Crave Cookies

The question every serious franchise investor asks before committing several hundred thousand dollars is deceptively simple: is this brand building something real, or is it riding a trend? Crave Cookies presents a genuinely interesting case study in that regard. Founded in 2019 with a mission to create what the founders describe as "ridiculously good" cookies, the brand emerged from two distinct but complementary origin stories. Franchise-facing materials credit Trent and Becky English as the founding team, with Trent serving as Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer. A separate account describes how the brand was built by Shandi, who spent years perfecting recipes before partnering with her brother Sam, a software engineer who architected the company's technology infrastructure — a detail that matters enormously when evaluating how this franchise scales. Shandi now operates Crave with her husband Dan and their extended family, giving the corporate structure a closely-held, founder-driven character. Crave Cookies Franchising, LLC was formally established in 2021, with the corporate headquarters anchored in Holladay, Utah and a secondary corporate office presence in Prosper, Texas. The brand operates exclusively within the United States, which currently encompasses somewhere between 37 and 52 active locations across 20 states, depending on the data source and measurement date — a discrepancy this analysis addresses directly. Critically, Crave Cookies has awarded over 200 franchise territories since 2021 and reports more than 200 new stores in active development, making the gap between awarded and operating units one of the most important analytical questions prospective investors must resolve. The global cookie market context makes that question worth answering: the category represents a USD 27.08 billion global market as of 2023, projected to reach USD 52.98 billion by 2033 at a compound annual growth rate of 6.9%. Within that macro environment, a franchise claiming 228% revenue performance above sub-sector averages commands serious attention — and serious scrutiny.

The retail bakery and specialty cookie segment is one of the more structurally attractive corners of the food franchise universe, largely because it sits at the intersection of several durable consumer trends simultaneously. The global cookies market was valued at USD 13 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 21.44 billion by the end of 2030, representing a CAGR of 8.7% from 2025 through 2030. The broader cookies and cakes market was valued at USD 34.67 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 44.35 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 3.58%, with the chocolate cookies and cakes segment specifically projecting a 6% CAGR over the same forecast period. Several macro forces are conspiring in this category's favor simultaneously. Premium ingredients, novel flavor profiles, and functional additives like added protein and fiber are driving consumer trading-up behavior — protein-enhanced cookies alone experienced a 19% sales increase, and organic cookie sales have reached $3 billion annually, up 10% year-over-year. Gluten-free bakery adoption grew by 23% between 2023 and 2025, gluten-free product sales expanded by over 21% across retail channels, and gluten-free cookies accounted for 9% of total sales in the most recent measurement period. Specialty cookie stores saw an 11% increase in foot traffic in 2023 alone, artisanal cookie brands grew by 15% year-over-year, and seasonal cookie sales surged 25% during holiday periods — a pattern that creates predictable revenue amplification windows franchisees can plan around. The category is not without headwinds: more than 56% of consumers across 40 major economies report increased interest in low-sugar, high-protein baked items, creating pressure on traditional high-sugar formats. However, premium cookies already command 15% of total market share, chocolate chip varieties hold a 35% category share, and the post-pandemic comfort food elevation of cookies as an affordable luxury has proven sticky well beyond the initial COVID-era surge. For franchise investors evaluating category dynamics, the specialty cookie segment offers a relatively unconsolidated competitive landscape with genuine room for a premium, experience-driven brand to capture meaningful market share.

