Joel Libava
It’s the angle of the sun.
That’s why the nation’s frozen yogurt franchises are busy now.
It’s not rocket science.
It’s the temperature.
It’s summer!
Frozen Yogurt Franchises In The 80’s
In the 1980’s, frozen yogurt appeared on the scene-in a big way. I remember my dad talking about TCBY a lot. He consulted with the local TCBY multi-unit franchise owner. TCBY was the dominant player in the 80’s, and at one time, 1,582 franchises were up and running across the US. Times were pretty good. Mickey Rooney was their pitchman; TCYB headquarters were getting close to 500 franchise inquiries a week. Until they weren’t.
The bottom fell out. Big competitors like Baskin Robbins turned up the heat, and TCBY kind of disappeared as consumers moved to the next new things like soft-serve ice cream and 31 flavors from Baskin Robbins.
Frozen Yogurt Franchise Repeat?
While most of today’s frozen yogurt franchises are busy…franchisees are selling a lot of yogurt and some franchisors are selling a lot of franchises, things may change. Correction: things will change. Frozen yogurt franchises are busy today, but there’s bound to be something else frozen, like milkshake bars, coming our way. There may even be new techniques invented to freeze some of your favorite desserts-opening the doors to yet another new type of food franchise.
It’s Competitive
One sector of franchising that’s always competitive is food. There are thousands of burger, pizza, and frozen yogurt franchises dotting our landscape. But, let’s stick to the frozen dessert area of franchising.
A Royal Suggestion
There’s one thing you must do to lower your risk if you’re going to become a franchise owner in the frozen yogurt space. You need to make sure that the franchise you choose offers something really unique. And, in the case of a $150,000 frozen yogurt franchise business, unique must to go beyond “all natural 100% organic ingredients” and “75+ different toppings.“ The franchises that will last the longest in this sector are the ones that are the most innovative and forward-thinking.
Research
If you decide to pursue a frozen yogurt franchise, be prepared to be overwhelmed. You’re not going to believe how many different frozen yogurt franchise concepts are currently being offered. But, don’t worry; I have a way for you to make a short list. Here’s what to do:
- Request information from 3 or 4 frozen yogurt franchises that look like good opportunities
- Schedule an introductory phone call with their franchise representatives
- Ask some or all of these questions
Got it?
Then, have a discussion with them… like this:
“I’m really worried that there are too many different frozen yogurt franchises to choose from. I need to make sure that I choose the right one. What makes your franchise different, and what types of things do you have in the pipeline to make sure that your franchisees will have a competitive advantage now and well into the future?”
Frozen yogurt franchises are busy, for sure. But, only the strong ones are going to survive.
