Start a Popbar Franchise in 2024

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $217K - $458K

Units as of 2021: 23 28% over 3 years

Popbar believes it is renowned for its handcrafted gelatos on sticks made with pure natural ingredients. What may be a one-of-a-kind franchise, Popbar has grown into a fairly well-known franchise after making its first impression on customers in New York in 2010.

The co-founder, Reuben BenJehuda, made it a rule that the brand prepared all gelato using only real fruits and a few ingredients in an effort to cater to all demographics. They wish to re-invent scoop-free and delicious gelato, sorbet, and flavors ranging from chocolate and vanilla to unique tastes-green tea and passion fruit. It is all served in an effort to create a nostalgic sensation familiar to all customers.

Popbar began franchising in 2010, soon after its founding. Since beginning to franchise, it has over one dozen locations in the United States and a few internationally.

Why You May Want to Start a Popbar Franchise

Owning a Popbar store may allow a franchisee to grow and expand the brand in their location. The company holds fast to its ethical standards and would love to work with an individual who loves to venture into new opportunities with good managerial skills. Having a background in a food-related field is not mandatory. However, a franchisee with passion for the brand and its products may be fit for the franchise.

What Might Make a Popbar Franchise a Good Choice

Popbar is not just about satisfying a sweet tooth. It strives to provide a truly loving experience to rich dessert lovers in various locations. Having pride in their love-at-first-bite and easy-to-eat gelato, Popbar also creates healthy but indulgent treats with vegan and gluten-free options customized for memorable experiences.

As a franchisee, you should run the daily Popbar franchise operations efficiently and hire qualified workers. Absentee or part-time ownership is also allowed.

To be part of the Popbar team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

How To Open a Popbar Franchise

Before opening a shop, Popbar offers its franchisees various support to ensure smooth transitioning to their location. Support offered will include real estate, on-the-job and classroom training, and marketing materials.

As you decide if opening a Popbar franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a Popbar franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

It is also advisable that before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Popbar franchising team questions.

Company Overview

About Popbar

Industry	Food
Related Categories	Miscellaneous Frozen Desserts, Ices, Ice Cream
Founded	2010
Parent Company	Popbar
Leadership	Reuben BenJehuda, Founder
Corporate Address	15 W. 38th St. New York, NY 10018
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2010 (14 years)
# of employees at HQ	5
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide.
# of Units	23 (as of 2021)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Popbar franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$35,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$217,000 - $458,400
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$300,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$80,000
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	2%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	Popbar has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: startup costs, equipment, inventory

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	16 hours
Classroom Training	6.5 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection
Marketing Support	Ad Templates Social Media Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	Yes
# of employees required to run	5-10
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes