---
title: "TCBY marks 45 years selling frozen yogurt"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/0b2c0ff2-8381-40ca-a7af-bc7d138b71ad
source: "Franchise Magazine USA"
original_url: https://franchisemagazineusa.com/tcby-marks-45-years-selling-frozen-yogurt/
author: "David Gibb"
category: "Snacks & dessert"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Snacks & dessert"
published: 2026-07-06T14:40:40.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T20:42:23.606Z
image: https://franchisemagazineusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TCBYStandardLogo-Logo.jpg
---

# TCBY marks 45 years selling frozen yogurt

**TL;DR:** TCBY is celebrating its 45th anniversary with throwback store branding and special flavors. The brand, founded by Frank Hickingbotham in 1981, has grown into a network of over 350 locations, with more than 125 franchised units.

*By David Gibb, originally published in Franchise Magazine USA on 2026-07-06. [Read the original](https://franchisemagazineusa.com/tcby-marks-45-years-selling-frozen-yogurt/).*

## Story

This July, TCBY, a brand that’s near synonymous with frozen yogurt, is marking 45 years of serving frozen treats and creating meaningful moments in their customers’ lives. They’ll be celebrating throughout the summer with throwback store branding, special flavors, and social media sweepstakes where their fans can win limited edition prize packs.

“While a lot has changed since 1981, the joy of celebrating life’s big and little moments with the ones who matter the most hasn’t,” said Rich Screnci, Executive Director of Famous Brands International, the parent company of TCBY. “For 45 years, TCBY has been more than a place to enjoy frozen yogurt. We’ve been a place where friends meet after school, families celebrate milestones, first dates happen, and lifelong memories are made. This anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate those moments and thank the guests, franchisees, and communities who have been part of our story.”

TCBY’s 45 th anniversary campaign is called “The Original Social Network” and focuses on the way their yogurt shops have always fostered community and created a space for unique connections and authentic shared experiences.

Frank Hickingbotham founded TCBY back in 1981, opening the first shop in Little Rock Arkansas. The brand was franchising just a year later and grew into a network of more than 100 locations by 1984.

Throughout the ‘80s and ’90s, TCBY was one of the most recognizable brands in the frozen dessert space. They established a proven low-labor model focused on a distinct but very specific product offering that many other brands would attempt to emulate. At one point, the yogurt giant boasted thousands of locations across the United States and globe. Now, their network includes approximately 350 locations, more than 125 of which are franchised.

As part of their commitment to creating new memories for generations to come, TCBY is looking to connect with new franchisees. There are 14 states currently available on their territory map that are available for development with no existing locations, including all of New England, Oregon, and Washington.

## Entities

- QSR (sector)
- franchise expansion (topic)
- Franchise Magazine USA (publication)
- anniversary celebration (topic)
- David Gibb (person)
- TCBY (company)
- frozen yogurt (topic)
- brand history (topic)
- Famous Brands (company)
- Little Rock, Arkansas (location)
- Richard Screnci (person)
- Frank Hickingbotham (person)

---
Originally reported by David Gibb, Franchise Magazine USA (https://franchisemagazineusa.com/tcby-marks-45-years-selling-frozen-yogurt/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/0b2c0ff2-8381-40ca-a7af-bc7d138b71ad).