Get to know our newest Franchise Owner, Adam Kunz, and WHY he chose to live his dream!

October 20, 2021

As the proud new owners of a Carousel’s Soft Serve Icery food truck, recent franchisees Adam Kunz and Treats Under the Son have gained the huge business advantage of a minimal-risk, high-return storefront-on-wheels. The Treats team’s truck is a low upfront cash investment in their own personalized asset—meaning rather than renovating someone else’s investment, such as real estate, they are building their own asset, a commodity without past wear-and-tear, that provides a rare ROI within the first year or two.  Best of all, the mobility of their storefront-on-wheels absolutely multiplies its profit potential. While brick-and-mortar retail depends greatly on a neighborhood’s ability to draw foot traffic, Adam and Treats are free to use their truck to court the approximately 2,600,000 potential customers throughout the entire Orlando area.

For many Carousel’s owners, some of the biggest customer bases are to be found within local sports communities, and for the Treats team this is especially true—year-round sales opportunities exist around the arenas of the Orlando Magic, Orlando City SC and the Orlando Predators, as well as at various MLB spring training and minor league parks and facilities. Factor in Division I sporting events at the nation’s largest college, the University of Central Florida, and the countless families involved with local intramural and rec sports leagues, elementary school up to adult—and you’ve got a championship demand for an Icery!

For Adam however, it wasn’t just easy access to crowds, but also the character of our organization that drew his interest. Carousel’s seeks to engage the fabric of every community we serve, and not only are schools, small businesses and churches great lanes of commerce, they are the primary beneficiaries of our Carousel’s Cares philanthropy programs. Adam explains, “Our franchise team and the corporate team have the same vision. We want to bring smiles to faces young and old and support the community in the process…we are people that trust each other due to our faith and we love that this venture gives us the opportunity to give back generously and brighten people’s lives.”

No matter how exciting, launching a new venture can be stressful for first-time and experienced business owners alike, though Adam says simply knowing his team could immediately offer a time-proven dessert that checks all the best boxes—tasty, healthy and fun—eased any worries. To adapt an old saying, the proof is in the Soft-Serve Ice! “That creamy ice delivers the most decadent and refreshing experience—it is so smooth, yet light and delicious. It isn’t a sugar bomb and it’s not just a kids treat, it’s for all ages and just might make adults feel like kids again!” Carousel’s ice can also be enjoyed by those with limited diet choices and product allergies—our soft serve ice is super creamy, yet dairy-free, with less fat than rich, milk-based soft serves.

While our trademark taste is usually enough to earn us a Carousel’s convert, we often hear from both owners and customers that their favorite Carousel’s moments involve the general enjoyment of life that surrounds one of our trucks. “The first Carousel’s experience is hard to forget because it hits you on every level. The truck is beautiful, bright and inviting,” Adam says. “The smell of cotton candy wafting through the air, the lights and music…you really feel like you’re at a town fair or a beach carnival. It evokes the best memories of family fun, summer, the beach…it makes you smile before you even taste anything!”

It’s true that any investment comes with risks, but Adam says the prospect of high profitability with seemingly endless expansion potential, featuring essentially zero prep and zero waste, led his group to see Carousel’s as the opportunity of a lifetime. “I have a lot of people that I turn to for advice when I am looking into a business opportunity. They are very experienced and very successful and do their best to ask the tough questions and poke holes everywhere they see them, but the deeper we dug the more impressed we were.”

And it isn’t just smooth, sure logistics and great brand personality we offer our franchisees—Carousel’s takes great pride in treating everyone involved like family. When Adam first reached out to us, he says “I felt like my time and my questions were as important to Corey as they were to me. Every phone call, text and email was answered quickly, every answer was thoughtful and informative. The level to which Carousel’s corporate cares about its franchisees is unparalleled and it truly impressed me.”

Ultimately, Adam says his group’s decision to join the Carousel’s family wasn’t simply about sure profit, but rather our full-circle vision. “It was a culmination of everything: the brand, the product, the passion of the founder, the community-centered philosophy, the multifaceted sales strategy…everything drew me in. And after 25 years in food service, I’m excited to see just how big this thing will get. There is something about the Carousel’s culture that is truly infectious and we cannot wait to see what comes next!”

If you are interested in bringing Carousel’s to your upcoming Orlando event, click here, and let’s talk!