Jeni Britton, the founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, has a weekly ritual that perfectly encapsulates her love for innovation: she enjoys a pint of her signature browned butter almond crisp ice cream. It’s a fitting tradition for the 51-year-old entrepreneur, who transformed a modest $40,000 loan into a business worth over $125 million.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams achieved more than $125 million in revenue in 2023, and its products are now available in over 12,500 retail stores nationwide, including more than 80 independent shops. Britton’s latest venture, Floura, launched in 2024, focuses on high-fiber fruit bars crafted from food scraps like watermelon rinds and apple cores. The initiative has already raised $2 million to bring these sustainable products to market.
Britton credits the growth of Jeni’s to learning from failures and perseverance. “You learn a lot from experimentation and failure,” she says, reflecting on her early days as an entrepreneur.
In 1996, Britton dropped out of Ohio State University to pursue fine arts and started an ice cream stand at a farmer’s market in Columbus, Ohio. Though the venture struggled and the stand eventually closed in 2000, it provided valuable lessons in flavor development, customer service, and brand loyalty, as well as the creation of her first major flavor: salted caramel.
Determined to improve her culinary skills, Britton enrolled in an ice cream-making course at Penn State University and worked on a dairy farm to learn the science behind ice cream. Lacking formal business education, she turned to self-study, which laid the groundwork for the future success of her brand.
In 2002, Britton returned to the ice cream business, this time with a more refined approach. With a $40,000 loan from her then-boyfriend, she launched Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams with a mix of seasonal and year-round flavors. Over the next few years, she expanded to four physical stores, started offering e-commerce delivery, and established a wholesale business. However, by 2009, Britton realized the company’s growing complexity required an experienced business leader. She hired John Lowe, a seasoned executive, as CEO to take Jeni’s to the next level.
Lowe’s leadership was put to the test during the 2015 Listeria outbreak, which forced the company to overhaul its safety protocols. The outbreak led to a temporary closure of all 21 stores and the destruction of 265 tons of ice cream. With Lowe’s expertise, Jeni’s managed to navigate the crisis, securing a $1.5 million loan to avoid financial distress and investing over $2.7 million in operational improvements, including stricter safety measures at the production facility.
The crisis became a turning point for Britton, who recognized her own leadership weaknesses, including her reluctance to take responsibility and lack of clear communication. To address these challenges, she hired an executive leadership coach to help develop better accountability and transparency within the company.
As a leader, Britton learned that self-awareness is essential for growth. She cites Stacy Peterson, Jeni’s current CEO, as a prime example. Peterson, who joined the company in late 2022, previously helped Wingstop grow rapidly as its CTO. When she entered the ice cream industry, Peterson took the time to study ice cream chemistry and engage with customers directly to gain a deeper understanding of the business.
For Britton, this journey to self-awareness meant stepping back from Jeni’s operations during the pandemic. Years of overwork had taken a toll on her physical and mental health, leaving her drained. Realizing that her perfectionism and constant involvement were limiting the company’s growth, Britton made the difficult decision to let go of some responsibilities.
“The plane was already built, and if I kept tweaking it, it would stay on the ground and not reach its potential,” she explains.
Britton believes that ego can often be the biggest obstacle for leaders facing similar choices. “People always think they are important, and when they leave, there’s a void that can’t be filled,” she says. “No matter how important that person is, the void will be filled, and frankly, the results are often better.”
As she looks ahead, Britton continues to embrace both her creative spirit and her growing self-awareness, knowing that leadership requires constant evolution to drive success.
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