Save - A - Lot vs Savealot Food Stores Licens
Save - A - Lot vs Savealot Food Stores Licens: Save - A - Lot costs $140K to $775K to open; Savealot Food Stores Licens costs $165K to $2.1M. Save - A - Lot has 37 units, Savealot Food Stores Licens has 20. SBA loan history: Save - A - Lot = 41 loans (7.3% default); Savealot Food Stores Licens = 24 loans (0.0% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
Save - A - Lot vs Savealot Food Stores Licens: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
Save - A - Lot requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($140K vs $165K for Savealot Food Stores Licens), a 15% spread.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Save - A - Lot operates 37 units to Savealot Food Stores Licens's 20. Savealot Food Stores Licens has been operating 49 years (founded 1977) versus 49 for Save - A - Lot (founded 1977), a 0-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Save - A - Lot has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 41 7(a) approvals compared with 24 for Savealot Food Stores Licens. Save - A - Lot's peak SBA year was 2012 (5 loans); Savealot Food Stores Licens's peak was 2021 (11 loans). Savealot Food Stores Licens's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Both systems have the most SBA funded units in MI. Borrowers in that state will find the deepest lender familiarity with either brand. Average SBA loan size on funded Save - A - Lot deals is $439K vs $1.0M for Savealot Food Stores Licens, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 7.3% for Save - A - Lot and 0.0% for Savealot Food Stores Licens, Savealot Food Stores Licens has the cleaner SBA loss record by 7.3 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 40 (Fair) for Save - A - Lot and 53 (Moderate) for Savealot Food Stores Licens, giving Savealot Food Stores Licens the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 40/100 | 53/100 |
Health Tier | Fair | Moderate |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 41 | 24 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 7.3% | 0.0% |
Peer Tier | established | growing |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $140K to $775K | $165K to $2.1M |
Franchise Fee | N/A | N/A |
Royalty Rate | N/A | N/A |
Ad Fund | N/A | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 37 | 20 |
Franchised Units | 37 | 20 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1977 | 1977 |
Franchising Since | N/A | N/A |
Years Franchising | N/A | N/A |
Headquarters | Benzonia, MI | STANTON, MI |
Category | Supermarkets | Supermarkets |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | N/A |
Which Is Better, Save - A - Lot or Savealot Food Stores Licens?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Save - A - Lot: $140K starting · Savealot Food Stores Licens: $165K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Save - A - Lot
Save - A - Lot: 41 SBA loans · Savealot Food Stores Licens: 24 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Savealot Food Stores Licens
Save - A - Lot: 7.3% · Savealot Food Stores Licens: 0.0%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Save - A - Lot: 37 units · Savealot Food Stores Licens: 20 units
More lender financing options
Save - A - Lot
Save - A - Lot: 28 unique lenders · Savealot Food Stores Licens: 18 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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About These Franchises
Save - A - Lot vs Savealot Food Stores Licens: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Save - A - Lot and Savealot Food Stores Licens is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $140K to $2.1M.
Save - A - Lot has 41 SBA loans on record and Savealot Food Stores Licens has 24. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
Save - A - Lot vs Savealot Food Stores Licens, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Save - A - Lot or Savealot Food Stores Licens?
How much does a Save - A - Lot franchise cost compared to Savealot Food Stores Licens?
Can I finance Save - A - Lot or Savealot Food Stores Licens with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Save - A - Lot or Savealot Food Stores Licens?
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman