Emerald City Smoothie vs The Comfy Cow Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Emerald City Smoothie vs The Comfy Cow including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
The Comfy Cow Franchise
Investment $75,250 - $286,900$259,499 - $422,260
Franchise Fee $15,000 - $25,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 6%5%
Advertising Fee 2%2%
Year Founded 2005-
Year Franchised 2005-
Term Of Agreement --
Term Of Agreement --
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
The Comfy Cow Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options

 
Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
The Comfy Cow Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/--/-
Start-up Costs -/--/-
Equipment -/--/-
Inventory -/--/-
Receivables -/--/-
Payroll -/--/-

Training & Support

 
Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
The Comfy Cow Franchise
Training --
Support * Use of the Emerald City Smoothie brand and all existing and new marketing materials * Assistance with real estate brokers, site selection, lease negotiation and construction based on best practices learned from over 30 store openings * A turn-key system that includes all architectural design, equipment, shelving, graphics, and signage at a reasonable cost * Extensive ECS Experience training for you and one staff member on drink making, developing a customer community, business management and marketing * Grand opening planning and support * "It's my store" customer involvement program * Peer-to-peer problem and solution sharing with other franchise owners * New drink introductions based on successful pilot programs at other franchises * Web presence for easy store location and product and service pre-selection * Periodic, high-return marketing strategies for pilot testing and implementation * Greater buying power for smoothie and health products as a member of our buying cooperative * Periodic visits to assist with general operations, employee training and to help you fine-tune the ECS experience * Analysis of store sales and performance versus system- wide benchmarks-
Marketing --
Operations --

Expansion Plans

 
Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
The Comfy Cow Franchise
US Expansion --
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion --

Company Overviews

About Emerald City Smoothie

If you are looking for a significant franchise opportunity with a low cost of entry and a high upside potential, you may be a great candidate to be an Emerald City Smoothie franchise owner. We've also built our uniqueness beyond the product. We build customer loyalty everyday through: * A personal service philosophy that turns our employees into part of our customer's fitness-support team, which keeps customers coming back, according to the Parker LePla Emerald City Smoothie Customer Study * Supplements for any health goal from weight loss to bulking up * Smoothie recipes that won the "best of" smoothie category in a Seattle poll, featuring a unique blending process that creates a smooth, refreshing, but never-watery, taste * Branding and design that helps draw customers into your stores and makes selection of high-margin add-on products easy. Click here for a virtual tour of one of our world-class locations. * Marketing, training, site selection, and quality control services. Emerald City Smoothie also features all the benefits of franchising including our formula for operating to help avoid many mistakes commonly made by new business owners. Today, one out of every seven dollars spent by Americans for retail goods and services is spent in a franchised or independent product distribution business (source: IFA Franchise Opportunity Guide, p. 31, Fall/Winter 2004). Franchising generates an estimated $1.5 trillion in the U.S. economy annually (source: www.franchise.org/opportunities). The combination of the franchisor's expertise and your hard work create the potential for a strong business. With a franchise, you are in business for yourself, not by yourself!

About The Comfy Cow

From its inception, Tim and Roy’s goal has always been to offer not only "the best ice cream on the planet,” but "the best ice cream experience.” They focused on producing a high quality, super-premium ice cream that would be served in a family friendly, fun, funky atmosphere. The decor of their 1,600 square foot first store included re-purposed tables, mismatched chairs and church pews, leather chairs, and lots and lots of whimsy. The feel was inherently comfy and communal. It was immediately hugely successful. The second Comfy Cow location opened at the Cardinal Towne development complex next to the University of Louisville’s downtown campus in August 2011. The third location, which included the renovation of an historic 120-year old Queen Victorian house, opened in the Clifton neighborhood of Louisville on Frankfort Avenue in October 2011. With each and every store, the feel is a bit different but they are all recognizably and inherently Comfy Cows. The one constant…the incredible quality of the ice cream! "We aspire to provide an atmosphere that’s comfy, warm, and inviting to be able to truly enjoy the best ice cream on the planet. This, combined with an understanding and respect of community, positions us as a ‘local’ company no matter the location.” - Tim Koons-McGee, Co-Founder. Franchising Opportunities After opening three successful stores, we want to open up this opportunity to individuals, groups, and our great customers who share our philosophies and have a passion to get involved with their communities. Here are some very good reasons to invest in The Comfy Cow franchise: Successful business model providing rare grass roots opportunity to be your own boss and have fun doing it! National recognition of the brand. We have won many awards and accolades. Strong training and operational support before and after a store opens. Support to select real estate, design and construct stores. Local store marketing guidance and ongoing operational support. Low cost to entry.