Zoup! Fresh Soup Company vs The Carving Board Franchise Comparison

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

 
Zoup! Fresh Soup Company Franchise
The Carving Board Franchise
Investment $355,900 - $648,500$314,500 - $621,500
Franchise Fee $39,900$35,000
Royalty Fee 6%-
Advertising Fee 1%-
Year Founded 19982012
Year Franchised 20032016
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

 
Zoup! Fresh Soup Company Franchise
The Carving Board Franchise
Experience
  • Restaurant experience is helpful but not required
  • Strong Management Skills Important
  • 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

     
    Zoup! Fresh Soup Company Franchise
    The Carving Board Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-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

     
    Zoup! Fresh Soup Company Franchise
    The Carving Board Franchise
    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

     
    Zoup! Fresh Soup Company Franchise
    The Carving Board Franchise
    US Expansion NoYes
    Canada Expansion Yes-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Zoup! Fresh Soup Company

    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.

    Seeking new franchise units in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Midwest, Northeast, West, Canada
    Veteran Incentives  $2,500 off franchise fee

    "Top
    #53 in Gator's Top franchises.

    About The Carving Board

    The Carving Board is the bold answer to the classic sandwich joint. Ushering in a fresh era of industrial décor, today’s music, hand selected ingredients and over 50 different sandwich combinations, we are setting the new sandwich standard.


    Proprietary and proven operating systems and procedures
    POS system that helps you manage the business efficiently to maximize profits
    Inventory software to manage costs and minimize waste
    Exceptional training to achieve consistency in profitability, operations and practices
    Ongoing support, systems, and menu changes to keep up with current trends in the market.