
Cold Stone Creamery
Ice cream, sorbet, ice cream cakes, shakes- 2023 Franchise 500 Rank
-
#233 Not ranked last year
- Initial investment
-
$310K - $581K
- Units as of 2022
-
1,258 4.2% over 3 years
Cold Stone Creamery was founded in 1988 by Donald and Susan Sutherland in Tempe, Arizona. Previous to opening the first store, the Sutherlands had been constantly disappointed by prepackaged ice cream in stores and mass-produced ice cream at other ice cream parlors.
Now, over 30 years later, the Cold Stone Creamery name has become an international and household name. In the U.S. alone, the ice cream franchise has over 850 locations. There are also over 300 franchises located internationally.
Cold Stone Creamery makes their ice cream fresh every day on site. Customers are allowed to add additional mix-ins to the ice cream to make their own unique creations. If customers do not want to make their own, Cold Stone Creamery does have a list of tried and true creations to choose from.
Why You May Want to Start a Cold Stone Creamery Franchise
Franchisees for Cold Stone Creamery do not need to have previous restaurant experience. The right franchisee should have a passion for ice cream and the Cold Stone Creamery products. They should also be assertive and a good team leader.
Opening a Cold Stone Creamery franchise may offer a more predictable outcome than investing in a completely new brand that could struggle to thrive in the already crowded and competitive foods industry.
What Might Make a Cold Stone Creamery Franchise a Good Choice?
One of the unique features of Cold Stone Creamery is that the ice cream is made fresh in the store every day. The Sutherlands were frustrated with the chalk-like texture and taste of mass-produced ice cream brands. They wanted to give their customers fresh, creamy ice cream that was as unique as each customer.
To be part of the Cold Stone Creamery team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.
Cold Stone Creamery has also partnered with third-party financial lenders that can help cover the costs of the franchise fee, startup, and equipment.
How To Open a Cold Stone Creamery Franchise
Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, it is crucial that you perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Cold Stone Creamery franchise team questions.
As you pursue opening a Cold Stone Creamery franchise, you will go through some training. The initial training consists of attending training that may be located at company headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona and participating in in-store training for at least two weeks.
Franchisees will also spend many hours learning everything that goes into running a Cold Stone Creamery franchise. This includes aspects of running the business as well as making the ice cream. After opening your franchise, you will also receive monthly check-ins from support staff.
Company Overview
About Cold Stone Creamery
Business Overview
- Franchising Since
- 1994 (2023-1994 years)
- # of employees at HQ
- 230
- Where seeking
-
This company is offering new franchisees throughout the US.
This company is offering new franchisees in the following international regions: Africa, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Middle East, Europe (Eastern), Europe (Western), Central America, Canada, South America, Mexico
- # of Units
- 1,258 (as of 2022)
Information for Franchisees
Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Cold Stone Creamery franchise.
Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees
Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.
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Initial Franchise Fee
Information Circle - $27,000
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Initial Investment
Information Circle - $310,375 - $580,650
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Net Worth Requirement
Information Circle - $250,000
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Cash Requirement
Information Circle - $120,000
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Veteran Incentives
Information Circle - 20% off franchise fee
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Royalty Fee
Information Circle - 6%
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Ad Royalty Fee
Information Circle - 3%
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Term of Agreement
Information Circle - 10 years
- Is franchise term renewable?
- Yes
Financing Options
Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.
- Third Party Financing
- Cold Stone Creamery has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment
Training & Support Offered
Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.
- On-The-Job Training
- 80 hours
- Classroom Training
- 40 hours
- Ongoing Support
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NewsletterToll-Free LineGrand OpeningOnline SupportSecurity & Safety ProceduresField OperationsSite SelectionFranchisee Intranet Platform
- Marketing Support
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Co-op AdvertisingAd TemplatesNational MediaRegional AdvertisingSocial MediaSEOWebsite DevelopmentEmail MarketingLoyalty Program/App
Operations
Additional details about running this franchise.
- Is absentee ownership allowed?
- No
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Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
Information Circle - No
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Can this franchise be run part time?
Information Circle - No
- # of employees required to run
- 10-15
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Are exclusive territories available?
Information Circle - Yes
Interested in ownership opportunities like Cold Stone Creamery? Request a free consultation with a Franchise Advisor now.
Franchise 500 Ranking History
Compare where Cold Stone Creamery landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.
Additional Rankings
Curious to know where Cold Stone Creamery ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.
Ranked #233 in 2023
Entrepreneur’s 44th annual Franchise 500® ranking shines a light on the unique challenges and changes that have shaped the franchise industry over the last year—and how franchisors have adapted and evolved to meet them.
Ranked #90 in 2023
If you're interested in an opportunity with international appeal, start your search with our ranking of the top franchises seeking to expand outside the U.S.
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