Cold Rock has no plans to slow its growth, with the ice cream franchise hitting the 100 store milestone and hoping to triple store numbers over the next three years.

Owned by Franchised Food Company (FFCo), Cold Rock, which recently opened its 100th store in Sydney Olympic Park, aims to add around 180 more outlets to its network by the end of 2014, all with the help of the new Express model – smaller stores operated as complementary outlets within high profile retail brands.

FFCo managing director, Stan Gordon said, “Our goal is to open around 120 Express stores and around 60 full stores in the next three years.

“With much of traditional retailing under immense pressure we are moving quickly to innovate and seize opportunities to expand our presence and believe this store within a store model will help our brand rapidly grow.”

Four Express stores have opened around Melbourne: one within a Video Ezy in Kew and three within Souvlaki Hut outlets in Keysborough, Corio and Hoppers Crossing. Seven more Express outlets are due to open in Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland this month, and three more in Hobart, Bendigo and Hawthorn.

Gordon said Cold Rock would consider further tailoring its offer, with a greater focus on making individual cakes for events like birthdays and weddings and growing its premium take home ice cream pack market.

“We are also in the process of launching the Cold Rock Catering Program, whereby each store will have a portable Cold Rock and ice cream freezer for use at parties, functions and events.”

He added that Cold Rock will continue to look for other brands to partner with, and these could include other FFCo brands, like Pretzel World and Nutshack.

Cold Rock isn’t the only food franchise reaching store milestones, with coffee franchise Zarraffa’s recently opening its 50th store, and Crust also hitting the 100 mark.