Cold Stone Creamery

The Cold Stone Creamery franchise is the ultimate ice cream franchise that has served the freshest ice cream, cakes, smoothies, and shakes for over three decades. It was founded in 1988. Since then, it has expanded to more than 1,250 locations across five continents. This is an attractive franchise opportunity for franchise owners because the franchise will be there to help you with every step of running your location. With over 120 hours of initial on-the-job training, the franchise is there to help you succeed. With international opportunities, you have the opportunity to become a master franchise owner. Look into owning a Cold Stone Creamery franchise today.  

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Cold Stone Creamery Franchise Cost and Requirements for 2024

Background

If there is one thing that Americans love, it is ice cream! It is America's favorite dessert. According to Yahoo! Finance, Americans spend $8 billion on ice cream annually, and the average American enjoys 48 pints of ice cream. If you want to cash in on this booming industry, the Cold Stone Creamery could be for you. It is the ultimate ice cream franchise that has served the freshest ice cream, cakes, smoothies, and shakes for over three decades. Since being founded 1988, it has expanded to more than 1,250 locations across five continents. This is an attractive franchise opportunity for franchise owners because the franchise will be there to help you with every step of running your location. With over 120 hours of initial on-the-job training,  the franchise is there to help you succeed. With international opportunities, you have the opportunity to become a master franchise owner. In comparison to other dessert franchise concepts, Cold Stone Creamery stores’ small footprint gives franchisees much more real estate flexibility.
The brand can typically be seen in locations like shopping centers next to movie theatres and supermarkets, in strip malls next to coffee shops and local restaurants, and in mall food courts next to fast food chains. With initial investment costs well below those of other ice cream or dessert concepts, the franchise is also an affordable option when entering the dessert space. The total initial investment ranges between $53,200 to $476,975. If you are looking to get your piece of the booming ice cream industry with one of the world's most beloved franchises, Cold Stone could be for you.

Company Details

Founded: 1988
First franchise: 1994 
Headquarters: Scottsdale, Arizona
Canada: Yes
International: Yes
Total # of units: 1,250+

Support and Training Offered By Cold Stone Creamery

In terms of support and training, franchise owners can expect attending the Kahala Training and Education Center (KTEC). They will also spend 80 hours in a store to learn everything you need to know to run the business successfully. They also provide ongoing training after the store opens and marketing materials to get customers to your stores. 

2024 Franchise Requirements Needed to Own a Cold Stone Creamery Franchise.

What does a Cold Stone Creamery Franchise Cost?

Cold Stone Creamery franchise fees for 2024:

Cash Requirement: $120,000
Initial Franchise Fee: $27,000
Initial Investment: $310,375 - $476,975
Veterans incentive: Yes
Financing options: Yes
Cash Requirement: $120,000

Is Cold Stone Creamery a Semi Absentee Franchise with a Passive Ownership Opportunity?

No. Cold Stone Creamery is not a semi absentee franchise. The owner of the franchise (the franchisee) is expected to be involved in all aspects of day-to-day operations.

Is Cold Stone Creamery a Home Based franchise?

No. Cold Stone Creamery is not a home based franchise opportunity.

What Do Cold Stone Creamery Franchise Owners Make?

Click here to find out how much Cold Stone Creamery franchisees make. Cold Stone Creamery offers an Item 19 in their Franchise Disclosure Document which provides financial information about select franchisees in their franchise system.

Is Cold Stone Creamery a Master Franchise Opportunity?

Yes. Cold Stone Creamery is a master franchise opportunity. A master franchisee is responsible to recruit, train and support franchisees in their territory.

Does Cold Stone Creamery Offer a Veteran Discount?

Yes. Cold Stone Creamery franchise does offer a veteran discount.

Is Cold Stone Creamery Looking for Franchisees in Canada?

Yes. Cold Stone Creamery franchise is looking for Canada franchisees.

Is Cold Stone Creamery Looking for International franchisees?

Yes. Cold Stone Creamery franchise is looking for International franchisees.

Where can I see Cold Stone Creamery's FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document)?

Buying a Franchise Guide: What is a Franchise Disclosure Document?

When evaluating a franchise opportunity, reading and understanding the current version of their FDD is a necessity. Considering the benefits of franchising, such as established brand recognition and support from the franchisor, it's important to also take into account franchise fees and franchising royalty fees. Since most franchisors are privately owned companies, the current versions of their FDDs are typically not available unless requested directly from them.

Click here to connect with a Franchise Consultant who can help you obtain a copy quickly and for free. They can also guide you through the essential franchise questions to ask, ensuring you make a well-informed decision about your investment.

Additional Information

Additional Categories

Frozen Yogurt / Ice Cream

Number of Units Open

100+ UNITS

Cash Required

$100,000 - $250,000

Master Franchise

Yes

Passive Franchise

No

Home Based Franchise

No

Item 19 Franchise

Yes

Veteran Discount

No

B2B

No

Franchise Opportunities in Canada

Yes

International Franchise Opportunities

Yes

Cold Stone Creamery Franchises for Sale

Click Here to inquire about existing Cold Stone Creamery franchises for sale. We may have Cold Stone Creamery franchise resales. A franchise resale is an already established franchise owned by a franchisee and the franchisee is looking to sell their franchise.

The International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG) is an internationally recognized membership-based franchise organization. IFPG Franchise Consultants guide aspiring business owners through the process of identifying and investing in franchise businesses. The IFPG represents more than 550 franchises. We do not represent all franchises listed here. By clicking on "Request a Consultation," you are agreeing to be contacted by one of our Certified Franchise Consultants to discuss franchise ownership.

About our rankings: The IFPG uses its internal data collected from our membership portal to identify which franchises had the most activity in the past week. This ranking system is not based on franchise sales, franchisee success rates or number of units open. Our ranking system should not be used to make a decision on which franchise to buy it was solely created for internal purposes and for our IFPG Members.