What was the median annual Direct Labor for Cream franchises overall?

According to Cream's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the median annual Direct Labor for all Item 19 Shops was $246,443. This figure is based on data from corporate-owned Jeni's Ice Creams Scoop Shops operating for the entirety of the 2024 calendar year. The FDD specifies that 53% of these shops had equal or lower direct labor costs than the average.

Direct Labor is defined as the cost of wages and other compensation paid to shop employees, including payroll taxes and employee benefits, but excluding payroll administration costs. It also includes the cost of one shopkeeper per location. However, it does not include compensation for any corporate employees of Cream or its parent company, such as accounting and marketing personnel.

For a prospective Cream franchisee, this means that, based on the performance of corporate-owned stores, they might expect to spend around $246,443 annually on direct labor. However, this number can vary significantly depending on factors such as location, staffing levels, and employee wages. It is important to note that these figures are based on corporate-owned shops, and the FDD explicitly states that there were no franchised outlets operating as of the end of the most recent fiscal year, so no data from franchised outlets is available. Therefore, a franchisee's actual labor costs could differ.

It is important for potential franchisees to carefully consider these figures and conduct their own due diligence to estimate their potential labor costs accurately. They should also inquire about the factors that can influence labor costs and how Cream can support them in managing these expenses.