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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Cold Stone Creamery Franchise

Cold Stone Creamery is a super-premium ice cream franchise built around its signature frozen-granite-stone preparation, where staff fold a customer’s chosen mix-ins into freshly made ice cream to create custom Signature Creations. Founded in 1988 and franchising since 1995, the brand has grown into one of the most recognised names in the US frozen-dessert sector, with hundreds of locations across the United States and international markets.

The model is brick-and-mortar retail centred on an interactive in-store experience, where teams are known for cheer, song and customer engagement. Stores operate in both traditional standalone formats and smaller non-traditional or co-branded sites, giving operators flexibility in location type. Cold Stone makes its ice cream fresh in-store, a point of difference it uses to position above volume-led scoop-shop competitors.

The brand is part of Kahala Brands, a multi-concept franchisor now owned by Canada’s MTY Food Group, whose portfolio includes Pinkberry, Blimpie and many other restaurant brands. Membership in a large parent group gives franchisees established supply, marketing and operational support infrastructure.

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Why buy a Cold Stone Creamery Franchise?

Cold Stone Creamery pairs strong household-name recognition with a differentiated product: artisanal ice cream made fresh in-store and customised on the frozen stone. For a buyer, that brand equity and the theatrical customer experience are hard for an independent scoop shop to replicate, and they support repeat visits and gifting occasions like cakes and catering.

The model is designed to be easy to run and easy to scale, with multiple store formats and an active development push behind it. Backing from Kahala Brands and MTY Food Group gives franchisees access to a tested supply chain, marketing systems and field support that a single-unit independent would have to build alone. The dessert category also tends to hold up well as an affordable everyday treat.

Cold Stone Creamery Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1988

    • Franchising Since

      1994

    • New Startup Cost

      $255,700 – $680,775

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $10,000 – $27,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $17,500

    • Royalty Fee

      6%

      of Gross Sales

    • Marketing Fee

      3%

      of weekly Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      1054

    • New Units Opened *

      63

    • Units Transferred *

      79

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $604,392

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Cold Stone Creamery – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Initial training covers 40 hours of classroom instruction at the Kahala Training and Education Center (KTEC) plus 80 hours of on-the-job, in-store training in ice cream preparation, inventory, customer service and day-to-day operations. Franchisees receive ongoing operational guidance, marketing support and a dedicated support team, backed by the wider Kahala Brands and MTY Food Group infrastructure. Resale buyers should confirm what KTEC onboarding and transfer training the franchisor provides to incoming owners and any new staff hires.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The model suits hands-on, customer-focused operators who enjoy a fast-paced retail environment and are comfortable recruiting, training and managing a largely young, hourly team. Strong local marketing, attention to product consistency and a genuine enthusiasm for the in-store experience matter more than prior ice cream knowledge, as no industry experience is required. Owners who like community involvement and want to grow into multiple units fit well, since the brand actively supports multi-unit development.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Cold Stone Creamery ranked #90 on Entrepreneur's 2026 Franchise 500, a sharp climb from #156 in 2025, and also appears on Entrepreneur's 2026 Fastest-Growing Franchises (#45) and Fastest-Growing International (#27) lists, plus its 2025 Top Food (#51) and Top Global (#88) rankings. The brand has climbed the Franchise Times Top 400 and earns consumer "best ice cream" recognition. For resale buyers, brand-level awards should be weighed alongside the specific unit's local reputation and reviews.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US frozen desserts market was valued at roughly $21.7 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow steadily through the early 2030s (Grand View Research), driven by demand for premium and customisable treats, new flavours and indulgent everyday occasions. Ice cream is a broadly resilient, affordable-treat category, though store sales are seasonal and skew to warmer months. For resale buyers, local foot traffic, climate and the strength of the specific territory weigh heavily on a unit's year-round performance.

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