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Updated RecentlyHappy Joe's vs Icebox/Soupbox Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Happy Joe's vs Icebox/Soupbox including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $24,470 - $1,030,625 | $69,500 - $174,500 |
| Franchise Fee | $15,000 - $17,000 | $14,000 - $20,000 |
| Royalty Fee | 4.5%-5% | 4% |
| Advertising Fee | 1.5% | - |
| Year Founded | 1972 | 1995 |
| Year Franchised | 1973 | 1998 |
| Term Of Agreement | 15 years | 10 years |
| Term Of Agreement | 15 years | 10 years |
| Renewal Fee | 10% of fee or $2K | Negotiable |
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/Yes | No/No |
| Payroll | No/Yes | No/No |
Training & Support |
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| Training | On-The-Job Training: 300 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours | - |
| Support | Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives |
| Marketing | Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising |
| Operations |
33% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 45 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
0% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | - |
| Canada Expansion | No | No |
| International Expansion | Yes | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Happy Joe's
Lawrence Joseph Whitty had worked in the bakery business for years before becoming an assistant manager at a Shakey's pizzeria. He decided to combine his baking skills with the experience he had gained from working at a pizza restaurant, where he would often hear families decide to go out for ice cream for dessert. Combining pizza and ice cream, Whitty opened the first Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream Parlor in East Davenport, Iowa, in 1972. His signature item was the Happy Joe's Special, a pizza with Canadian bacon and sauerkraut that Whitty created from leftovers in his mother's kitchen. After a franchisee suggested adding tacos to the menu, Whitty created the restaurant's best-selling product, the Taco Pizza.
Seeking new franchisees in the following regions/states:
About Icebox/Soupbox
Before opening his first store, Jamie Taerbaum stood outside a Baskin-Robbins store to figure out how many customers an ice cream store could expect at different times of day, on different days of the week, and in different weather conditions. Armed with this research, the young business school graduate opened the original Icebox/Soupbox store in 1995 in Chicago.
In the spring and summer, Icebox operates as a retailer of Icyfruit, a mixture of fruit juice, sugar, water and chunks of fruit that comes in 20 flavors. Throughout the fall and winter, it becomes a Soupbox store, offering a wide variety of soups.