei will propel the brand to new heights. “Hillary has been able to modernize and drive growth on several legacy brands while stewarding quality and honoring tradition. She is a world-class marketer and unwavering brand steward,” Schuler said.
Franchise Marketing
Frei has experience with many high-profile companies and products; she got her start in franchising as the head of marketing at Wetzel’s Pretzels. While there, Frei enhanced the brand’s presence across 420-plus locations with marketing initiatives on third-party delivery and catering.
Earlier in her career, Frei worked to boost Trix and Cheerios cereals at General Mills. She moved on to FAO Schwarz, overseeing a 40% increase in its e-commerce revenue and improvement in all of toy retailer’s website performance metrics. Frei also served as CMO of Big Chill Appliances, growing its sales by over 25% annually and forging partnerships with HGTV interior designers Nate Berkus, Leanne Ford and Grace Mitchell.
In doing franchise marketing, she has learned that brands need to prioritize collaboration with their franchisees. “It’s important to seek out individuals who can take what makes your brand special and cultivate it within their local markets. Just as Handel’s aims to be that welcoming place for the community, franchisors should encourage their franchisees to foster a similar atmosphere that resonates with local values and cultural moments.”
