An 81-year-old ice cream brand hands its first Illinois territory to a longtime pizzeria operator, betting on Chicago's suburbs.
Handel's Homemade Ice Cream signed its first multi-unit agreement in Illinois and will open three stores in the Chicago suburbs. The locations will land in Elgin, Geneva/St. Charles and Algonquin, with the first opening targeted for late 2027. The deal marks the brand's third new-market entry since January.
Castro Rafeedie spent nearly 12 years owning a pizzeria in Dublin, Ohio, before signing on as Handel's first Illinois franchisee. He grew up in Youngstown, where Handel's started in 1945, and pointed to on-site ice cream production as the deciding factor. Franchisors recruiting in new states value operators who already understand restaurant labor and margins.
Handel's reported an average unit volume of $1,115,650 in its latest disclosure document, extending more than a decade of consecutive AUV growth. Strong per-store revenue gives the brand leverage to attract experienced operators in competitive markets. For multi-unit buyers, rising AUVs lower the payback risk on each new build.
The Chicago deal is part of 20 agreements Handel's has signed across seven states in 2026, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas. The brand is filling regional white space rather than chasing scattered single units. That approach keeps supply and field support tight as the 170-store system grows.
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