Cold Stone Creamery vs Carvel Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Cold Stone Creamery vs Carvel including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Cold Stone Creamery Franchise
Carvel Franchise
Investment $50,200 - $467,525$250,600 - $415,500
Franchise Fee $15,000 - $27,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 6%$2.44/gal.
Advertising Fee 3%$2.13/gallon
Year Founded 19881934
Year Franchised 19941947
Term Of Agreement 10 years20 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years20 years
Renewal Fee -Then current fee


Business Experience Requirements

 
Cold Stone Creamery Franchise
Carvel Franchise
Experience -
  • General business experience

  • Financing Options

     
    Cold Stone Creamery Franchise
    Carvel Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/YesNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/YesNo/Yes
    Equipment No/YesNo/Yes
    Inventory No/YesNo/Yes
    Receivables No/YesNo/No
    Payroll No/YesNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Cold Stone Creamery Franchise
    Carvel Franchise
    Training Franchising with Cold Stone Creamery® means you’ll never be alone in your business. As one of the world’s premier ice cream franchises, Cold Stone Creamery’s support network has launched hundreds of entrepreneurs without any experience in either the service industry or the restaurant industry into growing businesses in communities across the country and around the world. “Cold Stone Creamery has one of the most robust training platforms in the entire franchise industry,” says John Wuycheck, SVP of Franchise Development. “Our franchisees make real investments of both time and money to franchise with Cold Stone Creamery, and we honor that by going above and beyond in providing an exceptional initial and ongoing training platform. We’ve been helping entrepreneurs establish new Cold Stone Creamery businesses for a long time, and we’ve built an iconic business model that requires no previous experience to become a top performer. As a franchisor, we’re honored to report that franchisee satisfaction is at an all-time high.” Initial New franchisees attend KTEC (Kahala Training and Education Center). In addition, new franchisees spend two weeks in a store where we cover every aspect of their new business, including making the ice cream, preparing and serving Cold Stone Creamery products, managing inventory and supporting their business through savvy marketing. On-The-Job New franchisees spend 80 hours in a store to learn the ins and outs of the business, including how to correctly prepare and serve the brand’s products. Cold Stone Creamery also hosts monthly check-ins to help you meet your goals, to offer assistance and to ensure you have all the tools necessary to improve your business every day.-
    Support Cold Stone Creamery will meet with you regularly to help you and answer any of your questions. Every new franchisee receives monthly check-in calls from a Regional Director of Operations or Area Developer.Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Cold Stone Creamery franchisees have access to in-house marketing and public relations teams, which significantly reduces expenses. These teams help with national, regional and local marketing, along with public relations from the grand opening through the life of the business. We train franchisees to manage their stores’ social media accounts, including Facebook®, Twitter® and Instagram® -" and newer platforms such as Snapchat®Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
    Operations 35% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 25% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 6

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (90% of current franchisees are owner/operators)


    Expansion Plans

     
    Cold Stone Creamery Franchise
    Carvel Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesYes

    Company Overviews

    About Cold Stone Creamery

    Founders, Donald and Susan Sutherland, have an energy for frozen yogurt! They scanned wherever for frozen yogurt that was "smooth and rich", instead of the customary hard-pressed or delicate serve assortments. In 1988, in the wake of coming up purge in their hunt, they opened the primary Cold Stone Creamery in Tempe, Arizona. Utilizing just the finest fixings, the Sutherlands delivered the most elevated quality frozen yogurt accessible - making it crisp every day in their store. Each dessert creation was then made to arrange for every client by mixing in blend ins on a solidified rock stone (the Cold Stone!), and served in a crisp prepared waffle cone. Word soon spread far and wide among frozen yogurt significant others that Cold Stone Creamery's dessert was the best, and the upheaval started! In 1995, the main establishment store opened in Tucson, Arizona, trailed by the first out-of-state store in Camarillo, California.

    The establishing store of Cold Stone Creamery opened in 1988
    We've been granting establishments since 1994
    About 1,000 stores working in the U.S. also, almost 300 stores around the world
    U.S. Domains Currently Open
    Single and Multi-Unit Deals Available
    Normal time to open is 6-12 months
    Co-marking Opportunities Available

    The Numbers You Need to Know

    $27,000 establishment fee*
    $250,000 total assets
    $100,000 fluid, non-financed stores
    Add up to beginning speculation - $50,200 - $467,525 *
    Sovereignty expense - 6% of gross deals
    Publicizing expense - 3% of gross deals

    *This charge is for a customary area and does exclude any rebates that might be appropriate. Distinctive expenses may apply for different sorts of areas. More nitty gritty venture data is accessible in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

    The Buzz About Our Brand

    #53 on the 2013 "Establishment 500®" rundown in Entrepreneur® magazine
    #19 on the 2013 "Worldwide 30" list in QSR® magazine
    #46 on the 2012 "Top Global Franchises" list in Entrepreneur magazine
    #49 on QSR magazine's 2011 "QSR Top 50" positioning
    #54 on the 2011 "Establishment 500" rundown in Entrepreneur magazine
    #49 on Franchise Direct's® "Best 100 Global Franchises" list for 2011

    #123 on the 2010 Franchise Times® "Beat 200 Franchise Systems"
    "franchiserankingscom"
    #79 on Franchise Rankings.com





    About Carvel

    In 1934 Tom Carvel opened his first ice cream shop in Hartsdale, New York. Over the years, he developed formulas and equipment for creating and serving his ice cream. The company started franchising in 1947, and by 1951 had opened 100 stores. Today the company distributes its line of ice cream, cakes, pies and other treats in its own locations and in stadiums, club stores and supermarkets.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Shoppe selling a full range of Carvel® products (a “Full Shoppe”) ranges from $250,600 to $415,500. This includes $30,000 to $32,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliates.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Shoppe selling selected Carvel® products (an “Express Shoppe”) ranges from $39,600 to $148,400.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation of an Express Shoppe within the space of another restaurant, food service facility, or business approved by the franchisor (a “Hosted Express Shoppe”) ranges from $33,100 to $66,500. These total investment estimates for Express Shoppes and Hosted Express Shoppes include $10,000 to $12,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliates.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Shoppe in an ice cream truck (an “Ice Cream Truck”) is $95,050 to $195,000. This includes $5,000 to $7,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliates.

    "Entrepreneur
    #361 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #273 in Franchise 500 for 2021.