Smoothie King is an American privately held company that’s been in the market since 1973. It’s one of the most popular franchises in the US, and it’s one of the few juice companies that allow investors to operate using the original brand name.
However, to start or lead a Smoothie King franchise, there are a few requirements you must meet first—set by the company itself.
Of course, investing isn’t for everyone, and the starting cost may seem daunting for a lot of people. However, Smoothie King stores reportedly make a decent income, so the brand is highly coveted by investors.
Here’s everything you need to know about Smoothie King franchise cost and requirements:
Minimum Requirements to Own a Smoothie King Franchise
According to Smoothie King, you have to have a minimum net worth of $350,000 to become one of their investors. If it’s any less than that, you won’t be able to buy the name and operate a store of your own.
But that’s not all. To become a Smoothie King investor, you also have to have liquidity of at least $150,000 and a minimum credit score of 700.
Like we said earlier, investing in Smoothie King isn’t for everyone!
The reason for the seemingly challenging cost requirements is that the brand is doing more than well when it comes to income and profit. Plus, having been in the market for 50 years now, the brand has to maintain a certain level of standards, so only a selected variety of investors can achieve that.
Smoothie King Franchise Cost in a Nutshell
Now that we covered the minimum requirements you have to fulfill to buy a Smoothie King franchise, let’s see how much the process will cost you.
For starters, you’ll need to pay a $30,000 fee to open a franchise store. On top of that, Smoothie King offers endcap or inline locations within an investment range of $311,601—$638,465. If you want to open a drive-thru store instead, the investment range will go up to $762,400—$1,379,150.
The investment amount you pay covers plenty of expenses, including tech systems of your store, start-up supplies, furniture and equipment, graphics, insurance, grand opening marketing, and three-month rent. It also covers any additional funds you have to pay in your first three months of business.
When you put everything in perspective and consider the expected income, the investment amount doesn’t seem so high after all.
You may be wondering where your own investment will fall within that range, but it depends on plenty of variable factors, including the size of your store of choice, its location, the number of employees, and build-out expenses.
If you have enough experience managing similar stores, you can manage to reduce your costs to the lower end of the investment spectrum.
Why Invest in a Smoothie King Franchise
If the franchise cost is giving you second thoughts, you may need a reminder of why you’re investing in Smoothie King in the first place.
For starters, Smoothie King offers plenty of help to franchise investors. The company provides many resources and advantages, especially for those new to the industry. Plus, there’s world-class training available to all investors—it includes the all-in of opening and managing a smoothie shop
Other than that, Smoothie King offers continuous support to its investors and makes sure its product development strategies are available to all.
Wrapping Up
The cost of opening a Smoothie King franchise varies depending on a lot of factors, including store size, location, and labor.
However, there are some minimum requirements that any Smoothie King investor must meet, including a credit score of 700+, a net worth of $350,000+, and liquidity of $150,000+.
Other than that, investors need to pay investment fees that fall within a wide range of $300,000—$1,000,000, and it varies according to the store type and location.