Jennifer Schuler is the Chief Executive Officer of Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, a leading franchise serving premium, handcrafted ice cream since 1945. Handel’s offers freshly made frozen treats and has quickly grown with nearly 130 units and over 65 franchisees across 14 states. Schuler is a top-performing and results-oriented leader with an extensive career fueling brands to their growth.
Schuler previously served as the CEO of Wetzel’s Pretzels, overseeing a 365-unit chain founded and based in Pasadena, CA, with locations spanning across the nation, including Downtown Disney, Universal City Walk, Dodgers Stadium, Crypto.com Arena, and Disneyworld. She joined the company in 2014 as the Chief Marketing Officer, launching her inaugural successful product, Pizza Bitz, which swiftly ascended to become a top 10 product for the company. Transitioning to the role of President in 2018, she assumed responsibility for Marketing, Real Estate, Franchise Sales, and Construction.
In January of 2019, Schuler was appointed CEO, becoming only the second CEO in the company’s 28-year history and its first female CEO.
As a franchise leader, her strategic focus has revolved around implementing social media initiatives that foster brand advocacy and drive quantifiable sales, introducing innovative products and store designs, and exploring new formats and locations, as implemented during her time at Wetzel’s Pretzels.
Schuler’s leadership also included five years in brand management at General Mills, where she honed her expertise working on brands like Big G cereals and Yoplait yogurt. She also held executive roles at a private equity-backed consumer healthcare company, Midwest Center, and an education tech start-up, Sibson Consulting.
Jennifer Schuler is a California native. She obtained a BA in Politics, Philosophy, & Economics from Pomona College, where she also captained the Women’s Soccer and Track & Field teams. She holds an MBA from Stanford Business School.
Schuler was named one the “Most Influential Women in Food Service” and “Most Influential CEOs” by Nation’s Restaurant News in 2022.
