Cold Stone Creamery Announces "Ultimate Crew Member" After Conducting International Search

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Known for introducing some of the world's most innovative ice cream flavors, Cold Stone Creamery^® (www.ColdStoneCreamery.com) has now worked to introduce the best in customer service and delivering upon the Ultimate Ice Cream Experience™ with an international search for the "ultimate crew member" through the brand's first-ever "Global Creamery Cup" competition.

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For many years, the various countries within the Cold Stone Creamery system have held their own local "Creamery Cup"; that country's own team building event that inspires and energizes stores through a friendly competition to find the "best of the best" when it comes to fulfilling the role of a crew member within the Cold Stone Creamery brand. This year, each of the countries sent their Creamery Cup winner to the brand's International Partner Summit held in October in Tokyo, Japan for the first-ever "Global Creamery Cup."

The competition in Tokyo consisted of three days of events where crew members were judged on their knowledge of the brand's Signature Ice Cream Creations™ and the brand in general; along with tests in customer service, operational excellence and the service cycle, culminating with the crew member showcasing their "Experience Factor." Cold Stone Creamery not only delivers on the Ultimate Ice Cream Experience through great product quality, but the in-store experience as well, which is often highlighted with crew members being able to juggle, toss and catch the ice cream in extraordinary ways, and singing, all to entertain the guest. This showmanship is known as the Experience Factor at Cold Stone Creamery, and crew members were judged on this aspect of their skillset as well. Aside from the competition, each Creamery Cup attendee got to join in on various tours of Japan and enjoy the local culture, all while bonding with their fellow competitors.

"Crew members are such an integral part of the foundation of our success as a brand," said Michael McGill, President of International at Kahala. "It's imperative as a company that we keep them motivated and continue to create a feeling of togetherness and camaraderie around the world. This is our first Global Creamery Cup and it is definitely something we will continue as a tradition for the brand. The crew members loved meeting their counterparts from around the world, and we were deeply moved by the passion and commitment they possess for our product and Cold Stone Creamery as a whole."

This year contestants from Cold Stone Creamery locations based in Brazil, Canada, Nigeria, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Cyprus and the United States, to name a few, competed in Tokyo in an effort to be named the "best of the best." After three days of competition, Zyrus Villanueva, from the United Arab Emirates, won over the panel of judges and received the highest marks in each competition, which earned him the title of the first-ever Global Creamery Cup winner. Aside from a trip to Japan for he and a friend, Villanueva walked away with a cash prize and trophy. Second and Third Place winners went to crew members in Nigeria and Japan, respectively.

About Cold Stone Creamery
Cold Stone Creamery delivers the Ultimate Ice Cream Experience through a community of franchisees who are passionate about ice cream. The secret recipe for smooth and creamy ice cream is handcrafted fresh daily in each store, and then customized by combining a variety of mix-ins on a frozen granite stone. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Cold Stone Creamery is a subsidiary of Kahala, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world, with a portfolio of 15 quick-service restaurant brands. Cold Stone Creamery operates more than 1,500 locations in 25 countries.

For more information about Cold Stone Creamery, visit www.coldstonecreamery.com.

For more information about Kahala, visit www.kahalamgmt.com.

SOURCE Cold Stone Creamery