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10 Best Gelato Franchises [Cost, Fees]

Gelato is a popular frozen dessert of Italian origin. It is generally made with a base of 3.25 percent milk and sugar. It is lower in fat than other styles of frozen desserts. Gelato contains 70 percent less air and more flavoring than other kinds of frozen desserts, giving it a density and richness that distinguishes it from other ice creams.

Ice Cream and Gelato Franchises mainly serve ice cream or gelato. It is important to state that corporate-owned establishments and frozen yogurt stores are not part of this industry. The industry has come a long way and it is still evolving with a good number of Italian ice desert makers bringing in creativity in terms of flavors, packaging and mode of selling.

So, if you are interested in this promising industry, you can actually start your own gelato business via franchising. Franchising is not a business, but rather a way of doing business. It is a unique and highly effective method of distribution 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 spend their income and 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 open a gelato business, here are some of the best gelato company franchises you can buy in the United States of America;

10 Best Gelato Franchise Opportunities and Their Cost

1. Morano Gelato Franchise Co. LLC

Morano Gelato Franchise Co. LLC serves gelato, espresso, and granita et al. Morano Gelato Franchise Co. LLC was founded in 2010 and they began franchising in 2016, about 4 years ago. Morano Gelato Franchise Co. LLC has her corporate head office at 10 Benning St., #2-229 West Lebanon, NH 03784 and the company is under the leadership of Morgan Morano who is the current CEO.

Morano Gelato Franchise Co. LLC has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, and payroll et al.

Financial Requirements

  • Initial Investment: $301,194 – $533,709
  • Liquid Cash Requirement: $100,000
  • Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $35,000 – $35,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee: 5 percent

2. Repicci’s Italian Ice & Gelato

Repicci’s Italian Ice & Gelato was founded in 1998 and they began franchising in 2005, about 15 years ago. Repicci’s Italian Ice & Gelato has corporate head office at Birmingham, AL 35238 and under the leadership of Frank Repici who is the current CEO. Repicci’s Italian Ice & Gelato 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: $152,150 – $176,400
  • Net-worth Requirement: $250,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement: $60,000
  • Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $25,000 – $25,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee: $3K/yr.
  • Veteran Incentives: 20 percent off franchise fee

3. Milani Gelateria

Milani Gelateria is gelato company that was founded in 2010 and began franchising in 2014, about 6 years. Milani Gelateria has her corporate head office at 8725 N.W. 18th Terrace, #304 Doral, FL 33172 and under the leadership of Francesco Pasqua who is the current CEO of the company

Milani Gelateria has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, and payroll et al.

Financial Requirements

  • Initial Investment: $176,400 – $242,600
  • Liquid Cash Requirement: $20,000
  • Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $19,900 – $19,900
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee: 6 percent
  • Ad Royalty Fee: Up to 2 percent
  • Veteran Incentives: 10 percent off franchise fee

4. Paciugo Gelato Caffe

Paciugo Gelato Caffe serves gelato, pastries, and beverages and they are also into franchising. Paciugo Gelato Caffe was founded in 2000 and began franchising in 2004, 16 years ago. Paciugo Gelato Caffe has her corporate head office at 1215 Viceroy Dr. Dallas, TX 75247 and under the leadership of Jeff Sinelli who is the current CEO.

Paciugo Gelato Caffe has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, and payroll et al.

Financial Requirements

  • Initial Investment: $124,700 – $489,250
  • Net-worth Requirement: $250,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement: $100,000
  • Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $20,000 – $20,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee: 6 percent
  • Ad Royalty Fee: 2 percent
  • Veteran Incentives: 10 percent off franchise fee

5. Sub Zero Franchise Inc.

Sub Zero Franchise Inc. serves ice cream, Italian ice, gelato, frozen yogurt, and custard et al. 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. was founded in 2004 and they began franchising in 2005, about 15 years ago. Sub Zero Franchise Inc. has her corporate head office at 62 W. Center Provo, UT 84604 and under the leadership of Jerry Hancock who is the CEO and Founder.

Sub Zero Franchise Inc. offers in-house financing to cover only franchise fee and they have relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, and payroll et al.

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

6. Don Peppinu

Don Peppinu prepares gelato with fresh local milk and cream that guarantee a final product of high quality. A so high- quality standard is allowed by a constant work of research, selection and test of new products that never stops. The original Sicilian gelato is a unique product, different from ice-cream. It is produced daily only using fresh milk, genuine ingredients, and absolutely no flavourings and colourings. The company has been producing Gelato since 1960. It also provides franchise opportunities.

7. 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 Ice 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

8. Creams

Creams offers a wide range of sundaes, smoothies, juices, and desserts with unique recipes with indulging flavors. Creams Cafè started back in 2008 and the first UK franchise took 2 years of meticulous research and planning until it was finally set up.

After several trips to Italy, the authentic gelato ice cream was carefully selected to bring you the very best quality of ice cream desserts. This franchise is a unique and independent food brand. As of 2018, the company operates over 50 franchises in UK.

Financial Requirements

  • Total Investment: $349,795(£275,950) – $461,280 (£363,900)
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $18,950 (£14,950) +VAT
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee: 5 percent
  • Ad Royalty Fee: 1 percent

9. Felicita Foods

Felicita Foods offers great tasting Pizza, Pasta and Sandwiches, smoothies, coffees, Gelato ice creams, the healthy frozen yogurts, the warm and tasty waffles and the novelty crepes. It was founded in 2014. The company also provides franchise opportunities. As of 2018, Felicita Foods operates 7 franchises in India.

Financial Requirements

  • Initial investments: $12,000 – $30,000
  • Capital Investment: $8,500
  • Payback Period: 12 Months
  • Expected ROI: 65 – 85 percent
  • Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $4,300

10. Marble Slab Creamery

Founded in 1983, Marble Slab Creamery offers homemade, superpremium ice cream that’s prepared to order on a marble slab, using a variety of mix-ins. In addition to ice cream served in waffle cones, stores also sell gelatos, smoothies, shakes, sundaes, banana splits and ice cream cakes and pies. Some franchisees also offer homemade baked goods such as cookies, brownies and apple pie, as well as gourmet coffees.

Marble Slab Creamery began franchising since 1984, about 36 years ago and they have their corporate head office at 5555 Glenridge Connector, #850 Atlanta, GA 30342 under the leadership of Paul Damico who is the current CEO of the company.

Financial Requirements

  • Initial Investment: $316,285 – $409,935
  • Net-worth Requirement: $250,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement: $100,000
  • Ongoing Initial Franchise Fee: $15,000 – $25,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee: 6 percent
  • Ad Royalty Fee: 2 percent
  • Veteran Incentives: 25 percent off first-store franchise fee