Cold Stone Creamery

About Cold Stone Creamery

Cold Stone Creamery is an American ice cream parlour chain established in Arizona in 1988 by Donald and Susan Sutherland. Its first domestic franchise opened in 1995, followed by its first European franchise in 2008. The brand is part of Kahala Brands and reports more than 1,500 locations across approximately 28 countries. Cold Stone Creamery entered the UK in December 2022, with two reported shops on Charing Cross Road in London and plans for further franchised locations. Its ice cream parlour model is supported by training, operations guidance, marketing expertise and supply chain assistance. Franchisees can explore traditional and non-traditional formats, with differing investment and franchise fee ranges. Prior restaurant experience is not required, and the international training programme includes three to four weeks of education at the company’s Scottsdale, Arizona headquarters.

Why franchise with Cold Stone Creamery

• ✓Join an established US ice cream brand with more than 1,500 reported locations worldwide.
• ✓Choose between traditional and non-traditional store formats to suit different trading settings.
• ✓Receive three to four weeks of training at the brand’s Scottsdale headquarters in Arizona.
• ✓Access ongoing coaching and support covering operations, marketing, logistics and supply chains.
• ✓Enter the sector without previous restaurant experience, backed by structured franchise education.
• ✓Explore third-party financing relationships for eligible franchise fees, equipment and start-up costs.

Investment breakdown

Minimum investment	$120,700
Maximum investment	$507,275
Management service fee	6% of gross sales
Marketing contribution	3% of gross sales
Agreement term	On request

What's expected of a franchisee

Property requirements

Cold Stone Creamery offers traditional and non-traditional ice cream parlour formats, with different investment requirements. The franchisor has identified potential sites internationally and may consider additional locations in markets where shops already operate. The supplied profile does not specify minimum floor areas, frontage, utilities, seating or extraction requirements. Quoted investment ranges exclude property acquisition, building construction and most rent costs.

Training and support

Cold Stone Creamery provides an international training programme that includes three to four weeks of education at its headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona. Previous restaurant experience is not required. Franchisees also receive ongoing coaching and assistance from teams specialising in operations, marketing, training, logistics and supply chains. The supplied information does not specify additional UK-based training duration, staffing requirements or the frequency of follow-up visits.

Operational requirements

Cold Stone Creamery franchisees operate branded ice cream parlours and are responsible for customer service, staff supervision, product quality, stock control, hygiene and financial performance. Traditional and non-traditional formats are available, subject to location and approval. The stated ongoing charges are a 6% royalty and 3% advertising contribution, both calculated on gross sales. Opening hours, staffing levels and UK-specific operating conditions are not provided.

Experience required

Cold Stone Creamery does not require previous restaurant industry experience and provides initial education and ongoing coaching. Applicants should be prepared to manage staff, maintain service standards and oversee daily financial and operational performance. The supplied eligibility criteria state a minimum net worth of $250,000 and minimum liquid capital of $125,000. Applicants should confirm whether these US-dollar thresholds also apply to the UK franchise programme.

Territory availability