The Peach Cobbler Factory store in Dalton, Georgia, began selling milkshakes based on the 12 pudding flavors it sells as part of a test for the fast-growing chain this week.
Started in 2013, the chain has grown to 15 stores, which all offer 12 different cobblers, 12 banana puddings and a half dozen cinnamon roll flavors. The company is testing whether buyers will also like Pudd-n-Shakes, and Dalton store co-owner Anna Carpenter said by phone on Thursday that she is one of eight franchise owners who serve on an advisory council for the company and that each store owned by the council members will be offering the shakes beginning Thursday.
"We will be testing them. and if people like them, we will add them to the rest of the stores," she said.
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She and her husband, J.R., opened the franchise on Shugart Road in Dalton in May. He was previously in facility management, and she was in the health care industry and decided to try something new during COVID-19.
They own the rights to the North Georgia area and Bradley County and will be opening three new locations in the next two years, she said.
Londie Nicole opened a Chattanooga Peach Cobbler Factory in Chattanooga on M.L. King Boulevard last year. Other stores are located in Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Florida.
Greg George, a franchise specialist and a partner in the Peach Cobbler Factory chain of restaurants, said in an interview at the time that the chain "will be a 1,000-store chain, I believe. And, I'll tell you why: Because you can't buy our products anywhere else. You can't find 12 flavors of cobbler and get a scoop of ice cream on it like ours. You can't do it. Or, five flavors of banana pudding -- chocolate chip, red velvet cake, original, Nutella and strawberry -- or a cobbler stuffed cinnamon roll, and that's all we offer."
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Carpenter said that since opening, the chain has added seven new pudding flavors to its original five with cherry swirl, coconut cream, bourbon pecan, peanut butter and jelly, Butterfinger, Oreo and NY cheesecake, but this is the first testing of this type the company has done for a new product.
"We are confident people will like it and it will be added to the other stores," she said.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com