The Fudge Company vs Chocolate Works Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
The Fudge Company Franchise
Chocolate Works Franchise
Investment $32,000 - $45,000$284,800 - $436,600
Franchise Fee $12,500 - $15,000$50,000
Royalty Fee 3%5%
Advertising Fee -$300/month Nat'l+1%local
Year Founded 1978-
Year Franchised 1981-
Term Of Agreement -5 years +5+5
Term Of Agreement -5 years +5+5
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
The Fudge Company Franchise
Chocolate Works Franchise
Experience
  • Retail experience preferred
  • 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

     
    The Fudge 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

     
    The Fudge Company Franchise
    Chocolate Works Franchise
    Training --
    Support Grand opening-
    Marketing --
    Operations 20% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3

    95% of current franchisees are owner/operators

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    The Fudge Company Franchise
    Chocolate Works Franchise
    US Expansion --
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About The Fudge Company

    Based in Charlevoix, Michigan, The Fudge Company began in 1978 and started franchising in 1981.

    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.