Our frozen yogurt franchise has what it takes to win the froyo wars

As the largest self-serve frozen yogurt franchise in the world, Menchie’s frozen yogurt franchise continues to stand out from the competition. The proof is in our strong growth in a crowded industry.

In May 2014, we opened our 400th Menchie’s frozen yogurt franchise, less than a year after we opened our 300th franchise location. We plan to open another 120 locations before the end of the year, and our momentum isn’t slowing.

IBISWorld reports that frozen yogurt revenues surpassed $1.6 billion in 2011 and have remained robust, with projected growth as the economy improves, the unemployment rate declines and consumers continue to spend more on eating out. The frozen yogurt industry has grown 74% from 2011 to 2013, and sales are projected to grow an average of 2.4% per year through 2016.

That growth has attracted a lot of competition, and as the market for frozen yogurt matures, Menchie’s has emerged as a big winner. Most business analysts expect the industry to consolidate.

In November 2013, business intelligence firm IBISWorld said, “Demand from the frozen yogurt stores industry will likely remain stable over the next five years, as increasingly health-conscious consumers and new markets drive growth. After a period of rapid growth, the number of establishments will slow down, with firms consolidating or exiting the industry even as new firms enter the market.”

Menchie’s has been growing consistently since we opened our first franchised location in Southern California in 2008, and we continue to develop the superior practices that boost unit-level economics — the ultimate arbiter in who will win the so-called froyo wars. For now, Menchie’s is growing rapidly and maintaining our position as the largest self-serve frozen yogurt franchise in the world. Here’s what industry experts think about our performance:

— In March 2014, Menchie’s frozen yogurt franchise was awarded the No. 1 spot on Franchise Times’ prestigious Fast & Serious listing, which ranks franchise systems based on growth and staying power.
— Menchie’s ranks 116th on the 2014 Franchise 500 list, published in Entrepreneur magazine. Our frozen yogurt franchise debuted on the list in 2012 at 253.
— In 2013, Menchie’s was ranked 37th on the list of the top 50 chains, putting us 10 points ahead of the only other frozen yogurt chain on the list. It was the first appearance for us on the Movers & Shakers list.

At Menchie’s, we continue to distance ourselves from the competition. Why does this matter? Because in any business, the lion’s share of revenues and profits go to the category leader. The reasons for our dominance are clear. At Menchie’s, we’re not really in the frozen yogurt business — we’re in the business of selling smiles. We want our guests to walk out of our stores happier than when they came in. As CEO Amit Kleinberger likes to say, “We consider ourselves the ambassadors of frozen yogurt, spreading smiles around the world.”

It starts with our inviting interiors: the plum-and-green color scheme, the curved wall of bubble tile around our self-serve frozen yogurt machines and our interactive chalkboards. Then add our policy of unlimited samples and warm, friendly service, and the smiles appear.

In addition, our distinctive products make us stand out. We source all the milk for our frozen desserts from a family-owned California dairy, where the cows are never injected with artificial growth hormones. Our proprietary Private Label Collection of frozen yogurt includes flavors such as Chocolate Glazed Toffee Bar made with HEATH, Red Velvet Royale and Summertime Watermelon Sorbet can only be found at Menchie’s frozen yogurt franchise, which brings guests to our doors. Having our yogurt line also gives us the ability to pass along savings directly to our franchisees.

On his Franchise Focus blog, franchise consultant and attorney Mike Sheehan noted, “As a franchise broker, I deal with franchisors very frequently, and I have been more consistently and favorably impressed with Menchie’s development staff’s responsiveness and professionalism than with any other brand.”

Learn more about Menchie’s

With more than 400 franchises around the world, we are continuing to expand. If you love making people smile and have a passion for entrepreneurship, you may be right for us. Our candidates need a minimum net worth of $350,000 and liquid assets of at least $120,000.

For more information about starting a Menchie’s frozen yogurt franchise, please visit our website at www.menchiesfranchise.com. You can also read the latest news, including reviews from our store owners, on our blog. To start a conversation, fill out this form to request more information about owning your own franchise, or give us a call at 818-708-0316. We look forward to hearing from you!