When NIU graduate David Lasky first joined Bresler’s Industries sixteen years ago, he never imagined he would own the company. “At the time (he joined the company), I never thought the family would be in a position to sell the business.”

But when an opportunity presented itself to buy the business, he didn’t have any hesitations. “I had been involved with the company for sixteen years and knew its potential.”

While attempting to buy the company, Lasky soon realized that other business people were interested in his idea. “There were a lot of people out there who had money and were interested in the franchise business.

“When Oberweis (the former owner of the company) agreed to sell the company, I said I’d like to put a group together to buy it,” said Lasky. “Then I went to find some additional capital. I didn’t want to do the it through a leveraged buyout, but through individual investors.

In 1972, Lasky graduated from Northern and first worked at a subsidiary of Bally Manufacturing called Carousel Time, Inc. Carousel Time leased offices from Bresler’s and soon, both industries developed the concept of a game room/ice cream shop called Games a La Mode. With this idea, Lasky met people from Bresler’s, and the relationship soon flourished.

Lasky’s first job at Bresler’s was a real estate manager whose responsibilities included finding locations and negotiating leases for future Bresler’s stores. Now, fifteen years later, he is the president and one of the owners of the enterprise. With more than three hundred establishments in over thirty states, Lasky is realistic on terms of the word success. “I’m more concerned with sales per unit and profitability with our franchises,” said Lasky, “than I am concered about having more stores than anyone else.”

One method of improving Bresler’s sales and profitability is the introduction of ice cream with alcohol. “We were looking for something different. We knew at that time that we were going to come out with a high-line ice cream,” said Lasky, “but at the same time, many other high-line ice creams were already on the market. We said if we’re going to do it, what can we do differently?”

Eventually, they decided on the alcohol angle, but as Lasky explains, alcohol isn’t a major ingredient. “You’ll get sick from all the ice cream before the alcohol even hits you. There’s less than a shot of alcohol in three gallons of ice cream,” said Lasky.

The product line, called Royal Cremes, has become so successful that Bresler’s expanded that segment of their market to new flavors without alcohol.

Another profitable product for Bresler’s is yogurt, which accounts for more than thirty percent of sales systemwide. But though the frozen treat has enjoyed a quick success, Lasky doesn’t think the popularity is the result of a health conscious nation. “Eight to nine years ago, yogurt came out and for a brief period of time it took off very strongly but then died. In my opinion,” said Lasky, “it died because of one significant reason — the product didn’t taste good. It was sour. That taste wasn’t what the consumer wanted then, and he doesn’t want it now. The consumer is very health conscious; they want low fat, low cholesterol, low sugar, and something that tastes good.

“The charge that we had as a company was to develop a product that tasted like ice cream, and we were capable of achieving that goal.”

Lasky also believes that an enterprise should commit itself to one type of treat. This decision is based upon the possibility of one product helping the other if profits fall and if “the family wants to treat themselves to ice cream they can, or if they want to watch their weight, yogurt is an option.”

Even though Lasky is a direct participant in new product development, he doesn’t “want to make the mistake of saying or thinking that my taste buds are better than anybody else’s, or because I like it, that’s the way it has to be,” said Lasky. “I’m one voice, and I do want to know what other people think.”

Before Lasky joined Bresler’s, a program called Bresler’s College of Ice Cream Knowledge had been initiated. “If you believe in franchising, which is putting people in the business, then you should give them te best opportunity you can,” said Lasky, “to be successful, which includes giving them a training program to teach them not only how to scoop ice cream but how to be better business people. They learn a profit and loss statement, gross points, and how to promote a business.

If Lasky continues with his realistic business practices, his company shouldn’t experience any melting proifts or sales.