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2024 Franchise 500 Rank
#95 Ranked #93 last year
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Initial investment
$239K - $870K
Units as of 2024
167 Increase 11.3% over 3 years

Treat yourself and indulge in opening a Kilwins franchise! From its beginning in 1947, Kilwin has offered premium kitchen-made ice cream, chocolates, and fudge. Everything is freshly prepared from original recipes and premium ingredients.

Kilwins has since been a prominent part of American cuisine with an excellent reputation for providing exceptional service and high-quality products, including caramel apples, fudge, chocolate bark, caramel corn, and brittle, to mention a few.

With in-store craftsmanship, high-quality desserts, and a friendly staff, Kilwins believes they have a customer-friendly environment that feels like home. Kilwins offers an authentic taste and a sensory experience like no other.

Why You May Want to Start a Kilwins Franchise?

Kilwins is an exciting and fun business with a seasoned business model. With more than 50 years of brand recognition, you may have a great customer base. You will likely not have to worry about marketing and branding costs because Kilwins typically takes care of this for its franchisees.

Franchisees have access to an extensive training and support team that will guide you throughout your entire time while in business. Kilwins may offer personalized support to new franchisees to help them achieve their goals. All your operating system methods and products might be specified and supplied by Kilwins. This will save you time to focus on running your store, leveraging your personality for customer care.

What Might Make Kilwins a Good Choice?

To be part of Kilwins team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. You should also be prepared for ongoing fees that will include advertising fees, royalty fees, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet Kilwins set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

While opening a Kilwins franchise could be a great opportunity, your investment is only as good as the effort you put into it. Your hard work as a franchisee and the quality of service you offer your customers are vital elements. 

How To Open a Kilwins Franchise

To become a part of the Kilwins team, you'll need to submit an inquiry form. A franchise representative may contact you if you seem to be a good fit for the brand. Then, suppose your net worth and available liquid capital match the brand’s requirements. In that case, you may qualify to open a Kilwins franchise, and you can get started with an initial investment.

As you decide if Kilwins is a good fit for you, it may be a good idea to contact an attorney or financial manager in order to ensure that you have the financial stability to run a franchise. You should also make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a Kilwins franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth. Live the sweet life and submit your inquiry to open a Kilwins Franchise!

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Company Overview

About Kilwins

Industry Food
Related Categories Candy, Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts
Founded 1947
Parent Company Kilwins Chocolate Franchise Inc.
Leadership Brian Britton, CEO
Corporate Address 1050 Bay View Rd.
Petoskey, MI 49770
Social Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since 1982 (42 years)
# of employees at HQ 125
Where seeking

This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia

# of Units 167 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Kilwins 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.

Initial Franchise Fee Information Circle
$20,000 - $40,000
Initial Investment Information Circle
$239,281 - $870,081
Net Worth Requirement Information Circle
$500,000
Cash Requirement Information Circle
$125,000
Veteran Incentives Information Circle
$10,000 off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Information Circle
5%
Ad Royalty Fee Information Circle
3%
Term of Agreement Information Circle
10 years
Is franchise term renewable? Yes
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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 Kilwins has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory

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 56-173 hours
Classroom Training 27-43 hours
Ongoing Support
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed? Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Information Circle
No
Can this franchise be run part time? Information Circle
No
# of employees required to run 6-10
Are exclusive territories available? Information Circle
Yes
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Franchise 500 Ranking History

Compare where Kilwins landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.

Additional Rankings

Curious to know where Kilwins ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.

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Disclaimer
The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.
Updated: December 12th, 2022