| ||||
Updated RecentlyDippin' Dots vs Icebox/Soupbox Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Dippin' Dots vs Icebox/Soupbox including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
||
| Investment | $112,204 - $366,950 | $69,500 - $174,500 |
| Franchise Fee | $15,000 | $14,000 - $20,000 |
| Royalty Fee | Varies | 4% |
| Advertising Fee | Varies | - |
| Year Founded | 1988 | 1995 |
| Year Franchised | 2000 | 1998 |
| Term Of Agreement | 5 years | 10 years |
| Term Of Agreement | 5 years | 10 years |
| Renewal Fee | Varies | Negotiable |
Business Experience Requirements |
||
| Experience | ||
Financing Options |
||
| In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
| Franchise Fees | No/No | No/No |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | No/No |
| Equipment | No/No | No/No |
| Inventory | No/No | No/No |
| Receivables | No/No | No/No |
| Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
||
| Training | On-The-Job Training: 12 hours Classroom Training: 19 hours | - |
| Support | Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives |
| Marketing | Ad Templates Social media SEO Website development Email marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising |
| Operations |
95% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
0% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
||
| US Expansion | Yes | - |
| Canada Expansion | No | No |
| International Expansion | Yes | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Dippin' Dots
Research biotechnologist Curt Jones used his expertise in cryogenic freezing processes to find new ways to produce ice cream. After nearly a year of experimenting with the idea of flash-freezing his family's homemade ice cream, Jones created and sold his first cups of Dippin' Dots ice cream in 1988. Because of Jones' flash-freezing process, Dippin' Dots ice cream forms into little balls (hence the term 'dots'), but unlike freeze-dried products, the ice cream can still melt.
Seeking new franchise units Worldwide.
Veteran Incentives 15% off franchise fee
!["Entrepreneur]("https://d3fg11dgb68kbp.cloudfront.net/assets/photos/franchise-badge-22686037fc120ba1bd59c2c9fd6e0fbf.png"){kind=icon}
About Icebox/Soupbox
Before opening his first store, Jamie Taerbaum stood outside a Baskin-Robbins store to figure out how many customers an ice cream store could expect at different times of day, on different days of the week, and in different weather conditions. Armed with this research, the young business school graduate opened the original Icebox/Soupbox store in 1995 in Chicago.
In the spring and summer, Icebox operates as a retailer of Icyfruit, a mixture of fruit juice, sugar, water and chunks of fruit that comes in 20 flavors. Throughout the fall and winter, it becomes a Soupbox store, offering a wide variety of soups.