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Bruster’s Real Ice Cream hasn’t faced all the struggles other food chains have during the pandemic. Same-store sales increased 16.7% in 2020, a record for the Bridgewater, Pennsylvania-based company. And they’re doing even better this year: up 26.9% so far.
The metaphorical cherry on top? The ice cream chain didn’t lay off any employees from its ~180 franchised locations either.
But hiring this summer has been a different story—or rather, similar to one many chains have been telling. CEO Jim Sahene told Retail Brew that Bruster’s has faced one of the most competitive job markets ever in the past couple of months.
“In the current environment, due to overall labor shortages, the talent pool has been smaller,” Sahene said.
- During peak season, Bruster’s employs 20 to 25 workers per location, and 10 to 20 throughout the rest of the year.
- The company usually fills open roles through “word of mouth,” Sahene said. This year, they’ve had to increase wages and offer other sweet incentives (more on that later).
School’s out: As a seasonal operation, Bruster’s relies heavily on young workers—high school and college students make up ~80% of its staff during the summer—but lately, they’ve had competition.
- In June, teenagers accounted for 36% of new hires, per an analysis of US labor data by payroll provider Gusto. From 2017 to 2019, that figure was 10%.
“Employers have had to compete to hire young people because there are too many service sector jobs that pay low wages and not enough young people willing to work for those low wages,” Yana Rodgers, a professor of labor studies and employment relations at Rutgers University, told Retail Brew. But if employers sweeten the deal for more experienced workers, teens could be left with low-paying service jobs, she added.
- A report from The Washington Post indicates this is already happening in states that cut pandemic unemployment benefits.
Extra toppings: To attract new hires, several Bruster’s locations have offered referral fees and sign-on bonuses of $50 to $200, Sahene said. Wages increases have also helped Bruster’s “remain competitive,” he added.
- Starting rates range from $8 to $15/hour.
- Another Pennsylvania ice cream shop doubled pay to $15 and received 1,000+ applications for 16 jobs in a week.
One more thing: Beyond low wages, a record number of people have left the food service industry because of poor working conditions and stressful environments.
Bruster’s said it tries to tackle the issue through a mentorship program, which teaches its young workers about entrepreneurship. “Fostering an optimistic attitude,” especially during the pandemic, Sahene said, is crucial to retaining talent.—KM