Frozen custard is a cold dessert similar to ice cream, but made with eggs in addition to cream and sugar. It is usually kept at a warmer temperature compared to ice cream, and typically has a denser consistency. Frozen custard can be consumed by almost everybody, and anyone who chooses to establish a frozen custard cum ice cream business in any part of the world especially in tropical regions or countries in the equator, is sure going to get good returns on his or her investment as long as they set the up the business the right way.
If you are interested in this thriving industry, you can actually start your own frozen custard business via franchising. Franchising is not a business, but a way of doing business. It is a unique and highly effective method of distributing all kinds of products, goods, and services.
It is also an industry that generates direct and indirect economic impact, over $2.3 trillion in annual sales. Franchised businesses demand products and services from other businesses and provide income to their workers and owners, who then create still more income for other parties.
Franchising has become one of the most popular ways to grow a business in the United States. Having said that, if you choose to buy a frozen custard business franchise, here are some of the best franchises you can buy in the United States of America;
9 Best Frozen Custard Franchise Opportunities and Their Cost
-
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is an American fast-casual restaurant chain based in Wichita, Kansas (260 N. Rock Rd., #200 Wichita, KS 67206, USA). Freddy’s, LLC was founded in 2002 and is based in Wichita, Kansas. Freddy’s opened its 300th location in Indianapolis, Indiana in March 2018.
Its menu includes steakburgers, Vienna Beef hot dogs, and chicken sandwiches, and the company provides frozen custard with a variety of specialty sundaes and concretes (blended sundaes).
Financial Requirements
- Initial investments: $577,968 – $1,986,361
- Net-worth Requirement: $850,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $250,000
- Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $25,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 4.5 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: 0.375 percent
-
Rita’s Italian Ice
Rita’s Italian Ice offers frozen custard, gelato, milkshakes, frozen drinks, sundaes and other frozen treats in addition to its ices. The business that first started on a front porch in Philadelphia in 1984, is now one of today’s freshest and fastest growing franchise concepts with opportunities across the country and around the world.
The company provides 50 percent franchise fee discount for honorably discharged veterans. Rita’s Italian has her corporate head office at 1210 Northbrook Dr., #310 Trevose, PA 19053, USA and as of 2018, the brand expanded to over 600 locations throughout the worldwide.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $172,225 – $430,900
- Net-worth Requirement: $300,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $100,000
- Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $30,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 6.5 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: 3 percent
-
Sub Zero Franchise Inc.
Sub Zero Franchise Inc. serves ice cream, Italian ice, frozen yogurt, and custard. Jerry Hancock used his background in chemistry to develop a method of flash-freezing ice cream using liquid nitrogen. He and wife Naomi opened the first Sub Zero Ice Cream in Orem, Utah, in 2004, using this technology to offer customers the chance to customize their ice cream by choosing their milk base, flavors, mix-ins and texture.
Sub Zero also offers a liquid nitrogen science education program that can be brought to schools. Sub Zero Franchise Inc. began franchising since 2005, about 15 years ago and they have their corporate head office at 62 W. Center Provo, UT 84604 under the leadership of Jerry Hancock who is the CEO and Founder of the company
Sub Zero Franchise Inc. offers in-house financing to cover only franchise fee but Sub Zero Franchise Inc. has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, and payroll.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $227,450 – $484,000
- Net-worth Requirement: $300,000 – $1,000,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $75,000 – $1,000,000
- Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $35,000 – $35,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 6 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: 2 percent
- Veteran Incentives: 25 percent off franchise fee
-
Abbott’s Frozen Custard
Abbott’s Frozen Custard is one of the leading frozen custard companies in the United States that is into franchising. Abbott’s Frozen Custard was founded in 1902 and they have been franchising since 1977, about 43 years ago. Abbott’s Frozen Custard has her corporate head office at 4791 Lake Ave. Rochester, NY 14612 and under the leadership of Rob Amico who is the current CEO of the company.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $288,896 – $406,160
- Net-worth Requirement: $350,000 – $500,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $150,000 – $500,000
- Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $35,000 – $35,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 5.5 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: $0.19/gallon
- Veteran Incentives: 10 percent off franchise fee
-
Andy’s Frozen Custard
Andy’s Frozen Custard is one of the leading frozen custard companies that was founded in 1986 and began franchising since 2003 and that is about 17 years ago. Andy’s Frozen Custard has her corporate head office at 338 N. Boonville Ave. Springfield, MO 65806 and under the leadership of Andy Kuntz who is the current CEO of the company.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $528,500 – $1,387,500
- Net-worth Requirement: $2,000,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $500,000
- Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $32,000 – $32,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 6 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: 1 percent
-
Ritter’s Frozen Custard
Ritter’s Frozen Custard serves frozen custard and burgers. Ritter’s Frozen Custard was founded in 1990 and they have been franchising since 1994, about 26 years ago. Ritter’s Frozen Custard has her corporate head office at 666 Fifth Ave., 27th Fl. New York, NY 10103 and under the leadership of Gary Occhiogrosso who is the current CEO of the company.
