Sweet Factory vs River Street Sweets Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Sweet Factory vs River Street Sweets including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Sweet Factory Franchise
River Street Sweets Franchise
Investment $355,500 - $1,500,000$419,550 - $844,000
Franchise Fee $35,000$40,000
Royalty Fee 6%5%
Advertising Fee 1%-2%2%
Year Founded 20031973
Year Franchised 20042015
Term Of Agreement 10 years+5+5-
Term Of Agreement 10 years+5+5-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Sweet Factory Franchise
River Street Sweets Franchise
Experience -Prospective franchisees must have solid store managerial experience and excellent supervisory, sales and guest relations skills. Previous experience in customer service and/or marketing is a plus! Our fun and friendly franchise concept appeals to a wide array of potential guests. With that being said, the franchise owner will be able to provide an interactive candy experience for happy guests from all walks of life.

Financing Options
 
Sweet Factory Franchise
River Street Sweets Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/--/-
Start-up Costs -/--/-
Equipment -/--/-
Inventory -/--/-
Receivables -/--/-
Payroll -/--/-

Training & Support
 
Sweet Factory Franchise
River Street Sweets Franchise
Training -Initial training includes extensive training about the brand's proven systems, policies and procedures at our corporate office in Savannah, Georgia. Franchisees are provided with instructors, facilities, and materials for the initial training program. On-The-Job Training: 183 hours Classroom Training: 18 hours
Support -Newsletter Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Field Operations Site Selection
Marketing -Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media Loyalty program/app
Operations --

Expansion Plans
 
Sweet Factory Franchise
River Street Sweets Franchise
US Expansion -Yes
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion --

Company Overviews

About Sweet Factory

Sweet Factory is the market leader in the one-price bulk candy industry, one of the fastest growing retail phenomena sweeping the country! We are executing a winning formula that sets the standard for bulk candy retailers. Owning a Sweet Factory franchise can provide you with an exciting and rewarding business opportunity - not to mention a fun place to work. We seek well-qualified candidates who share the same passion as we do. To get you started, we will provide you with market evaluation, site selection, and lease negotiation assistance; store design assistance in accordance with our standards; educating you in our comprehensive training program; support you during your pre-opening setup and store grand opening; and provide you with a copy of our confidential Franchise Operations Manual. Throughout your association as a Sweet Factory franchise owner, you will continue to receive the benefits of operational support and consultation from Corporate Support left staff. In addition, we will provide merchandising, special event, and holiday promotional support throughout the year. Of course there are creative marketing programs to enhance your store performance. Equally as important, our ongoing support, service, and quantity discount programs will enhance your opportunity for success.
Enjoy the satisfaction of becoming your own boss and part of the Sweet Factory family.

About River Street Sweets

River Street Sweets, - Savannah's Candy Kitchen is an old-fashioned candy store that is family-owned and delivers handmade southern sweets to its guests. It offers a variety of delicious handmade candies such as its World Famous Pralines, Chocolate Loggerheads, old-fashioned caramel apples, homemade ice cream and a huge assortment of nostalgic hard candy right in front of guests. The River Street Sweets - Savannah's Candy Kitchen concept enriches the lives of its guests by providing fresh handmade southern candies served in a clean and fun environment. This franchise program is a partnership of two longstanding candy shops with roots in Savannah Georgia, River Street Sweets and Savannah's Candy Kitchen. Both are owned and operated by members of the Strickland family. The shops have more than a dozen locations across Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee and an extremely strong mail and web ordering presence. River Street Sweets - Savannah's Candy Kitchen is now extending franchise opportunities throughout the South and in other select U.S. markets to qualified candidates. River Street Sweets - Savannah's Candy Kitchen will show you how to make our gourmet Southern candies by hand in your own special, old-fashioned candy and ice cream store environment, which is designed to work in a wide range of settings and location types. Franchise owners have the option to choose what size and setting he/she would like to operate in. Its largest models require 2,000-3,000 sq. ft. and are located primarily in high traffic tourist locations. OR, they can choose one of their smaller locations that are an estimated 750-1,000 sq. ft. Franchisees will also have the opportunity to share in a portion of revenues obtained through our mail and online ordering and gift items. This enables franchisees to build a sweet business through these multiple product lines and revenue streams. 
 $5,000 discount on Franchise fee to veterans.
 Owners converting into a River Street Sweets - Savannah's Candy Kitchen receive an $11,000 discount.