Crumbl Cookies

Crumbl Cookies grew from one cookie shop in Logan, Utah, to more than 1,100 locations across the United States and Canada in fewer than seven years. Cousins Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley founded the company in 2017 after testing hundreds of chocolate chip cookie recipes. Crumbl was incorporated in Utah in February 2018 and began franchising that year. TSG Consumer Partners acquired a stake in May 2025, alongside $500 million in financing. Crumbl's rotating menu, social media presence, and recognizable pink box have helped it become a major name in the bakery franchise category.

The specialty dessert and bakery segment has changed significantly over the past five years as consumers seek visual and shareable food experiences. Crumbl positioned fresh, premium cookies as a dessert and gifting experience. Its weekly menu features six flavors from a library of more than 150 proprietary recipes, encouraging customers to return for new offerings and limited favorites. Insomnia Cookies and regional copycat concepts have entered the category, but Crumbl's scale, early position, and social media infrastructure have helped it maintain distance from competitors. Gifting, experiential dining, and visually distinctive products continue to support demand for this type of concept.

The initial franchise fee is $50,000. Total initial investment for one location ranges from $816,066 to $1,442,533, while development of three locations requires $2,448,198 to $4,327,599. The royalty fee is 8 percent of gross sales, and the advertising and brand fund contribution is 2 percent of gross sales. Cooperative arrangements may bring total marketing contributions to approximately 3.5 percent. Financial requirements include minimum liquid capital of $150,000 to $200,000 and estimated net worth of approximately $500,000. The franchise agreement lasts 10 years with renewal options. Crumbl does not provide direct franchisor financing, so franchisees generally seek SBA loans, conventional bank financing, or private capital. SBA lending data available through PeerSense shows how federal lending programs have evaluated Crumbl franchise applications.

Crumbl's operating model focuses on producing six rotating cookie flavors from scratch with proprietary recipes and standardized preparation methods. Its open kitchen lets customers watch cookies being mixed, formed, and baked. Staffing is leaner than in a full service restaurant, although daily production requires more culinary skill than many QSR operations. Training totals approximately 50 to 60 hours across three phases: 30 to 40 hours of self guided online coursework, 10 to 12 days at Crumbl's facility in Orem, Utah, and 7 to 10 days at the franchisee's location with a dedicated field trainer. Annual reviews and mandatory franchisee meetings support brand standards. Food service experience is not required, but Crumbl prefers candidates with multi unit management backgrounds. The weekly menu requires careful supply coordination, recipe execution, and staff training every seven days.

This followed a 37 percent decline from the fiscal 2022 peak of approximately $1,830,000.

The brand averaged 276 new locations per year from 2021 through 2023, including 264 net new units in 2022 and 281 in 2023. It opened only 81 to 87 new locations in 2024. Closures rose from 7 in 2023 to 14 in 2024. The rotating menu generates 15 to 20 million weekly social media impressions, largely through organic user generated content. Crumbl has 9.7 million TikTok followers and 6.1 million Instagram followers. Its mobile app ranks as the number six most downloaded food and drink application in the Apple App Store, ahead of Domino's, Taco Bell, and Chipotle. The pink box also serves as a visible marketing asset. The May 2025 TSG Consumer Partners investment and $500 million in debt financing support continued domestic expansion, development across 25 Canadian locations, and exploration of markets including Australia.

The likely Crumbl franchisee is an entrepreneurial operator with the resources for single or multi unit development and the management ability to lead a team through weekly menu changes. Food service experience is not required, while multi unit management or business ownership experience is strongly preferred. Territory availability also deserves close review. With more than 1,100 domestic locations, some prime markets may be saturated or approaching saturation. Canada's 25 open locations and potential development in Australia and other international markets may offer additional opportunities. The 10 year agreement provides an operating window, and well run locations in strong markets may carry resale value as the system matures.

Crumbl Cookies offers franchise investors a dessert concept with strong consumer demand, broad social media reach, and a distinctive operating model. The full Crumbl Cookies franchise profile on PeerSense gives buyers independent information for evaluating the investment.