Marble Slab Creamery vs Ben & Jerry's Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Marble Slab Creamery vs Ben & Jerry's including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Marble Slab Creamery Franchise
Ben & Jerry's Franchise
Investment $316,085 - $409,135$152,200 - $546,800
Franchise Fee $15,000 - $25,000$16,000 - $37,000
Royalty Fee 6%3%
Advertising Fee 2%4%
Year Founded 19831978
Year Franchised 19841981
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years
Renewal Fee 20% of current fee50% of then current fee


Business Experience Requirements
 
Marble Slab Creamery Franchise
Ben & Jerry's Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Are socially conscious, and active in your community.
  • Are passionate about operating an ethical, responsible business.
  • Will apply your full-time best efforts to the business.
  • Have at least two years of business management experience with P&L responsibility.
  • Have excellent business acumen, project management skills, and the ability to build and execute a business plan.
  • Are systems-oriented, and understand and value a franchise system.
  • Have the ability to recruit, train, and motivate staff, according to our standards.
  • Have a competitive drive and are committed to succeed, with realistic expectations.
  • Demonstrate honesty, integrity and humility and are a team player.
  • Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills and are fluent in English.
  • Know how to use a computer and apply technology.
  • Have a college degree or higher (preferred).
  • Have a strong credit history and a minimum net worth of $350,000, with $100,000 in liquidity (cash and securities, not including retirement accounts).
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    Financing Options
     
    Marble Slab Creamery Franchise
    Ben & Jerry's Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/YesNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/YesNo/Yes
    Equipment No/YesNo/Yes
    Inventory No/YesNo/Yes
    Receivables No/NoNo/Yes
    Payroll No/NoNo/Yes

    Training & Support
     
    Marble Slab Creamery Franchise
    Ben & Jerry's Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 24.5 hours Classroom Training: 32.5 hours We’ve got a great recipe for operating a scoop shop, and a world-class team to provide “scoop-to-nuts” expertise. We guide you every step of the way, beginning with your search for the right location, to training, to marketing, and to ongoing operational support for the life of your business. On-The-Job Training: 24 hours Classroom Training: 35 hours
    Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Field Operations Site Selection Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media Website development Email marketing
    Operations 65% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 8 - 10

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (50% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		 75% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.

    Expansion Plans
     
    Marble Slab Creamery Franchise
    Ben & Jerry's Franchise
    US Expansion YesNo
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesNo

    Company Overviews

    About Marble Slab Creamery

    Founded in 1983, the family-owned, Houston-based Marble Slab Creamery offers homemade, super premium ice cream that's prepared to order on a marble slab, using a variety of mix-ins. With flavors like Sweet Cream, Chocolate Swiss, Cheesecake and Amaretto, more than 100 franchisees nationwide are tempting customers with their exotic flavors served in freshly-baked waffle cones. The stores also sell smoothies, shakes, sundaes, banana splits, ice cream cakes and pies. Some franchisees even offer homemade baked goods such as cookies, brownies and apple pie, as well as gourmet coffees.

    Seeking new franchisees in the U.S., Africa, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Central America, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Philippines, South America and Western Europe     

    Veteran Incentives  25% off first-store franchise fee
    "Top
    #116 in Canada's Top franchises.                         

    "Entrepreneur
    #311 in Franchise 500 for 2020.


    About Ben & Jerry's

    Ben & Jerry's is named for its founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who grew up together in Merrick, Long Island. In 1978, they took a $5 correspondence course on ice-cream-making, then leased an old gas station building in Burlington, Vermont to open their first ice cream shop.  Ben & Jerry’s has over 580 franchised ice cream scoop shops and PartnerShops worldwide. We have over 350 scoop shops in the United States and over 350 scoop shops Internationally.

    Seeking new franchise units in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Australia/New Zealand, Canada and Western Europe.

    ""    "Entrepreneur

    #63 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #138 in Franchise 500 for 2021.