Cold Stone Creamery Franchise Analysis

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Cold Stone Creamery is graded based on our most recent FDD research!

Franchise Info

Cold Stone Creamery specializes in super-premium fresh made ice cream, frozen yogurt, cakes, pies, smoothies, shakes, specialty beverages, soft drinks and other frozen dessert products and an assortment of complimentary toppings and mix-ins on a take-out or eat-in basis, soup and branded, licensed products.

How much does an Cold Stone Creamery business cost to open?

Cold Stone Creamery has an initial franchise fee of up to $27,000, with a overall initial investment range of $310,375 to $476,975.

  • Initial Franchise Fee: $27,000
  • Total Investment: $310,375 to $476,975
  • Working Capital: $20,000 to $20,000
  • Royalty Fee: 6.0%

The initial cost of any franchise opportunity includes many fees. Explore this investment opportunity to better understand the initial costs required to buy an Cold Stone Creamery, such as franchise fees, leasehold improvement costs, grand opening marketing, and furniture and fixtures purchases. It should be noted that, franchisors are required to disclose all initial fees. These fees include those that are actually paid when signing the franchise agreement and commitments to fees you are required to pay.

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How much does an Cold Stone Creamery owner make?

As with any new business, the franchise owner's salary and the profits from a Cold Stone Creamery business depends on a lot of different factors. One way to validate the potential revenues or profits earned from a Cold Stone Creamery franchise investment is to review the franchisor's Item 19 within their Franchise Disclosure Document. Typically, profits and owner's income are equitable to the size of the investment and number of locations you purchase. Demand for your products, your labor costs, commercial lease rates and several other variables also play a huge role in your profit margin and your personal salary

For additional information and franchise specific on the profits of an Cold Stone Creamery franchise opportunity, unlock this franchise

How many franchise locations does Cold Stone Creamery franchise system have?

As of the 2020 Franchise Disclosure Document, there are 895 franchised Cold Stone Creamery locations across the United States.

Did you know there are over 3,000 franchise opportunities across the United States. More than 80% have less than 10 locations.

Are there any Cold Stone Creamery franchise opportunities near me?

Based on 2020 FDD analysis, Cold Stone Creamery has franchised locations in 46 states. There may be no locations in several states as each franchise company plans their growth strategy differently. Specific states also require franchise companies to register their franchise opportunity and file their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) with state examiners prior to offering franchise opportunities to residents in that state. These registration states have examiners review a franchisor's FDD to ensure it satisfies state regulatory requirements. In addition to registration states, additional states have enacted supplemental franchise or business opportunity laws that require franchise companies to provide their franchise within the state. In most instances the filing is a notice within the state. Unlike franchise registration states, the franchise filing states do not examine a franchisor's FDD.

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Based on the data collected this franchise opportunity is growing into new locations and might be available in your city.

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Last Reviewed: 2020

Cold Stone Creamery Franchise INFORMATION

Total Investment
$310,375 - $476,975
Franchise Fee
$27,000
Franchise agreement
Initial Term
10 Years
Renewal Term
5 Years
Franchise outlet growth
2011
1,037
2019
895
Ongoing fees
Royalty
6.0%
ad fees
3.0%
# of franchised outlets
895

EXTRA INFORMATION

Do they provide any initial training and opening assistance?

Yes, they have an initial training program of 120 hours. This includes 40 hours of classroom training, 80 hours of on-the-job training, and 0 hours of online training. In their FDD they outline who's in charge of the training. Unlock to find out more.


Online 0
On-the-Job 80
Classroom 40
Total 120

Do they provide Territory Rights?

Cold Stone Creamery does NOT offer territory protections. For an explanation of territory rights, unlock this franchise for important details.

Do they have marketing and technology support in place?

Yes, Cold Stone Creamery offers comprehensive support for franchisees. Unlock this franchise to find out more.


How long ago did Cold Stone Creamery start franchising?

They began franchising in 1994. The average Ice Cream, Smoothies and Frozen Yogurt franchise began franchising in 2019.


Do they offer lending options?

Yes. They offer certain financing options within Item 10 of their FDD.

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