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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Tropik Sun Fruit & Nut vs Candy Bouquet including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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Investment | $93,000 - $214,000 | $5,900 - $33,000 |
Franchise Fee | $20,000 | $3,600 - $29,000 |
Royalty Fee | 6% | 0 |
Advertising Fee | - | - |
Year Founded | 1980 | 1989 |
Year Franchised | 1980 | 1993 |
Term Of Agreement | Varies based on lease term | 5 years |
Term Of Agreement | Varies based on lease term | 5 years |
Renewal Fee | - | 25% of original fee |
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/Yes | No/No |
Start-up Costs | No/Yes | No/No |
Equipment | No/Yes | No/No |
Inventory | No/Yes | No/No |
Receivables | No/No | No/No |
Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
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Training | - | - |
Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Internet |
Marketing | - | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks |
Operations |
10% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 6 - 8
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (40% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Franchise can be run from home. 1% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 1 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (97% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
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US Expansion | Yes | - |
Canada Expansion | No | No |
International Expansion | Yes | Yes |
Tropik Sun began in the summer of 1980 in downtown Chicago with a basic offering of 20 varieties of nuts, 16 types of dried fruits, a dozen trail mixes, carob and yogurt-covered nuts and fruits. Today Tropik Sun has evolved to include a diversified and wide variety of "fun-munchies", gift items and thirst-quenching refreshments. Tropik Sun will likely be known as the greatest "fun-munchie" store in the history of shopping malls! Tropik Sun is proud to serve quality products that reflect the popular tastes of our ageless customers.
Flowers and candy have always gone together, but for Margaret McEntire, that combination created a business that now boasts storefront and homebased franchises in 49 states and 44 countries.
Candy Bouquet was born in a Little Rock, Arkansas, garage, where McEntire created arrangements using candies and chocolates in place of flowers. Now franchisees worldwide sell, ship and deliver the bouquets, which can also include cookies, balloons and stuffed animals.