Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2023
Oregon workplace machinery injury
An Oregon employee reportedly lost three fingers after a towel was pulled into an ice cream machine. The incident prompted reported employee resignations and renewed attention to workplace machine safety.
2015
Cake batter ice cream safety alert
The FDA alerted the public that cake batter ice cream products sold at Cold Stone stores could be associated with a Salmonella outbreak. Cold Stone removed the relevant products from U.S. locations.
2011
Dispute over CNBC franchising documentary
Cold Stone lawyers threatened legal action concerning portions of CNBC’s documentary Behind the Counter: The Untold Story of Franchising. The program ultimately aired after edits and discussed the dispute alongside interviews with company representatives and former franchisees.
2008
Franchisee complaints over store economics
Some independent and former franchisees alleged that Cold Stone opened stores too close together, required expensive remodeling and overstated expected revenues. The company disputed the characterization and said store-sale levels were consistent with industry conditions.
2005
Multistate Salmonella outbreak investigation
Health investigators identified 25 Salmonella cases across nine states. Twenty-four patients reportedly had eaten cake batter ice cream from Cold Stone stores, making the product the common exposure in the investigation.