The Crave Cookies franchise cost structure requires careful navigation because multiple data sources report figures that diverge in ways prospective investors must reconcile through the Franchise Disclosure Document directly. The initial franchise fee is reported as $39,500 across brand marketing materials, while the FDD-sourced figures in other analyses report a fee of $29,500 — a $10,000 gap that may reflect fee increases over time or different franchise agreement versions. Total initial investment estimates show a similar range of variance: the brand's marketing collateral cites a minimum of $320,000, while FDD-derived analyses show comprehensive ranges of $301,845 to $706,800, with an additional published range of $327,985 to $704,800. Startup cost estimates from franchise consulting sources land in a narrower $330,000 to $479,000 band, depending on location and build-out specifics. The breadth of that investment spread is explained by the cost structure breakdown: leasehold improvements alone range from $150,000 to $450,000 depending on geography and site condition, furniture, fixtures, and equipment run $75,000 to $120,000, signage adds $8,000 to $25,000, a market introduction program costs $4,000 to $8,000, initial inventory requires $5,000 to $10,000, and three months of operating reserves add $15,000 to $30,000 on top of those figures. One data point that frames the overall investment positioning precisely: Crave Cookies investment requirements are 43% to 53% above sub-sector averages, placing this firmly in the premium tier of cookie franchise investments rather than the accessible entry-level segment. Ongoing fees include a royalty rate of 6% of gross sales and a national marketing fund contribution of 2% of gross sales, for a combined 8% of top-line revenue flowing back to the franchisor on an ongoing basis. Minimum liquid capital required to open is reported at $85,000, with the brand segmenting prospective franchisees into liquid capital tiers of $100k-$200k, $200k-$300k, $300k-$400k, and $400k-plus. This investment profile suggests the ideal financial candidate enters with considerably more than the stated minimum, particularly given that build-out costs can approach the top of the investment range in high-cost markets.

The Crave Cookies operating model is built around a relatively focused product set — oversized, gourmet, weekly-rotating-menu cookies and mixed sodas — which concentrates operational complexity in product quality and consistency rather than menu breadth. The franchise model is designed with operational simplicity as a structural objective: the company emphasizes straightforward employee training protocols, centralized quality control systems, and a reliable supply chain architecture intended to deliver product consistency across all locations regardless of franchisee experience level. Training is delivered through "Crave College," a comprehensive learning management system that functions as the brand's primary operational training infrastructure. Initial training is included for up to three individuals per franchisee unit, though franchisees bear their own travel and accommodation costs during that training period. For situations requiring additional manager training or retraining, the brand charges $250 per person per day — a fee that underscores the importance of getting the initial training cohort right. The technology layer of this franchise is meaningfully differentiated from older cookie concepts: Crave Cookies leverages AI-powered technology systems that, according to co-founder Trent English, provide franchisees with operational tools previously accessible only to major restaurant corporations. Strategic partnerships with industry vendors deliver reduced service fees, premium marketing placement during peak ordering windows, and streamlined POS system integration. Notably, DoorDash functions as a designated digital delivery partner, with DoorDash-sourced revenue representing approximately 30% of gross sales at the franchise level — a significant revenue channel that comes with a negotiated marketplace fee of 15%, substantially below standard third-party delivery rates. Prospective franchisees can explore territory availability through an initial consultation process, and the premium investment tier is structured to provide competitive barriers and territory protection as part of the value exchange for the above-average initial investment.

Item 19 financial performance data is not disclosed in the current Franchise Disclosure Document reviewed for this analysis. That is a material consideration for investors conducting rigorous due diligence, because it means the revenue and profitability figures circulating in franchise marketing materials cannot be independently verified through the FDD as a primary source. With that caveat clearly stated, the publicly available revenue data warrants examination. The brand reports an average unit volume of $856,000 per year for franchised locations, with a separately corroborated figure of $855,964 in average gross revenue. These figures are presented alongside the claim that this performance is 228% above the sub-sector average of $260,970 — a comparison that, if accurate, would represent exceptional revenue outperformance for the category. The franchisor also specifies a "minimum acceptable rock bottom performance expectation" of $40,000 in gross sales per month, which annualizes to $480,000. That floor is a meaningful data point: it suggests the brand is operating with an internal threshold that roughly represents breakeven territory for franchisees managing a typical cost structure. On the cost side, ingredient and packaging costs average $0.90 to $0.98 per cookie, representing approximately 25% of gross sales at the base revenue level. At the $40,000 monthly gross sales floor, DoorDash-related costs illustrate the economics: with 30% of sales flowing through the platform at a negotiated 15% fee plus an additional 15% in platform marketing investment, the combined DoorDash cost on a $40,000 monthly revenue base approaches $3,600 — a significant but manageable line item. The unit economics picture that emerges is one of potentially strong top-line performance offset by the premium investment base required to enter, meaning payback periods are heavily influenced by whether a given location performs at the $856,000 AUV level or closer to the $480,000 minimum threshold. Independent investors should request the full FDD and consult with a franchise attorney before drawing conclusions from marketing-sourced revenue figures.

