Cool Answers to Your Franchise Questions
Get the Low-Down on Everything Jeremiah's Italian Ice
Franchising with Jeremiah's Italian Ice comes with real questions, and we'd like to help you answer some of those now.
Below, you'll find what candidates ask us most about, covering everything from our story and product to the investment and the road to ownership. Scan by topic or read straight through, whichever works best for you.
Something still on your mind? Reach out to our team and let's talk through the rest.
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Questions About the Coolest Concept
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There is a strong market for owning an Italian Ice business. Would we be here if there wasn't? Our founder, Jeremy Litwack, perfected the process for creating smooth, refreshing, flavor-packed Italian Ice in Philadelphia – where the classic frozen treat was already beloved. Later, with little more than a marker and a map, he decided to take on the challenge of creating a market for Italian Ice where there had never been one before, in Orlando, Florida, in 1996.
30+ years later, Jeremiah's Italian Ice has become a community staple. We've completely dominated a market once full of cookie-cutter frozen yogurt chains and more traditional ice cream stores. Our signature version of Italian Ice and Jelati® is a frozen dessert phenomenon with a massive cult following throughout the Southeast and beyond. Interest in our unique product continues to grow because it cannot be duplicated.
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What set's Jeremiah's Ice franchise apart from our competition is our delicious, innovative menu, flavor combinations, brand presentation, vibe, Frog Squad, values, community connection, simple operations and procedures, AND if you join the mission of Jeremiah’s—YOU.
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The strength in our unit-level economics being strong is our process and culture. When you build a simple, replicable process, anyone can learn it. And when you create a culture where everyone involved has fun while executing those processes, it’s a recipe for success. 30 years of experience, the right branding, a signature product, and a low-cost franchise investment have also helped tremendously. Read more on our earnings potential page.
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Jeremiah's Ice has been in business for thirty years, and counting. Jeremiah's opened its first location in 1996, and franchising followed in 2019 once the concept proved ready to scale beyond the 20 stores in Central Florida. Three decades of loyal fans later, the story keeps adding chapters.
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Questions About Franchising with Jeremiah's
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The cost to open a Jeremiah's Ice business in your community with a traditional opportunity ranges from $293,817 – $747,225*. Plus, multi-unit investments are incentivized with significant franchise fee discounts.
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Absolutely. With a team of Jeremiah's veterans at the helm, you'll be able to lean on experts who've been training and supporting location operators at Jeremiah’s for many years. We have systems and processes in place that help make your franchise discovery, approval, site search, construction, team training, marketing, grand opening, and day-to-day operations efficient and effective.
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Jeremiah's Ice Franchise offers more training than you'd expect from your average Italian ice or ice cream franchise. Cool School starts six to eight weeks before your location opens, with two full weeks of hands-on training at a certified Jeremiah's location.
A certified trainer then sticks around for 10 more days, split into periods before and after your grand opening, covering everything from product builds and food safety to running the business day-to-day.
Training doesn't stop at opening week, either. Ongoing e-learning, leadership workstores, and certification opportunities keep your Frog Squad sharp long after the doors open. Read more on our training and support page.
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Well, while we can’t ensure the future success of your operation, we can help you connect with other owners in our system to better understand how they have performed in their local markets. And, one thing we do know, is that the success of your Jeremiah's location will depend largely on your individual determination and your ability to follow Jeremiah’s outlined business processes and systems.
That said, we have a few tricks up our sleeves to help you get the best possible shot at getting your franchise location up and running—and keeping it going strong. We'll support you with market research, site selection and design, traditional and digital marketing, your own personal opening marketing coach, on-going operational coaching, and more. Remember: we're in this together.
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Every candidate wants to understand the earning potential of owning a Jeremiah's Ice business, and the truth is, how much you will make depends on many factors. Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document lays out performance data across corporate and franchised locations, and once you're further into the process, you'll get to talk directly with current franchisees about their own experience running a Jeremiah's. Head to our Earnings Potential page for the full picture.
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Questions About Becoming an Owner
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There are many characteristics that make up an ideal Jeremiah's Ice business owner. More heart than credentials, though we'll take both.
Jeremiah's looks for owners who lead with both a strong business sense and a heart for their community. The right candidate creates flavorful guest experiences worth talking about, feels comfortable building and coaching a team, and shows up outside the four walls too, contributing to schools, sports teams, and local causes the neighborhood cares about.
Whether you're eyeing one location or several, fit matters more than a resume. Curious if you check the boxes? Our Ideal Candidates page breaks down the Jeremiah’s “Frogma” in full.
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Yes, we want you to live within a comfortable driving distance from your Jeremiah's Ice stores, and for good reason. Running a location well means knowing the neighborhoods and connecting with schools, businesses, and organizations in order to build guest loyalty over time.
Owners who show up daily, not from a distance, build stronger teams and stronger community engagement. This expectation isn't up for negotiation, and honestly, staying close to the business is part of what makes Jeremiah's ownership feel like a calling, instead of a job.
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Jeremiah's Ice recommends about 25 team members, give or take. Plan on building a Frog Squad made up of leadership and servers who keep the counter moving and the vibe right.
Your Franchise Business Consultant helps you think through hiring and staffing as you get closer to opening, so building your team never feels like a mystery.
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Jeremiah's Ice Franchise offers many different location types including: Interior, walk-up, drive-through, take your pick. Some locations lean into full interior seating, others run a walk-up window, and some add a drive-through lane for guests grabbing a scoop on the way somewhere else.
Many stores mix and match these formats, and the right combination depends on your site, your market, and your community's needs.
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Yes, Jeremiah's Ice Franchise encourages multi-unit ownership and plenty of owners already do. Qualified candidates can be awarded more than one location right from the start, with fee discounts built into every location after the first. If multi-unit ownership is the goal, our team can map out the path from day one. Get in contact with our team to discuss the possibility of multi-unit ownership with Jeremiah's Franchise.
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Questions About the Investment
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The financial qualifications to becoming a Jeremiah's Ice business owner focuses on every owner needing a real financial foundation before signing on, and Jeremiah's keeps the bar more reachable than most concepts in the frozen dessert and restaurant space:
- Minimum Liquid Capital: $150,000
- Minimum Net Worth: $500,000
Meeting the minimum is a start. The strongest candidates bring energy and community ties to match the bank statement.
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The range shifts depending on the format you choose. Our team can walk through what shapes the number for your specific market.
- Traditional Store: $293,817 to $747,225
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The Franchise Fee covers your rights to open and run a Jeremiah's, and comes paired with a Development Fee that covers construction support as your store comes together.
- Franchise Fee (Traditional Store): $24,000* to $30,000, plus a $5,000 Development Fee.
- Additional Locations: Each store you add after your first reduces the Initial Franchise Fee by $5,000.
*Lower end includes Military Veteran, Active-duty Service Member, or First Responder discount.
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With owning a Jeremiah's Ice franchise, royalty and marketing costs work differently depending on your store format, too, and both keep the brand and your store moving in the same direction:
- Royalty (Traditional Store): 6% of Net Sales*
- National Ad Fund Contribution: 2% of Net Sales*
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Jeremiah's doesn't lend directly, but you won't be searching alone. We connect candidates with funding partners who specialize in SBA loans and the ROBS option, which lets you roll retirement funds into your new business without an early withdrawal penalty. Our team makes the introduction, and your funding partner handles the rest.
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