Centennial Italian ice shop launches franchise program across the East Coast

DiCosmo's Italian Ice traces its roots to a modest 1915 corner store in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where the founder’s great-grandmother adapted a granita-style dessert using locally available lemons. Today, her great-granddaughter Eileen O'Connor runs the Metuchen shop, preserving the original hand-squeezed, hand-churned lemon-ice formula without stabilizers or emulsifiers. The shop’s reputation rests on authentic fruit flavors, a smooth melt-in-the-mouth texture, and a nostalgic community atmosphere.

To grow the brand, DiCosmo's is now seeking franchise partners, focusing on the Eastern Seaboard and sunny states that allow year-round service. O'Connor says the franchise model will ensure each new location makes the ice fresh on site to maintain quality. The initiative has already attracted several inquiries from interested entrepreneurs.