QSR May 2023

DEPARTMENT FRANCHISE FORWARD

Championing Black Excellence Ben & Jerry’s franchisee Primo Partners proves it’s more than just an ice cream shop. BY SATYNE DONER

North Carolina. From there, they have opened 14 more in metro areas such as Chicago, Tampa, and Houston. From the beginning, Primo Part ners used its business to educate and develop young leaders. Its goal is to change Black busi ness as we know it. “We’ve always looked for ways to tackle dif ficult issues or have difficult conversations, and we really see ice cream as a vehicle for doing so,” McBroom says. “It’s something that brings people together.” Through its Ben & Jerry’s platform, Primo Partners has established a growing internship and scholarship program. It donates 1 per cent of its revenue back into the community, supporting Black entrepreneurship and mar ginalized communities. Additionally, it has commitments to foundations, such as Habitat for Humanity and United Way. In addition, Primo Partners sets aside 2 percent of its revenue for staff development. Through the pandemic, the company poured resources into professional enhancement activ ities and coaching. “Coaching is what we love to do. If you think about the original coaches or carriages from the

Primo Partners supports Black entrepreneurship by donating 1 percent of revenue to the community.

W hen Primo Partners—Ben & Jerry’s largest and only Black-owned multi-unit franchise group—began its growth path, it felt the need to choose between busi ness and education, says Antonio McBroom, the company’s CEO. “But we saw the genius of ‘and,’” McBroom says. “We saw that we could be business leaders and make major contributions educat ing people about business; our business could be our classroom.” Consisting of long-time friends McBroom, Eric Taylor, and Phillip Scotton, the journey of Primo Partners is one of passion and mentorship. In addition to Ben & Jerry’s, the company also has development endeavors in real estate and just this year was awarded a Starbucks licensing agreement. When McBroom had the opportunity to buy the Ben & Jerry’s shop he was working at during his senior year in college, he felt like it was the right time to take the entrepreneurial leap. “As a brand, Ben & Jerry’s has always been a justice company. They use ice cream for their platform,” McBroom explains. “That allowed the company to connect with us at even deeper levels.” The friends’ first Ben & Jerry’s location opened 15 years ago in

early centuries, they got valuable assets from where they are to where they need to be,” McBroom explains. “We look at Primo as a coach to transfer these leaders from where they are to where they want to be.” Furthermore, February 16 ushered in a new era for Primo Part ners. The group opened its first Starbucks location at the University of South Carolina, and McBroom is eager about the partnership. “We thought that this would be the ideal complement to the Primo brand as we become a multi-unit, multi-brand organization,” McBroom says. “I’m excited to grow within the Starbucks ecosys tem and be a key partner across multiple markets in the Southeast.” For McBroom, Starbucks felt like the right fit not just for its products but also for its justice-minded approach to equity. Since its inception, Starbucks has never shied away from taking stances, something McBroom looks for in an organization. The Starbucks store at the University of South Carolina adds to Primo Partners’ portfolio of campus locations. The franchise group has Ben & Jerry’s locations at the University of North Carolina, the University of South Carolina, and the University of Georgia. While McBroom looks forward to expanding CONTINUED ON PAGE 90

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MAY 2023 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com