Cookies By Design/Cookie Bouquet vs Mrs. Fields Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Cookies By Design/Cookie Bouquet vs Mrs. Fields including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Cookies By Design/Cookie Bouquet Franchise
Mrs. Fields Franchise
Investment $90,000 - $180,000$166,806 - $410,500
Franchise Fee $25,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 6%6%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19831977
Year Franchised 19871990
Term Of Agreement 5 years7 years
Term Of Agreement 5 years7 years
Renewal Fee 25% of initial fee-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Cookies By Design/Cookie Bouquet Franchise
Mrs. Fields Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills

  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills

  • Financing Options

     
    Cookies By Design/Cookie Bouquet Franchise
    Mrs. Fields Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/Yes
    Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/Yes
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Cookies By Design/Cookie Bouquet Franchise
    Mrs. Fields Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Internet, Field operations/evaluationsNewsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Ad slicks, National mediaAd slicks, National media
    Operations 30% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 5

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

    International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed.


    Expansion Plans

     
    Cookies By Design/Cookie Bouquet Franchise
    Mrs. Fields Franchise
    US Expansion --
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion NoYes

    Company Overviews

    About Cookies By Design/Cookie Bouquet

    When she lost her job, single mother Gwen Willhite had to figure out what to do next. Combining two traditional gifts'flowers and sweets'Willhite developed a new business: Cookies by Design/Cookie Bouquet. Each bouquet was arranged with custom-molded, hand-decorated sugar and cinnamon brown sugar cookies in baskets for all holidays and occasions. The company, which Willhite started in her home, soon grew into a chain of shops that began franchising in 1987. Within 10 years, Cookies by Design/Cookie Bouquet had grown to more than 175 shops in 115 cities across the United States.

    Cookies by Design offers a low entry cost and scalable confectionery bakery franchise featuring custom hand decorated cookie bouquets, gourmet cookies, cupcakes and confectionery treats. For over 30 years, Cookies by Design has been delighting people across the US with a unique and delicious gifting alternative to flowers.Our ability to create custom cookie bouquet designs with a personalized message as well as provide local hand delivery set us apart. Our customers are thrilled with
    Cookies by Design’s ease of service and creativity that delivers their gift with a personal touch. We love being a part of people celebrations, special occasions and life events. From start to finish our cookie bouquets are all hand crafted using our sugar cookie dough, cinnamon brown sugar dough recipes and signature icing creating an unforgettable, tasty work of art. With over 300 unique cookie cutter shapes and thousands of design options Cookies by Design’s potential to deliver gift items that are unique, special & memorable are limitless. Cookies by Design has incorporated the business of gifting with the love of baked goods into one successful franchise. Combining the local bakery retail shop offering personalized gifts and local hand delivery with the cookiesbydesign.com online ordering site, gives each location has a national selling reach with a neighborhood delivery touch.

    About Mrs. Fields

    Mrs. Fields Cookies started in 1977 and has been in the Famous Brands portfolio since 2000. Today the company has over
    300 locations in over 20 countries. Mrs. Fields has been a pioneer in cookies and based goods.

    Through its franchisees' retail stores; it is one of the largest retailers of freshly baked, on-premises specialty cookies and brownies in the world and the largest retailer of soft-serve frozen yogurt with live active cultures. Its franchise systems operate through a network of more than 800 franchised and licensed locations throughout the United States and in 25 foreign countries. In addition, it operates an internet and catalog gifting business, and has entered into licensing arrangements that leverage awareness of its core brands among its retail customer base.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a retail store ranges from $251,995 to $410,500.
    This includes $35,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliate.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a retail kiosk
    ranges from $166,806 t0 $233,640.
    This includes $35,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliate.