Primo Partners has acquired two Ben & Jerry's locations in Georgia, bringing its total store count to 20.

Acquiring Savannah and Tybee Island stores will make PrimoPartners the state's sole Ben & Jerry's operator. Primo Partners also operates in D.M.V. (D.C./Maryland/Virginia), Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

"2023 has been a banner year for us as we've added six scoop shops to our portfolio as well as our first Starbucks Cafe," said Antonio McBroom, C.E.O. of Primo Partners. "As we've reached this significant 20-unit milestone, I have a wide range of emotions reflecting on the journey and the fact that I became a scooper at my local Ben & Jerry's twenty years ago. We are exceptionally blessed to continue to grow and serve each other and our guests with world-class hospitality. The impact and momentum of the Primo movement is on a new level!"

The C.E.O. is hoping the new locations will be fruitful. He says it is located next to the ocean and a hot spot for residents and tourists alike. Each scoop shop will hold a grand re-opening celebration on Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day in 2024.

The news comes after McBroom was recognized with the 2023 M.V.P. Award from Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine. The company opened its first Starbucks in South Carolina on its 15th anniversary in August. Primo Partners also re-opened a Ben & Jerry's store in St. Louis this summer. The store is owned and operated by Steve Snipes, the son of an exonerated felon and rehabilitated citizen who had trouble finding a job after incarceration. He started working at a Ben & Jerry's shop that Primo owns, becoming a manager.

Additionally, the company has 11 people who graduated from its American Franchise Academy to become certified single or multi-unit managers. At the same time, 11 individuals joined its "Outward Bound" professional experience, which focuses on leadership development. The team has also invested over $100,000 in employee career growth opportunities.

"Working with Primo Partners over the years has truly been one of the highlights of my career," Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, said in a statement. "They are not only superb business partners — most importantly, they are incredible human beings. I look forward to watching their continued growth and success."