About Pelican's SnoBalls
In 2001 the idea of the 13-year old founder Ansley Johnson became a reality, as she began to share with the town of Garner the great product of a snoball, the product that she fell in love with during her frequent summer visits to her Grandparents home in Chalmette, Louisiana. The 13-year old founder named the business Pelican’s after the state bird of Louisiana. Ansley performed the bulk of the day to day operations, as her parents both had fulltime jobs. However, periodically she would call upon her younger brothers who would eagerly help for the promised wage of .50/hour! The original store is still going strong today, now being owned and operated by one of those younger brothers!
The first year was slow, as there had to be a clear differentiation established between a “Snocone” (the crunchy mess you get at a fair) and a “SnoBall” (soft fluffy shaved ice) that became the staple Ansley prided herself on serving. Through this great product that was perfected, Ansley built the Pelican’s name with every snoball she passed out. Pelican’s quickly became an oasis of relief on a hot day, a place for family outings and reward for good grades.
After a few summers, her dad Adrian came on board full time to allow Ansley to pursue her dream of becoming at veterinarian. Along with the help of her dad and the attention from customers, people began to inquire about opening their very own Pelican’s SnoBalls store. With so many people desiring to share this great experience with their areas and wanting to join the “Pelican’s Family”, they decided to franchise the business and spread into other communities.
Pelican’s is still paving the way into the future
In 2017 with 80-stores, the Johnson’s sold the Pelican’s SnoBalls franchise. The present owners, Gregg Fatool and Randall Wright now carry the company forward into the future that is nearing 20-years in business. Gregg and Randall are both franchisees with 7-stores between them, operating the company from both a franchisee and Co-CEO view that is unique and uncommon in the franchising industry. This allows Pelican’s SnoBalls to continue to operate with the same standards it started with and the business has grown exponentially with almost 200-stores in 14-states. The tradition that Ansley started of the “World’s Best SnoBall” coupled with the “World’s Best Customer Service” is still the face of the company yet today!
Just to look at it, you would never guess it was the nexus of what is arguably the best dessert you will ever taste or that it has become one of the fastest growing dessert franchises in the country. With that in mind, the Johnson Family, Fatool, and Wright often reflect on the humble beginnings of Pelican’s SnoBalls and above all, they understand that the success is a true blessing from God and give Him all the Glory!
Company Founded
2001
Current Leadership
Randall Wright, Co-CEO
Started Franchising
2011 (10 years)
Total Number of Units
181 (as of 2020)
Part-Time / Full-Time
Part Time
How Much Does It Cost To Open A Pelican’s SnoBalls Franchise?
There are several costs associated with opening a Pelican’s SnoBalls 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 Pelican’s SnoBalls franchise. The weekly fee for opening a Pelican’s SnoBalls franchise is Royalty Fee Due On The 15Th Day Of Each Month.
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 (Pelican’s SnoBalls Is Renewable) and does the franchise offer financing support (Pelican’s SnoBalls Pelican’s SnoBalls offers no financial support).
Pelican's SnoBalls Company Details
Here are some additional details about Pelican's SnoBalls.
Initial Investment | $20,000 |
Veteran Incentives | 10% off franchise fee |
Royalty Fee | 8% |
Cash Requirement | $20,000 - $30,000 |
Term of Agreement | 15 years |
Absentee Ownership | No |
Run from Home | No |
Part Time | Yes |
Training and Support Offered By Pelican’s SnoBalls
Pelican’s SnoBalls offers several support options to its franchisees. With 181 (as of 2020) units, Pelican’s SnoBalls aims to provide support to each franchise owner to help them operate a successful franchise location. Pelican’s SnoBalls offers 40 hours on the job training, 8 hours classroom training, and No additional training.
Training and Support Offered
Here are the support options offered by Pelican's SnoBalls.
On-The-Job Training | 40 hours |
Classroom Training | 8 hours |
Additional Training | No |
Ongoing Support |
|
Marketing Support |
|

Is Pelican’s SnoBalls Right For You?
Pelican’s SnoBalls has gone digital! Here are all of the ways you can find Pelican’s SnoBalls online. Oftentimes, you can reach out to current franchisees of Pelican’s SnoBalls online. Current franchisees may be able to offer personalized insights into what it is like owning a Pelican’s SnoBalls franchise and offer tips to running a successful Pelican’s SnoBalls franchise location.
Why Should You Start a Pelican’s SnoBalls Franchise?
Investing in a Food franchise such as Pelican's SnoBalls 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 Pelican's SnoBalls franchise and we'll be in touch soon!