Antonio McBroom, an experienced North Carolina business owner, has turned his passion for ice cream into a spectacular success story. He started out as a scooper at a neighborhood ice cream shop, but today he controls 15 Ben & Jerry’s locations around the country. As a result, he is the first CEO of a Black-owned and Black-led multi-unit franchise firm.
Antonio’s career with Ben & Jerry’s began as a regular employee during his college years. Just days before his graduation, Antonio took a risk and purchased his first Ben & Jerry’s business in Chapel Hill, NC, which rapidly became a hit.
Since then, he has expanded to 15 locations across Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Washington D.C., and Florida.
“I’m an ice cream connoisseur,” he told Spectrum Local News. “That’s what drew me to the job in the first place. I started as a scooper back when I was in college at UNC, and I had a milkshake as my first menu item, and that was one of the perks of working on the job. So, I’ve been sticking with it ever since.”
But Antonio’s journey does not end there. In addition, he owns a Starbucks franchise in the southeast. Working with Ben & Jerry’s gave him with a platform to realize his dream of becoming an entrepreneur.
Antonio takes great delight in giving back to the community, which has helped him in the past. He is the leader of a devoted team that donates a portion of the revenues from all 15 Ben & Jerry’s locations to upcoming and small Black-owned businesses.
“Small businesses have a heartbeat for the community, and we’re plugged in a way that a lot of large corporations can’t,” he said. “I’ve always been an advocate for small businesses and really enjoy being a small business owner.”
“One of the responsibilities of being a Black entrepreneur is just showing others what’s possible. I know that a lot of folks growing up don’t see cases of Black excellence, and so for me to be a model, an example for folks in my community of just what’s possible,” he added.