Menu
Frios was started in a garage in Gadsden, Alabama. The original owner wanted to escape corporate life, so he started making frozen pops and selling them at local events. Over the next couple of years, the company grew and sold the first franchise in 2017. Just a few months later, our current owner and CEO, Cliff Kennedy, also started a Frios franchise. It did not take long for Cliff to realize the tremendous potential that Frios pops could have to provide happiness to the Frios guest and freedom for future entrepreneurs. With excitement, enthusiasm, and a love of pops, Cliff bought Frios Corporate on December 21, 2018. The following summer, we moved our headquarters to Mobile, Alabama. This larger manufacturing center and corporate office gave us the opportunity to ramp up production, implement new growth strategies, and provide additional support for franchisees.
What started with just a few popsicle molds and a freezer pushcart has grown into the nation’s largest gourmet pop franchising company in the country! Today, over 40 franchise locations have been founded in communities across the US and Frios pops can be found in countless other establishments, stadiums, and restaurants!
Frios was started in a garage in Gadsden, Alabama. The original owner wanted to escape corporate life, so he started making frozen pops and selling them at local events. Over the next couple of years, the company grew and sold the first franchise in 2017. Just a few months later, our current owner and CEO, Cliff Kennedy, bought a Frios franchise. It did not take long for Cliff to realize the tremendous potential that Frios pops could have to provide happiness to the Frios guest and freedom for future entrepreneurs. With excitement, enthusiasm, and a love of pops, Cliff bought Frios Corporate on December 21, 2018. The following summer, we moved our headquarters to Mobile, Alabama. This larger manufacturing center and corporate office gave us the opportunity to ramp up production, implement new growth strategies, and provide additional support for franchisees.
What started with just a few popsicle molds and a freezer pushcart has grown into the nation’s largest gourmet pop franchising company in the country! Today, over 40 franchise locations have been founded in communities across the US and Frios pops can be found in countless other establishments, stadiums, and restaurants!
Spreading the happiness of Frios one pop at a time
CEO
Cliff is a lifelong resident of Mobile and a proud alumnus of Millsaps College. He spent 13 years working in his family’s business supplying the oil and gas industry with safety equipment and learning the skills necessary to create and grow a business. In 2018, Cliff turned his love of an afternoon popsicle with his children into a side business by becoming the owner of Gulf Coast Treats that have Frios franchise locations in Mobile and Baldwin county. After a few short months, Cliff could see the raw potential of Frios as a product and as a nationwide brand. He sought out industry connected investors, diverse team members, and strategic partners to acquire the full company. In addition to nurturing a new company and spending time with his wife Abby and their 3 children, Mitchell, Mallie, and Maury, Cliff also participates in ultra-endurance events.
COO
Jeff is also a lifelong resident of Mobile and a proud alumnus of The University of South Alabama. Jeff is responsible for manufacturing process improvement, quality assurance, facility development, supply chain optimization, and operational efficiency. Over his career, he has combined process improvement and organizational culture change into his own brand of change leadership from paramedic to policy to pops. Jeff also serves his community as a board member of Fuse Project, a nonprofit dedicated to provide the spark for innovation, funding, and implementation of projects benefiting children along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Additionally, he serves on the Mobile United steering committee as well as the University of South Alabama Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation advisory board.
Director of Franchise Development
Alison has lived in Keller, Texas for 33 years where she is now raising her family. She played volleyball for Baylor University and then transferred to the University of North Texas where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Alison is married to a Fire Captain and they have three amazing kids who love being a part of the Frios family. She joined Frios as a franchisee in October of 2018, opened her first store in April of 2019, and started developing new franchisees a few months after that. Alison worked in sales for ten years prior to joining Frios and loves sharing the excitement and happiness that Frios brings.
Marketing Director
A fellow lifelong resident of Mobile, AL, and a proud alumnus of The University of South Alabama with a degree in Marketing Management. Joseph joined the Frios team in January of 2020. Before joining Frios, Joseph was a part of a small, local marketing agency where he began to learn his chops in the digital marketing world. He makes sure Frios looks cool on the interwebs and reaches as many people as possible while keeping up with all of the latest marketing trends. When Joseph is not in Frios mode, he devotes his time to his local t-shirt company with his older brother, is an avid gamer, loves to cook, and spends his time with his wife Karen and their three fur babies Trixie, Minkah, and Ollie.
Director of Accounting
Matt is a proud alumnus of and played basketball for the University of Mobile where he received his bachelor’s degree in Accounting & Business Management in 2015. Since graduating, Matt has proven himself in his field and joined the Frios team in May of 2021. A native of Pensacola, Florida, Matt now resides in Mobile, Alabama with his wife Morgan, their daughter Raelynn and dog Louie. He is still a basketball fanatic, and when Matt isn’t crunching the numbers for Frios, he enjoys spending his time fishing and likes to consider himself a real card shark.
Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit and love dessert as much as we do? Learn about Frios franchise opportunities and requirements.