The growth trajectory of Crave Cookies since franchising began in 2021 is one of the most compelling and simultaneously complex aspects of this opportunity. The brand claims to have awarded over 200 franchise territories since 2021 and reports more than 200 new stores currently in development — figures that would place it among the fastest-growing gourmet bakery franchise concepts in the country. However, active operating unit counts vary significantly by source: the brand's own marketing materials reference over 50 locations, other sources cite 37 total U.S. locations, while the most recent FDD-adjacent data reports 8 to 9 active franchise units. The PeerSense database registers 12 total franchised units with zero company-owned locations. This gap between awarded territories and operating units is common in high-growth franchise systems early in their development cycle, but it is a critical due diligence data point because it signals that the majority of the franchise network is in the pre-opening pipeline rather than generating verifiable operating history. On the innovation side, Crave Cookies has invested meaningfully in product differentiation: the brand developed proprietary "Deep Dish Cookies" using custom curved-edge pans inspired by deep-dish pizza architecture, enabling cookies with molten centers, loaded toppings, and structural fillings that competitors cannot easily replicate. The brand maintains a "Vault" of over 150 recipes and has developed over 100 unique flavors, with a weekly rotating menu structure that drives repeat visit behavior. Recent expansion activity is geographically concentrated in Texas, with a Northlake location beginning construction in November 2025 and projected for March 2026 completion, and a Greater Austin market franchisee planning the first of 4 to 5 units in Leander, Texas targeting a Q1 2027 opening. Multi-unit interest is documented in the DMV region, where a franchisee group is pursuing three initial locations with a five-unit long-term target.

The ideal Crave Cookies franchise candidate is not a passive investor seeking absentee ownership. The operational model — built around product freshness, weekly menu rotations, delivery platform management, and consistent in-store experience — rewards owner-operators who are present in the business during the critical launch and stabilization period. No specific prior food service experience is listed as a requirement, and the Crave College training infrastructure is explicitly designed to equip non-industry franchisees with the operational foundation needed to execute the model. Multi-unit development is both available and actively encouraged: the franchise system's 200-plus awarded territory count relative to its current operating unit base suggests the company is structuring its franchisee relationships around multi-unit development agreements rather than single-unit sales. Liquid capital of at least $85,000 is the stated minimum, though the investment range's midpoint suggests candidates with $150,000 to $200,000 in accessible capital are better positioned to absorb early operational variability without reaching a cash constraint. Franchise agreement term length specifics should be confirmed directly through the FDD and with a franchise attorney, as should renewal, transfer, and resale terms. Available territories span the United States, with documented active development across Texas and interest in East Coast markets including the DMV region. The timeline from franchise agreement signing to store opening is influenced heavily by site selection, lease negotiation, and build-out duration, with the Northlake, Texas example suggesting a build-out horizon of approximately four months once construction begins.

Any investor conducting honest due diligence on the Crave Cookies franchise opportunity is balancing a genuinely compelling market position against a set of open questions that require primary source verification. The core investment thesis has structural merit: a premium gourmet cookie brand with a proprietary deep-dish product innovation, a DoorDash-integrated delivery channel representing 30% of gross sales, AI-powered operational technology, a reported AUV of $856,000 representing 228% above sub-sector averages, and over 200 territories awarded in a global cookie market growing toward USD 52.98 billion by 2033. The questions that require resolution are equally significant: the FPI Score of 59 on the PeerSense platform signals a Moderate rating, Item 19 financial performance data is not disclosed in the current FDD, the gap between 200-plus awarded territories and the 12 operating units in the PeerSense database warrants direct explanation from the franchisor, and the investment premium of 43% to 53% above sub-sector averages demands confidence in the revenue performance claims before commitment. PeerSense provides exclusive due diligence data including SBA lending history, FPI score analysis, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and side-by-side comparison tools that allow investors to benchmark the Crave Cookies franchise cost and performance profile against every competing concept in the retail bakery category. The PeerSense FPI Score of 59 for Crave Cookies reflects the brand's stage of development and the data currently available — a figure that will update as more operating history accumulates. Explore the complete Crave Cookies franchise profile on PeerSense to access the full suite of independent franchise intelligence data.