What is the non-refundable initial franchise fee for a Buff City Soap franchise?
Buff_City_Soap Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
INITIAL FEES
Initial Franchise Fee
When you sign a Franchise Agreement for a Franchised Business, you must pay a non-refundable initial franchise fee of $50,000 to us. As noted below, you must also pay us 50% of the initial franchise fee for the second and each subsequent BCS Makery you commit to develop under the Development Agreement. The Initial Franchise Fee is considered fully earned and non-refundable when paid.
During the fiscal year ended December 29, 2024, we collected Initial Fees ranging between $0.00 and $15,000.
Opening Inventory; Opening Supplies; Smallwares
You must pay our affiliate, BCS Supply, between $20,000 and $120,000 for opening inventory, between $9,000 and $15,000 for opening supplies, and between $1,800 and $3,500 for smallwares for the Franchised Business before you open each BCS Makery. This amount depends on the scale of the opening inventory and is non-refundable once the order is placed.
Development Fee
As an example, we use the development of a minimum of 2 Makeries to show the fees due to us. When you sign a Development Agreement, you must pay us a non-refundable development fee equal to 100% of the initial franchise fee for the first BCS Makery to be developed ($50,000) and 50% of the initial franchise fee for each additional BCS Makery ($25,000 if developing 2 Makeries) to be developed under the Development Agreement. The total Development Fee due for the minimum of 2 Makeries is $75,000.
Source: Item 5 — INITIAL FEES (FDD pages 15–23)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Buff City Soap's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial franchise fee is $50,000. This fee is non-refundable and must be paid when signing the Franchise Agreement for a Franchised Business. The FDD states that this fee is considered fully earned and non-refundable once paid to Buff City Soap.
For franchisees who sign a Development Agreement to open multiple Buff City Soap locations, the initial franchise fee structure is slightly different. The development fee is 100% of the initial franchise fee ($50,000) for the first location and 50% of the initial franchise fee ($25,000) for each additional location. For example, the total development fee for two locations is $75,000. When signing the Franchise Agreement for the first location, a portion of the development fee is credited to satisfy the initial franchise fee. The franchisee will then pay the balance due for each additional location.
It is important to note that during the fiscal year ended December 29, 2024, Buff City Soap collected initial fees ranging between $0.00 and $15,000. This may be due to special promotions or other factors. Prospective franchisees should inquire about the current initial franchise fee and any potential discounts or incentives that may be available.
In addition to the initial franchise fee, new Buff City Soap franchisees must also pay BCS Supply, an affiliate of Buff City Soap, for opening inventory, opening supplies, and smallwares. These costs range from $20,000 to $120,000 for opening inventory, $9,000 to $15,000 for opening supplies, and $1,800 to $3,500 for smallwares. These amounts are non-refundable once the order is placed.