Carvel's History Timeline

1906

Thomas A. Carvelas was born in Athens, Greece on July 14th

1910

Tom Carvel was brought to New York City by his parents

1929

After borrowing $15 from his future wife, Agnes Stewart, Tom Carvel began his company by selling ice cream from the back of his mobile truck

1934

Nation’s first retail ice cream company starts
when Tom Carvel’s vending truck suffers a
flat tire in Hartsdale, NY during Memorial Day
Weekend, and he begins selling his melting ice
cream from his broken down truck

1935

Begins manufacturing equipment for sale to the ice cream industry

1936

Forms Carvel Corporation

Opens first store on site of broken down truck
Develops secret soft serve ice cream formula
Patents “no air pump” super-low temperature ice cream machine
First to introduce the marketing concept “Buy One Get One Free”

1937

Tom Carvel marries Agnes Stewart

1939

Tom Carvel builds the first soft serve ice cream machine

1947

Patents all-glass front building with pitched roof; later copied by McDonalds

First to franchise a retail ice cream store in the U.S.

1949

Begins franchisee training seminar, Carvel
College of Ice Cream Knowledge (franchisees
affectionately refer to it as Sundae School)

1950

Tom Carvel creates most complete franchise
contract in industry; only franchise contract
to survive the FTC and US Supreme Court

1951

First in the industry with a round ice cream sandwich, the Flying Saucer

1953

Opens first prefabricated ice cream store in Glastonbury, CT

1954

First in the industry with the gift certificate concept

Holds the first annual “Little Miss Half Pint” beauty pageant for children under the age of
six; 15,000 entries received annually

1955

First in the industry with a line of ice cream vending vehicles
First to use CEO in radio and TV commercials

1956

Introduces the first ice cream supermarket on the site of original Hartsdale, NY store

1969

First in industry to develop complete line of all-Kosher products

1972

First in industry to introduce Lo-Yo frozen yogurt and Thinny-Thin frozen dietary desserts

1989

Sells to Investcorp, an international investment bank

1990

Tom Carvel passes away in his sleep

1991

Relocates to Farmington, Connecticut

1992

Begins Direct Sales Delivery (DSD) Supermarket
Branded Freezer Market Program

1993

Develops multi-pronged distribution business model including retail shops, stadiums, super club stores and supermarkets

1998

Places Carvel branded freezers in 4,500 supermarkets
Introduces Lil’ Love cakes

2001

Sells to Roark Capital Group, a private equity firm

2002

Relocates supermarket headquarters
to Rocky Hill, CT

Relocates franchise headquarters to
Atlanta, GA

Sets Guiness World Record™ for Largest
Ice Cream Scoop Pyramid

2003

Introduces 98% Fat Free Flying Saucers, Uptown Smoothies, and Slice Mmm’s

Opens new store prototype in Vero Beach, FL

2004

Celebrates 70th Birthday by setting Guinness World Record for the Largest Ice Cream Cake

2004 FOCUS Brands is created; Carvel joins Cinnabon and Seattle’s Best Coffee International to form new food service company

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