About Cold Stone Creamery
For more than 30 years we’ve served up the finest, freshest ice cream, cakes, smoothies and shakes using only the highest quality ingredients, and of course, our signature process of preparing your custom ice cream creation on a frozen granite stone.
Cold Stone Creamery® is the ultimate ice cream franchise, beloved by millions of customers in America and around the world. Founded in 1988, Cold Stone Creamery has grown to nearly 900 locations in the United States and in multiple markets.
Now, after 32 years in business, Cold Stone Creamery continues to thrive by offering the Ultimate Ice Cream Experience®: a super-premium, artisanal ice cream that is made fresh in our stores, an endless array of mix-in combinations that allows customers to dream up their own Creations™, and exceptional customer service that is full of cheer, song and smiles.
Cold Stone Creamery is rolling out a development initiative with the aim of growing the brand by hundreds of locations in the coming years. We’re actively seeking savvy entrepreneurs with a passion for ice cream and the customer in-store experience to bring the Cold Stone Creamery franchise to new communities at home and abroad.
Company Founded
1988
Current Leadership
Eric Lefebvre, CEO
Started Franchising
1994 (27 years)
Total Number of Units
1,252 (as of 2020)
Part-Time / Full-Time
Full Time
Stock Ticker Symbol
KAHL
How Much Does It Cost To Open A Cold Stone Creamery Franchise?
There are several costs associated with opening a Cold Stone Creamery franchise. There is typically a franchise fee set by the franchisor, which covers the costs of opening a franchise location. Some other commons fees include equipment fees, marketing fees, licensing fees, insurance, and taxes, to name a few.
Some franchises may have a weekly fee that the franchisee pays for operating a Cold Stone Creamery franchise. The weekly fee for opening a Cold Stone Creamery franchise is Royalty Fee Due Weekly.
The full breakdown of these fees can be found in the Financial Disclosure Document (FDD) provided to franchisees by the franchisor. The FDD report will contain additional information such as whether the franchise is renewable (Cold Stone Creamery Is Renewable) and does the franchise offer financing support (Cold Stone Creamery Cold Stone Creamery has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment).
Cold Stone Creamery Company Details
Here are some additional details about Cold Stone Creamery.
Parent Company | MTY Franchising USA Inc. |
Initial Investment | $27,000 |
Net Worth Requirement | $250,000 |
Veteran Incentives | 20% off franchise fee |
Royalty Fee | 6% |
Ad Royalty | 3% |
Cash Requirement | $120,000 |
Term of Agreement | 10 years |
Absentee Ownership | No |
Run from Home | No |
Part Time | No |
Training and Support Offered By Cold Stone Creamery
Cold Stone Creamery offers several support options to its franchisees. With 1,252 (as of 2020) units, Cold Stone Creamery aims to provide support to each franchise owner to help them operate a successful franchise location. Cold Stone Creamery offers 80 hours on the job training, 40 hours classroom training, and No additional training.
Training and Support Offered
Here are the support options offered by Cold Stone Creamery.
On-The-Job Training | 80 hours |
Classroom Training | 40 hours |
Additional Training | No |
Ongoing Support |
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Marketing Support |
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Estimated Revenue | $1M to $10M |

Is Cold Stone Creamery Right For You?
Cold Stone Creamery has gone digital! Here are all of the ways you can find Cold Stone Creamery online. Oftentimes, you can reach out to current franchisees of Cold Stone Creamery online. Current franchisees may be able to offer personalized insights into what it is like owning a Cold Stone Creamery franchise and offer tips to running a successful Cold Stone Creamery franchise location.
Why Should You Start a Cold Stone Creamery Franchise?
Investing in a Food franchise such as Cold Stone Creamery can kickstart your franchise portfolio. Our goal at Why Franchise is to provide you with the resources needed to be a successful franchise owner. Fill out the form below to get more information about Cold Stone Creamery franchise and we'll be in touch soon!