Icebox/Soupbox vs Blue Sky Creamery Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Icebox/Soupbox vs Blue Sky Creamery including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
Blue Sky Creamery Franchise
Investment $69,500 - $174,500$138,750 - $401,000
Franchise Fee $14,000 - $20,000$25,000 - $35,000
Royalty Fee 4%-
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19952000
Year Franchised 19982004
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee Negotiable-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
Blue Sky Creamery Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
    Blue Sky Creamery Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/No-/-
    Equipment No/No-/-
    Inventory No/No-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
    Blue Sky Creamery Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing 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)

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
    Blue Sky Creamery Franchise
    US Expansion --
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    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 Blue Sky Creamery

    In 2001, TJ and Will successfully demonstrated the Nitro Freeze process with a second-generation prototype at the Iowa State Fair, the Clay County Fair, and the Tulsa State Fair. The second-generation prototype implemented several technology advances improving reliability, ease of use, cleaning, and product quality. In 2002, the concession operation was expanded by adding the Minnesota State Fair. And the first retail location, a new ice cream shop called the Blue Sky Creamery, opened in Ankeny, Iowa. Plans were then completed for a new production model Nitro Freeze machine, the NF-3500. Armed with this new design, the marketing of the machines was launched at the IAAPA trade show in November, in Orlando, Florida.
    In 2004, the Blue Sky Creamery Ice Cream Cafe Franchise concept was rolled out and the first franchise store opened in Minnesota. Additional Blue Sky Creamery locations have been opened in West Des Moines, Iowa and St. Louis, MO. Buy Blue Sky Creamery Ice Cream, Gelto and Coffee Online In 2008 and 2009, Blue Sky Creamery had expanded its mobile operations to more than 25 events and started offering Mobile Franchise opportunities. From Miami to Las Vegas to Columbus to Calgary, the Nitro Freeze process has been sweeping the continent! Mobile Franchise have been granted in Eastern Iowa, Wisconsin, Oregon, North Carolina, Phoenix, and Las Vegas so far. In 2009, demand for our ice cream in different parts of the nation led us to offer pints of Blue Sky Creamery ice cream and gelato available online to be shipped right to your door!