Ritter’s Frozen Custard has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: startup costs, and equipment.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $365,000 – $1,107,900
- Net-worth Requirement: $750,000 – $1,100,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $150,000 – $1,500,000
- Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $25,000 – $25,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 5 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: 2 percent
- Veteran Incentives: 50 percent off franchise fee
-
Kohr Bros. Frozen Custard
Kohr Bros. Frozen Custard serves frozen custard & related products in all their outlets. Their first weekend on the Coney Island boardwalk in 1919, Morgan, Clair and Archie Kohr sold 18,460 ice-cream-like cones for a nickel each, collecting $923 in their cigar box.
With their special secret recipe made from premium-quality Kosher ingredients, Kohr Bros. franchisees offer the “sinfully delicious taste of premium ice cream with the calories of frozen yogurt” in flavor combinations like Vanilla/Orange Sherbet, Strawberry/Banana, Peanut Butter/Chocolate and Lemon/Blueberry.
The company currently operates seashore resort stores in three states, with franchise venues ranging from resorts to malls and entertainment centers as well as kiosks at amusement parks, zoos, sporting events and transportation centers.
Kohr Bros. Frozen Custard have been franchising Since 1994, about 26 years ago. Kohr Bros. Frozen Custard has her corporate head office at 2115 Berkmar Dr. Charlottesville, VA 22901 under the leadership of Archie Kohr who is the founder of the company. The company has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, and payroll.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $145,900 – $277,500
- Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $27,500 – $27,500
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 5 percent
-
Stricklands Frozen Custard
Stricklands Frozen Custard is known to serve frozen custard, ice cream, yogurt, and sorbet in all of their outlets. Stricklands Frozen Custard was founded in 1936 and they have been franchising since 2002, about 18 years ago. Stricklands Frozen Custard has her corporate head office in Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 and under the leadership of Scott Margroff who is the current CEO of the company.
The company has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, and inventory.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $188,500 – $315,000
- Net-worth Requirement: $150,000 – $300,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $50,000 – $75,000
- Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $25,000 – $25,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 6 percent
- Veteran Incentives: 10 percent off franchise fee
-
Culver’s
After working with his parents in their restaurants, Craig Culver decided it was time to open one for himself. In 1984 Culver, with the help of his wife Lea and parents George and Ruth, transformed the A&W his parents owned since the sixties into Culver’s Frozen Custard. Its founder’s family inspired the menu for the initial Sauk City, Wisconsin, restaurant.
When Culver’s mother made hamburgers, she would put a dab of butter on the crown of the hamburger buns before toasting them; something her children felt made them taste better. Today, employees at each Culver’s location use the same technique when making their ButterBurgers.
Culver’s has been franchising since 1988, about 32 years ago. Culver’s has her corporate head office at 1240 Water St. Prairie du Sac, WI 53578 and under the leadership of Joseph Koss who is the President & CEO of the company. Culver’s has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, and payroll.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $2,349,000 – $5,356,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $350,000 – $600,000
- Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $55,000 – $55,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 4 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: 2.5 percent
- Veteran Incentives: $10,000 off franchise fee