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Updated RecentlyIcebox/Soupbox vs Ritter's Frozen Custard Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Icebox/Soupbox vs Ritter's Frozen Custard including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $69,500 - $174,500 | $369,000 - $1,100,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $14,000 - $20,000 | $27,500 |
| Royalty Fee | 4% | 5% |
| Advertising Fee | - | - |
| Year Founded | 1995 | 1990 |
| Year Franchised | 1998 | 1994 |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
| Renewal Fee | Negotiable | $5K |
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/No | No/No |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | No/No |
| Equipment | No/No | No/No |
| Inventory | No/No | No/No |
| Receivables | No/No | No/No |
| Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
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| Training | - | - |
| Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations |
| Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising |
| Operations |
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) |
70% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 20 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (90% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | - | Yes |
| Canada Expansion | No | No |
| International Expansion | Yes | No |
Company Overviews
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.
About Ritter's Frozen Custard