Fourth-Generation Entrepreneurs Maintain Family Legacy While Making the American Dream a Reality for Franchisees
The American dream has been characterized in many ways. For Charlie and Orania, who immigrated to the United States from Greece in the early 1900s, the dream was for a brighter future for themselves and their family. With hard work and grit, they created a legacy that evolved from their street-corner chocolate cart into a milkshake franchise now rapidly expanding across the United States.
The first generation laid the foundation, not only for their own family legacy, but also for many others through franchising. MilkShake Factory is a fourth-generation family business now helmed by Charlie’s and Orania’s great-granddaughter, Dana Edwards Manatos. As of today, the company has 11 corporate locations in Pittsburgh, Pa., and has sold 119 franchise locations.
“Our culture was engrained in us since we were born,” Manatos says. “All four generations were working together under one roof. Our great-grandmother lived to be 99 and was always with us. When my brothers and I were growing up, she still came to work every day. We learned directly from her, from my grandparents and from my parents. I’ll never forget what our great-grandmother did, what she taught us, how she talked to us. She didn’t talk a lot. She showed us with her actions.”
A Milkshake Franchise Legacy
The family business started in 1914 with the recipe for chocolate candy that Charlie and Orania brought from Greece, which they sold from a small chocolate shop and soda fountain they opened in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. “At that time, home refrigeration was a luxury few could afford, so to savor the taste of ice cream, let alone the thick chill of a handmade milkshake, was a true treat and cause for an excursion to the soda shop,” Manatos says.
The second generation joined the family business in 1950. As proud chocolatiers striving to uphold their parents’ rich legacy, they introduced their own children to the business when they were very young. By 1973 as the third generation entered the business, it was time to move the chocolate-making activity from the back of the store to a chocolate factory opened a few blocks away. The chocolate factory became a second home for the fourth generation, born in the 1980s. “We grew up watching our parents make handcrafted truffles and caramels the same way our grandparents and great-grandparents did before them,” Manatos says.
Meantime, the chocolate shop’s popularity continued to grow on Pittsburgh’s South Side. In 2003, the shop, with its iconic red tin ceiling, became the location for the first MilkShake Factory, which was inspired by an assignment Manatos had as a college business major. She created the concept to generate more year-round sales at the family’s chocolate shop, which quickly became known as the MilkShake Factory that sold chocolates. The fourth generation took over the business, creating a menu that blended family traditions in chocolate candies with innovative shake flavors. This combination fueled the MilkShake Factory’s popularity and expansion to 11 locations around the Pittsburgh area.
A Business ‘Perfect for Franchising’
“We never set out to build a franchise. It wasn’t until we opened our 11th location when we realized we had created a business perfect for franchising. After gaining a deeper understanding of franchising, we really loved the idea that other entrepreneurs and families could create a dessert destination for their communities just as we did in Pittsburgh,” Manatos says.
MilkShake Factory partnered with Franworth, a franchise incubator and accelerator with a mission statement of “creating brighter futures.” Franworth offers comprehensive support enabling franchisors to deliver enhanced marketing strategies, a streamlined onboarding process and mentorship to the home office team so they can provide top-tier support for franchisees.
“We were smart enough to know we knew how to run MilkShake Factories, but we did not know how to franchise,” Manatos says. “Partnering with Franworth has been a phenomenal experience. They have enabled us to grow and scale as quickly as we have while keeping true to who we are at MilkShake Factory with our brand, our product and our culture.”
Continuing the Traditions
Manatos believes her great-grandmother would be pleased with the milkshake franchise’s evolution. “I think she would say, ‘I am so proud you did not lose your way,’ and that we’ve continued the traditions she engrained in us: Don’t cut corners, work hard, make the right decisions. And how do you do that? That’s where grit comes from. It truly comes from within, and being able to power through the hard times.
“And those are the same values we’re looking for now. When we make a decision to partner with a franchise owner, we aren’t just looking for somebody who can open and close a store. We’re looking for people to connect with and invest in their teams. That’s the hard part. The easy part is scooping ice cream and making milkshakes.”
Manatos says her great-grandmother also would be happy to see so many families investing in the dessert franchise. “Most of them are saying, ‘We want something for our kids,’” she says. “I’m so excited to be here to continue this generational business.” Charlie and Orania started this business to create a better future for their family. Now, through franchising opportunities, others can do the same, making MilkShake Factory a true example of the American dream.
MilkShake Factory Franchisees
Kavita and Hemantha Kumar, owners of two Thai franchise restaurants, recognized opportunities to scale with MilkShake Factory. They purchased units in Tempe and Chandler, Ariz., with plans for future multi-unit development.
“My husband and I really like the food industry, but we’re not into creating a concept. What we like is a developed concept, and running with it,” Kavita says. “So, when we saw MilkShake Factory, we saw that they’re super buttoned up, very refined. They have all their pieces figured out. We want to take their piece and splash it across the map.”
Manatos says the Kumars possess the entrepreneurial grit she’s seeking in franchisees. “They’re good people who also have the qualities it takes to be leaders and be part of their community. Those are the qualities we need,” she says.
Finding the American Dream in Franchising
Kavita emigrated from Abu Dhabi after coming to the United States as a 17-year-old college student. “I knew English, but I had to learn the culture, the ways of America. I had to learn what a dime was, how to make a phone call. The learning curve was very, very steep, and that’s the story of every immigrant.” She went on to become an architect and marry. She and Hemantha have two sons, Yash, 14, and Kiaan, 10. After becoming a mom, Kavita moved away from architecture and took up part-time tutoring and health coaching.
Although Manatos’ great-grandparents’ challenges were staggering, Kavita says, “they were able to build a business and create a legacy. For all of us to be involved in this brand that was started so many years ago, that’s a legacy. So, I’m hoping to leave something like this for my family and the next generations.”
The Kumars’ sons already show interest in their parents’ work. “They are very entrepreneurial already,” Kavita says. “My 10-year-old can read a full balance sheet. He can tell you what a P&L does. He can tell you what amortization is. We have these conversations and they’ve been part of our journey.”
Kavita, whose parents were from India, was raised to pursue the Indian dream. “Because it’s still a developing country that has the hangover of being economically backward, success is quantified by how much wealth you can create,” she says. “However, after coming to America, I just learned to have fun. My definition of the American dream is to be able to do something you really enjoy. Find people you have fun with and a product that’s great. With the milkshake franchise, it’s been about six or seven months going through the process, and I have enjoyed every single minute of it.”
About MilkShake Factory
MilkShake Factory is a premium dessert destination, serving up handspun milkshakes made with housemade ice cream, as well as premium chocolates crafted by generational chocolatiers. Family-owned since 1914, the company evolved from an old-fashioned soda fountain to one of Pittsburgh’s most iconic sweet spots and is now adding locations across the United States. With a mission to create simple moments of joy, MilkShake Factory is quickly becoming a community dessert destination creating smiles from coast to coast. To learn more, visit milkshakefactory.com/franchise.
About Franworth
Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Franworth builds, incubates, and grows franchise brands through mentorship, education and best-in-class support empowering entrepreneurs and creating brighter futures. With over 450 years of combined franchise experience, the Franworth team has been recognized with the highest honors in franchising and for repeatedly scaling brands using a franchise model. Franworth’s portfolio of Beloved Brands includes MilkShake Factory®, sugaringLA®, MosquitoNix®, Garage Kings®, HealthSource America’s Chiropractor®, and Degree Wellness®.
For more information, visit milkshakefactory.com/franchise.
