Despite a trend of consumers making more health-conscious buying decisions, there’s still a growing demand for desserts, with ice cream and frozen desserts leading the way. If you have a sweet tooth and an entrepreneurial spirit you may be interested in indulging in one of this year’s top-rated dessert franchises. From ice cream to shaved ice to smoothies, you’re sure to find a sweet franchise that will satisfy your craving for a new business opportunity!
5 Top-Rated Dessert Franchises
1. Kona Ice
Photo credit: Kona Ice
It’s not an ice cream truck, it’s a Kona Ice truck! Kona Ice serves up shaved ice in style with their colorful, eye-catching trucks. Not only is Kona’s shaved ice a delicious dessert, 97% of franchisees would recommend it to others considering a franchise. With over 1,600 franchise locations across the United States, they have been named one of the fastest growing franchises in the country. Since opening, Kona Ice has donated over $200 million back to their communities.
There are several Kona truck options to choose from when you purchase a Kona Ice franchise:
- Kona Kiosk
- Kona Mini
- Kona Trailer
- KEV 2.0
Cash Required: $20,000. Initial Investment: $102,365 – $189,300.
Get Kona Ice’s full franchise satisfaction report.
Is There a Food Truck Franchise in Your Future?
2. The Haagen Dazs Shoppe
Photo Credit: Haagen-Dazs
The first Haagen-Dazs shop opened in Brooklyn Heights nearly 50 years ago with only three flavors – coffee, vanilla, and chocolate. They have since gained international brand recognition and grown to over 200 franchise locations across North America. Since its inception, Haagen-Dazs Shoppe has expanded their menu with a range of cold treats for everyone from portable three-scoop sundaes to smoothies and frappes.
Haagen Dazs offers three different shop styles:
- Enclosed Malls/Lifestyle Centers
- Street Locations
- Kiosks
Cash Required: $80,000. Initial Investment: $214,518 – $542,768.
Learn more about owning a Haagen Dazs franchise.
Don’t Miss the Top-Rated Food Franchises of the Year
3. Handel’s Ice Cream
Photo credit: Handel’s Ice Cream
Started as a single shop in Youngstown, Ohio by Alice Handel in 1945 using fruit from her own backyard, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream quickly became a neighborhood favorite. Forty years later, the brand was purchased and expanded to nearly 200 locations across 20 states. To this day, each batch is made by hand in-store.
Handel’s offers three different parlor formats:
- Walk-up window
- Walk-in model
- Drive-thru with walk-up window
Cash Required: $250,000. Initial Investment: $53,850 – $1,046,500
Learn more about owning a Handel’s Ice Cream franchise.
4. Culver’s
Photo Credit: Culver’s
Specializing in comfort food and Southern hospitality, Culver’s has been in business for nearly 40 years. Their signature combination of ButterBurgers and Fresh Frozen Custard has been a key to their success. There are currently over 1,000 locations operating across the United States, with more on the way. As franchisees are typically allotted only three miles of territory, there are many possibilities for multi-unit expansions!
Cash Required: $500,000. Initial Investment: $2,254,000 – $7,228,000.
Learn more about owning a Culver’s franchise.
5. Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Photo Credit: Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Not everything sweet has to be bad for you! Tropical Smoothie Cafe offers the best of both worlds with healthy smoothies and snacks that will satisfy your craving and your sweet tooth. They are a fast casual concept serving up smoothies, wraps, bowls, flatbreads, sandwiches, and cookies.
Cash Required: $175,000. Initial Investment: $300,000 – $720,500.
Learn more about owning a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise.
Is a Dessert Franchise Sweet Enough for You?
Before making a decision, it’s important to do your homework and compare opportunities side-by-side, looking at both well-known brands, as well as smaller, lesser-known companies. Every food franchise has its own culture, and as a prospective franchisee you should carefully consider how that culture fits with your own business goals before committing to a brand.
As you learn more about the many sweet franchise opportunities available, you can depend on FBR to be a trusted source of unbiased market research. You can learn more about our survey and research methodology here.
In addition to the top dessert franchises we also rate the top food franchise brands across all categories.
