What are the differences in estimated initial investment between the Aerus Standard Program and the Associate Program (Item 7)?
Aerus Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ASSOCIATE PROGRAMS)**
| Type of Expenditure | Estimated Cost – Standard Program | Estimated Cost – Associate Program | Method of Payment | When Due | To Whom Payment is to be made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise(1) Fee | $3,000 | $1,000 | Lump Sum | At Signing of Franchise Agreement | Us |
| Beyond Addendum(2) | $0 to $100 | $0 to $100 | Lump Sum | As Arranged | Us |
| Fee | |||||
| Leasehold | $0 to $15,000 | $0 to $5,000 | As Arranged | As Arranged | Other Suppliers; |
| Improvements(3) | Contractors | ||||
| Furniture Fixtures | $2,500 to | $2,000 to | As Arranged | As Arranged | Us, our affiliate or |
| and Equipment(4) | $15,000 | $5,000 | Other Suppliers | ||
| Vehicle(5) | $0 to $8,440 | $0 to $8,440 | As Arranged | As Arranged | Suppliers |
| Initial Inventory (supplies, consigned products, spare parts, etc.)(6) | $15,000 to $90,000 | $5,000 to $20,000 | Lump Sum and As Arranged | Upon Placement of Order and As Arranged | Us, our affiliate, or Other Suppliers |
| Pre-Opening Training | $1,000 to | $1,000 to | As Arranged | As Arranged | Airline, Hotel, |
| Expenses(7) | $7,000 | $7,000 | Restaurants, etc. | ||
| Supplies (stationary, | $100 to $600 | $100 to $600 | As Arranged | As Arranged | Suppliers |
| business cards, etc.) | |||||
| (for 3 months) | |||||
| Permits & Licenses | $50 to $200 | $50 to $200 | Lump Sum | As Arranged | Licensing Authorities |
| Insurance deposits and Premiums (for first year)(8) | $1,500 to $2,000 | $1,500 to $2,000 | Lump Sum | As Arranged | Insurers |
| Architect Fees | $0 to $5,000 | $0 to $2,000 | As Arranged | As Arranged | Architect |
| Other Professional | $500 to $1,000 | $500 to $1,000 | As Arranged | As Arranged | Attorneys, |
| Fees | Accountants, etc. | ||||
| Site Lease (for | $500 to $10,000 | $500 to $3,000 | Lump Sum | Monthly | Landlord |
| 3 months)(9) | |||||
| Utility Deposits | $350 to $450 | $350 to $450 | Lump Sum | As Arranged | Utility Companies |
| Advertising and | $0 to $5,000 | $0 to $2,500 | As Arranged | As Arranged | Suppliers, Media, |
| Promotion | etc. | ||||
| Type of Expenditure | Estimated Cost – Standard Program | Estimated Cost – Associate Program | Method of Payment | When Due | To Whom Payment is to be made |
| ------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ---------------------- | ------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Signage | $1,000 to $5,000 | $1,000 to $2,500 | As Incurred | As Incurred | Signage Suppliers |
| Additional Funds | $5,000 to | $3,000 to | As Incurred | As Incurred | Employees, |
| (3 months)(10) | $50,000 | $10,000 | Suppliers | ||
| Goodwill(11) | $0 to $200,000 | $0 to $25,000 | Lump Sum | At Close | Us and Our affiliates |
| TOTALS |
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Aerus's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the estimated initial investment for the Standard Program ranges from $30,500 to $417,790, while the Associate Program ranges from $16,000 to $95,790. This difference is due to variations in several expenditure categories. The initial franchise fee for the Standard Program is $3,000, compared to $1,000 for the Associate Program. Leasehold improvements for the Standard Program can range from $0 to $15,000, while for the Associate Program, the range is $0 to $5,000. Furniture, fixtures, and equipment costs for the Standard Program are estimated between $2,500 and $15,000, whereas the Associate Program estimates these costs between $2,000 and $5,000.
Inventory costs also differ significantly, with the Standard Program requiring an initial inventory investment between $15,000 and $90,000, while the Associate Program's range is $5,000 to $20,000. Architect fees for the Standard Program can range from $0 to $5,000, compared to $0 to $2,000 for the Associate Program. Site lease costs for three months are estimated between $500 and $10,000 for the Standard Program and $500 to $3,000 for the Associate Program. Advertising and promotion costs range from $0 to $5,000 for the Standard Program and $0 to $2,500 for the Associate Program. Signage costs for the Standard Program are estimated between $1,000 and $5,000, while the Associate Program's range is $1,000 to $2,500.
Goodwill, which applies when purchasing an existing Aerus business, can range from $0 to $200,000 under the Standard Program and $0 to $25,000 under the Associate Program. Additional funds needed for three months of operation range from $5,000 to $50,000 for the Standard Program and $3,000 to $10,000 for the Associate Program. Some costs, such as the Beyond Addendum fee ($0 to $100), vehicle costs ($0 to $8,440), pre-opening training expenses ($1,000 to $7,000), supplies ($100 to $600), permits and licenses ($50 to $200), insurance deposits and premiums ($1,500 to $2,000), and other professional fees ($500 to $1,000), are the same for both programs. These figures provide a detailed comparison of the financial commitments required for each Aerus franchise program, helping prospective franchisees understand the scale of investment needed for each option.