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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Zoup! Fresh Soup Company vs The Carving Board including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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Investment | $355,900 - $648,500 | $314,500 - $621,500 |
Franchise Fee | $39,900 | $35,000 |
Royalty Fee | 6% | - |
Advertising Fee | 1% | - |
Year Founded | 1998 | 2012 |
Year Franchised | 2003 | 2016 |
Term Of Agreement | 5 years, Renewable for 3 additional 5 year periods | - |
Term Of Agreement | 5 years, Renewable for 3 additional 5 year periods | - |
Renewal Fee | - | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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Experience | A great franchise candidate for The Carving Board is not necessarily just someone who has food experience, although that could be a plus. The company is looking for people who are driven, willing to commit to the brand and want to be part of something bigger. Franchisees need the necessary capital to open a location, the willingness to learn and the ability to follow a proven system. | |
Financing Options |
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In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
Franchise Fees | No/Yes | -/- |
Start-up Costs | No/Yes | -/- |
Equipment | No/Yes | -/- |
Inventory | No/Yes | -/- |
Receivables | No/Yes | -/- |
Payroll | No/Yes | -/- |
Training & Support |
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Training | On-The-Job Training: 72 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours | - |
Support | Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures 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 | - |
Operations |
30% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10 - 14 Absentee Ownership Allowed | - |
Expansion Plans |
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US Expansion | No | Yes |
Canada Expansion | Yes | - |
International Expansion | No | - |
The first Zoup! opened in 1998 in Southfield, MI, a suburb of Detroit. Over the next five years, the founders opened five more Detroit-area locations, and in 2003 they began to franchise the concept. Zoup! restaurants feature 12 rotating daily varieties of soup, including low-fat, vegetarian, gluten and dairy free options. Made-to-order salads, sandwiches and baked goods are also available.