Mrs. Fields vs Auntie Anne's Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Mrs. Fields vs Auntie Anne's Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
Investment |
$166,806 - $410,500 | $98,350 - $445,000 |
Franchise Fee |
$30,000 | $30,000 |
Royalty Fee |
6% | 7% |
Advertising Fee |
- | 1% |
Year Founded |
1977 | 1988 |
Year Franchised |
1990 | 1989 |
Term Of Agreement |
7 years | 5 years |
Term Of Agreement |
7 years | 5 years |
Renewal Fee |
- | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
Experience |
Industry experience General business experience Marketing skills | General business experience |
Financing Options |
|
In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party |
Franchise Fees |
No/Yes | No/Yes |
Start-up Costs |
No/Yes | No/Yes |
Equipment |
No/Yes | No/Yes |
Inventory |
No/Yes | No/Yes |
Receivables |
No/No | No/Yes |
Payroll |
No/No | No/Yes |
Training & Support |
Training |
- | On-The-Job Training: 32 hours
Classroom Training: 40-64 hours
|
Support |
Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | Newsletter
Meetings/Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security/Safety Procedures
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform |
Marketing |
Ad slicks, National media | Ad Templates
National Media
Social media
SEO
Website development
Email marketing
Loyalty program/app |
Operations |
International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. |
53.9% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 9 - 12
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (95% of current franchisees are owner/operators)
|
Expansion Plans |
US Expansion |
- | Yes |
Canada Expansion |
No | No |
International Expansion |
Yes | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Mrs. Fields
Mrs. Fields Cookies started in 1977 and has been in the Famous Brands portfolio since 2000. Today the company has over
300 locations in over 20 countries. Mrs. Fields has been a pioneer in cookies and based goods.
Through its franchisees' retail stores; it is one of the largest retailers of freshly baked, on-premises specialty cookies and brownies in the world and the largest retailer of soft-serve frozen yogurt with live active cultures. Its franchise systems operate through a network of more than 800 franchised and licensed locations throughout the United States and in 25 foreign countries. In addition, it operates an internet and catalog gifting business, and has entered into licensing arrangements that leverage awareness of its core brands among its retail customer base.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a retail store
ranges from $251,995 to $410,500.
This includes $35,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliate.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a retail kiosk
ranges from $166,806 t0 $233,640.
This includes $35,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliate.
About Auntie Anne's Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels
Anne Beiler had been baking most of her life, but it wasn't until she began managing a concession stand at a farmer's market in Maryland that she thought about starting a business. The stand served pizzas, pretzels, chips and candy, with the pretzels outselling everything else. Beiler stopped selling pizza and began hand-rolling pretzels in front of her customers, making the snack even more popular. Eventually, Beiler bought her own stand, naming it Auntie Anne's, and, soon two of her brothers were operating Auntie Anne's booths of their own. Today, Auntie Anne's locations serve a variety of pretzels, dipping sauces and drinks.
Join us in putting the hand-rolled deliciousness of Auntie Anne’s®
soft pretzels into more people’s hands. We are looking for franchise
owners to extend our reach into street side locations, tourist
locations, colleges, and more. Our guests savor Auntie Anne’s®
pretzels’ unique flavor profile. You’ll value the strong financials,
culture that promotes community involvement, and opportunities afforded
you by our impressive global footprint. The future is looking bright for
our franchise owners. Get in on the goodness now.
As we rise, you shine.
Auntie Anne's®
is looking for people with a passion for business, matched by their
desire to deliver the highest-quality customer service and hospitality.
Candidates should have:Business Experience
(Restaurant Experience Preferred)
$100K+ Liquid Capital
$300K Net Worth
People Skills
Connected to the Community
Stores can be found in shopping centers, airports and train stations across the United States and Worldwide.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of an Auntie Anne's®
franchise ranges from $156,350 to $445,000. This includes $30,000 to
$30,400 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliates.
The
total investment necessary to begin operation of a Shop within a
temporary stand in a farmers’ market, a concession trailer, or a food
truck (a “Concession Shop”) is $98,350 to $253,000. This includes
$10,000 to $10,400 that must be paid to the franchisor or their
affiliates.
Veteran Incentives $10,000 off franchise fee
#400 in Franchise 500 for 2020.