How Cold Stone Creamery operates in China
Brand profile for the China market.
Cold Stone Creamery in China
Cold Stone Creamery entered the mainland Chinese market in 2007, opening its first store in Shanghai near People's Square. The brand operates under the master franchisee Shanghai Cold Stone Ice Cream Corporation (SCSICC), which has also engaged sub-franchisees such as YOUCAN to develop locations in various provinces. Cold Stone Creamery differentiates itself by offering a customised ice cream experience, where customers choose their ice cream flavour and various mix-ins, which are then folded together on a frozen granite slab. This 'Ultimate Ice Cream Experience' focuses on fresh, made-to-order creations. Distinctive menu items include flavours like matcha and richer options such as Oreo Overload, which are popular in the Chinese market.
- Arrived in China: 2007
- Local operator: Shanghai Cold Stone Ice Cream Corporation (SCSICC)
Sample prices
| Item | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| small cone | ¥28.0 | source ↗ |
Each price above links to the source it was taken from. These are individually sourced figures rather than a verified full menu, so they are not used in the price index.
Sources
Everything above was drawn from these pages. Credit for the underlying information belongs to their publishers.
Cold Stone Creamery in other markets
The same brand, a different menu and a different currency in each.
| Market | Items | Cheapest | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | 24 | ฿40 | ฿233.07 | Thailand menu prices |
| USA | 61 | $1.19 | $7.44 | USA menu prices |
| Philippines | 32 | ₱58 | ₱288.97 | Philippines menu prices |
| Malaysia | 49 | RM16.90 | RM50.44 | Malaysia menu prices |
| Canada | 20 | C$11.24 | C$20.50 | Canada menu prices |
| United Kingdom | 101 | £1.50 | £5.06 | United Kingdom menu prices |
| United Arab Emirates | No priced menu yet. Cold Stone Creamery United Arab Emirates | |||
| India | No priced menu yet. Cold Stone Creamery India | |||
| Indonesia | No priced menu yet. Cold Stone Creamery Indonesia | |||
Prices are in each market's own currency and are not directly comparable. For a like-for-like view, use the price index or the comparison tool.
Cold Stone Creamery products priced worldwide
Items Cold Stone Creamery sells under the same name in four or more of our markets, converted to US dollars.
| Product | Markets | Cheapest | Priciest | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Devotion™ | 5 | $3.79 | $11.99 | +217% |
| Coffee Lovers Only | 5 | $3.79 | $11.99 | +217% |
| Our Strawberry Blonde™ | 5 | $3.79 | $11.99 | +217% |
| Founder’s Favorite | 4 | $3.79 | $11.99 | +217% |
| Cheesecake Fantasy™ | 4 | $3.79 | $11.99 | +217% |
| Mint Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip | 4 | $3.79 | $11.99 | +217% |
| Berry Berry Berry Good | 4 | $3.79 | $11.99 | +217% |
| Birthday Cake Remix™ | 4 | $3.79 | $11.99 | +217% |
About Cold Stone Creamery
Cold Stone Creamery is an American ice cream chain built around a piece of theatre: ice cream made fresh in the store, then folded together with mix-ins on a frozen granite stone in front of the customer.
The frozen stone
The company was founded in Tempe, Arizona in 1988, and the granite slab kept at around minus nine degrees Celsius is still the centre of every store. Customers pick a base ice cream and the toppings to be worked into it, so the product is assembled to order rather than scooped from a tub.
Signature creations
Alongside build-your-own orders the chain sells a set list of named combinations, ice cream cakes and shakes. Portions run in three sizes with the names Like It, Love It and Gotta Have It.
Where it trades
Cold Stone franchises internationally, with a substantial presence in Southeast Asia and the Gulf alongside its American home market.
Discussion
Prices move and menus differ by branch - What people have seen on the ground is part of the record. Be useful, be civil.
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