South Bend Chocolate Company vs Chocolate Works Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of South Bend Chocolate Company vs Chocolate Works including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
South Bend Chocolate Company Franchise
Chocolate Works Franchise
Investment $85,700 - $676,460$284,800 - $436,600
Franchise Fee $35,000$50,000
Royalty Fee 4%5%
Advertising Fee -$300/month Nat'l+1%local
Year Founded 1991-
Year Franchised 1997-
Term Of Agreement 4 years5 years +5+5
Term Of Agreement 4 years5 years +5+5
Renewal Fee $150-


Business Experience Requirements
 
South Bend Chocolate Company Franchise
Chocolate Works Franchise
Experience
  • Overall qualifications considered; no specific experience is necessary

    • You don't need to have specific experience in the candy and confections business to become a franchise owner with Chocolate Works. We look for people who have a passion for our products, and who have some retail experience and/or customer service skills. We also prefer franchise owners who will be directly involved in the operations and growth of their Chocolate Works franchises. In turn, we'll provide the support franchisees need to run their Chocolate Works business. We do, of course, also expect that franchisees have the right amount of capital to invest in the business.

    Financing Options
     
    South Bend Chocolate Company Franchise
    Chocolate Works 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
     
    South Bend Chocolate Company Franchise
    Chocolate Works Franchise
    Training Ongoing (monthly visits)-
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations-
    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: 6 - 20

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    South Bend Chocolate Company Franchise
    Chocolate Works Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About South Bend Chocolate Company

    Chocolate is in the Tarner family's blood. When Mark Tarner founded the South Bend Chocolate Company (SBCC) in 1991, he had already spent several years working in his father's chocolate factory. Privately owned and operated, the South Bend Chocolate Company got its start making chocolates under a license from the University of Notre Dame, and currently makes licensed chocolates for other schools, including Indiana University and Purdue University. In addition, South Bend Chocolate Company also wholesales its product line to gift shops, gourmet food stores, coffee shops and gift basket companies throughout the country.
    South Bend Chocolate Company franchises operate retail kiosks, Chocolate Caf'ites and Caf'xpress coffee carts in malls throughout Indiana and other states.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of the Kiosk model ranges from $85,700 to $111,005, and for the Cafe Model range from $340,552 to $676,460.
    For the Kiosk model, this includes $55,000 to $57,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate, and for the Café model includes $57,000 to $61,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate.




    About Chocolate Works

    There are a lot of reasons to own a Chocolate Works franchise. Have fun, create smiles, and build wealth are a few reasons. Others include that Chocolate Works is a business model with few employees, high margin products, smiling customers and no receivables.Chocolate Works offers 3 revenue streams under one roof: Retail chocolate and candy sales: Rows and bins of colorful, delectable treats keep customers of all types coming back for more goodies. Ice cream and coffee add to the appeal! Special chocolate events: From birthday parties, candy-making workshops, to ladies' nights out, and more - with Chocolate Works, the fun gets even sweeter! Commercial chocolate gifts: Custom chocolate logos and other branded specialties give your commercial clients a special way to promote their brands and thank their own customers. Flexible Designs: Meet your customer's demands with your own specialty gourmet chocolate venue. Our locations are designed to be flexible, featuring retail display cases, workshop areas, and party rooms. They can work in a variety of retail settings and sizes, and inventory can be adjusted with product selections that cater to local tastes, as well as the franchise owner's preference for manufacturing their chocolate creations in-house or ordering final products from our corporate production facilities. As a Chocolate Works franchise owner, you can offer a wide variety of specialty gourmet chocolate and other unique products to new and repeat customers alike, both retail and commercial. It's an appealing, multi-faceted business that gives franchise owners multiple ways to impact the bottom line. And, of course, as a franchise owner, you can do it all with confidence, knowing you are supported by a team of experienced professionals Make a Sweet Dream Come True. Find out how you can join the Chocolate Works gourmet candy franchise program.