Sweet Charlie's
Food & Beverage · Fast-Casual Restaurants
- Active units
- 8
- Avg unit volume
- $2.3M
- Royalty
- 5.0%
Franchised, year-end 2023
of weekly Net Sales
About Sweet Charlie's
Sweet Charlie's is a brand that is revolutionizing the way ice cream is produced. Their hand-rolled ice cream and made-to-order desserts are created with a commitment to freshness and quality. Unlike traditional ice cream, Sweet Charlie's does not use preservatives, emulsifiers, or stabilizers in their products. Each cup of ice cream starts with a liquid base of your choice, including their premium ice cream base, fat-free frozen yogurt base, or their dairy-free alternative, making it a vegan-friendly option. The base is poured onto an ice-cold surface along with your chosen ingredients, and everything is mixed and rolled to perfection. The result is a creamy and flavorful cup of ice cream that is customized to your liking. In addition to their ice cream, Sweet Charlie's also offers a variety of complimentary made-to-order desserts, such as Liege Dessert Waffles and Fresh Baked Cookies. Whether you're looking for a sweet treat to enjoy in-store or conveniently delivered to your door, Sweet Charlie's has you covered. Visit their website or one of their locations to indulge in their delicious creations.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$45k
- Brand fund
1.0% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
2.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
1,800 – 2,500 sq ft
- Development Rights Fee
$23k
- Veteran discount
Not offered
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2024 filing).
Growth
- Total locations8
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings1
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate14.3%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR15.5%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio1.0×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)$2.3M
Computed average Gross Sales across 7 franchisee-owned units for the twelve months ending Dec 31, 2023.
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$1.2M
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open9 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate5.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio1.9×
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.