How long is the initial franchise term for a Carvel Express Shoppe?

According to Carvel's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial franchise term for an Express Shoppe is 5 years. This information is detailed in Item 17, which covers renewal, termination, transfer, and dispute resolution. For franchisees considering opening an Express Shoppe, this means the initial commitment is for a relatively short duration compared to the standard 20-year term for other Carvel franchise types.

This shorter term can be seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage. On one hand, it lowers the initial risk for the franchisee, allowing them to evaluate the business's success and their satisfaction with the Carvel system after a shorter period. If the business isn't performing as expected or the franchisee decides it's not a good fit, they have the option to not renew after 5 years. On the other hand, the franchisee will need to consider the costs and efforts involved in setting up the business and building a customer base, knowing that the initial term is only 5 years. They will need to plan carefully to ensure they can recoup their investment and generate sufficient profit within that timeframe.

Carvel also offers an option to renew the franchise agreement for Express Shoppes for one additional five-year term, provided the franchisee meets certain renewal requirements. These requirements include timely requesting a renewal, completing a renewal application, being in substantial compliance with the Franchise Agreement, remodeling or refurbishing the Shoppe, securing the right to operate at the accepted location, signing the Renewal Franchise Agreement, paying the renewal fee, and signing a general release. Prospective franchisees should carefully review these renewal requirements to understand what will be expected of them if they wish to extend their franchise term beyond the initial 5 years.