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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Icebox/Soupbox vs The Cream & Fudge Factory including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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Investment | $69,500 - $174,500 | $85,000 - $250,000 |
Franchise Fee | $14,000 - $20,000 | $25,000 |
Royalty Fee | 4% | 6% |
Advertising Fee | - | 2%local +2%Nat'l |
Year Founded | 1995 | 2005 |
Year Franchised | 1998 | 2005 |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | - |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | - |
Renewal Fee | Negotiable | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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Experience | - | |
Financing Options |
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In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
Franchise Fees | No/No | -/- |
Start-up Costs | No/No | -/- |
Equipment | No/No | -/- |
Inventory | No/No | -/- |
Receivables | No/No | -/- |
Payroll | No/No | -/- |
Training & Support |
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Training | - | The Cream & Fudge Academy offers a broad range of technical and managerial courses. The training is designed to provide you with the key skills required to run your stores with a passion for quality - a passion your customers will sense and appreciate through their overall experience at the store. The Cream & Fudge Factory also offers onsite training by its experienced professionals and has a specialized team taht can assist your local team in opening a new store. |
Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | The Cream & Fudge Factory will support you from the moment you sign a contract to the time your store - or stores - open. And the support continues during operation through continuous monitoring of your store, helping you to achieve a consistent high level of customer experience. We also help you promote your business by marketing the brand effectively within your territory. Because our ultimate goal is the same as yours - to generate solid returns on investment by running the business professionally and with the full support of The Cream & Fudge Factory's proven systems. |
Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising | The Cream & Fudge Factory has ready-to-use proven promotions that can be adapted and implemented in your market. The Cream & Fudge Factory also has a professional team of graphic designers that can design specific promotions to meet your requirements. |
Operations |
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 |
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US Expansion | - | - |
Canada Expansion | No | - |
International Expansion | Yes | - |
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.
The Cream & Fudge Factory offers super premium smooth and creamy ice cream, made fresh. After the customer selects their favorite flavors, the ice cream is hand folded on a frozen marble stone with the customer's choice of mix-ins of nuts, fruits, candies and fudge. In addition to allowing customers to create their own combinations, The Cream & Fudge Factory has a menu of proprietary and innovative creations made at the stores for customers to enjoy fresh. The company also offers take-away ice cream in pints and ice cream cakes. The minimum size for a shop is 50sqm up to 100sqm. In 2005, "The Cream & Fudge Factory" was launched and became part of the portfolio of Global Franchise Architects. Using its Swiss expertise and its worldwide research and development capabilities, in just 3 short years it has expanded its operations in Thailand, India, Indonesia, Oman, and Vietnam. The Cream & Fudge Factory prides itself on serving the highest quality premium ice cream blends, homemade waffle bowls & cones, innovative recipes, a wide range of mix-ins and like all GFA brands, its undying dedication to enhancing the customer experience worldwide. An upscale and world class experience in the super premium ice-cream mix-in category, The Cream & Fudge Factory offers a luxurious atmosphere where customers can enjoy our carefully mixed creations or customize their own. The Cream & Fudge Factory is the ideal environment in which to enjoy such pleasures, where cool contemporary styling and casual comfort complete a thoroughly dreamy all-round ice cream experience.