SoBol^®

Food & Beverage • Year: 2024

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What Is SoBol?

SoBol is a restaurant franchise serving a menu of fresh, made-to-order acai bowls, fruit bowls, fruit smoothies and other healthy menu items. The business operates through on-premises dining, carryout, and delivery service channels. Restaurants are ordinarily located in high-traffic retail commercial locations, including strip shopping centers.

SoBol Franchise: Pros and Cons

The franchise's unusually clean legal and regulatory record—zero disclosed lawsuits, zero franchisee-initiated judgments, zero government penalties, and zero outlet terminations—greatly reduces legacy litigation and compliance risk, but a higher-than-typical four reacquired outlets signals operator turnover and potential franchisee exit issues.

Pros

Zero disclosed lawsuits, zero cases alleging fraud, and zero franchisee-initiated judgments — a clean legal record that's unusually strong for Food & Beverage and lowers the risk of legacy litigation issues.

Zero government penalties or regulatory orders and zero franchisor-initiated enforcement actions, well below typical levels, which points to a cooperative regulatory and franchisor–franchisee environment.

Zero outlet terminations and zero outlet non-renewals, an unusually low level of churn for the sector that indicates operators are largely remaining in the system.

Cons

Four reacquired outlets is well above what's common for Food & Beverage, signaling operator turnover — past franchisees have exited and the franchisor has had to reacquire locations.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

100

Excellent

The franchise reported no material legal proceedings.

Territory Protection

45/100

NORMAL

Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units. The franchisor retains the right to sell via e-commerce and alternative channels within the market, develop additional units, acquire/convert outlets, deploy other trademarks and retail/venue channels; protection is contingent on performance quotas.

Training & Support

54/100

NORMAL

The brand provides a robust 77-hour training curriculum designed to prepare the two individuals included in the initial franchise fee for operational roles within the franchise. The program includes on-site launch support to facilitate operational readiness, with on-site assistance available at additional cost and travel and living expenses borne by the franchisee.

Unit Growth Analysis

The franchise grew from 57 units in 2022 to 65 in 2023 (+14.0%), then stayed at 65 in 2024 (0.0% growth), indicating a sharp expansion year followed by a complete plateau. For investors, the 14 percentage-point drop in year-over-year growth (from +14.0% to 0.0%) suggests the brand is stable at 65 units but has lost expansion momentum—investigate franchisee pipeline, market saturation, or strategic pause before expecting further unit growth.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a SoBol Franchise?

Opening a SoBol franchise requires a total initial investment of $195,600 to $453,200, according to the 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document. This range covers the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and initial working capital needed to launch and operate through the early months.

Minimum Investment

$195,600

Franchise Fee

Real Estate

Equipment & Assets

Reserves

Training

Other

Maximum Investment

$453,200

Minimum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$35,000

Real Estate$70,900

Equipment & Assets$49,500

Reserves$15,000

Training$700

Other$24,500

Maximum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$35,000

Real Estate$195,800

Equipment & Assets$118,000

Reserves$50,000

Training$4,400

Other$50,000

Investment Analysis

This investment analysis is coming soon. Have ideas for other analyses you'd like us to add? Get in touch.

The initial investment amounts shown are estimates only. Actual costs may vary based on location size, business model, and multi-unit ownership arrangements. We recommend reviewing the full Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.

How Much Do SoBol Franchise Owners Make?

SoBol franchise locations reported average gross sales of $594,632 and median gross sales of $612,241 in 2024, based on financial performance data disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Average Gross Sales:

$594,632

Median Gross Sales:

$612,241

High Gross Sales:

$1,123,048

Low Gross Sales:

$196,765

Sample Size:

Percent Attaining Average:

54.0%

Franchise vs Corporate Performance: Franchised outlets (61 operational in 2023) reported an average gross sales of 594,632, while detailed cost and profit breakdowns were provided only for two company-owned outlets, preventing a direct company-vs-franchise profit comparison.

Performance Variability Analysis: There is notable variability across franchised outlets in 2023, with sales ranging from 196,765 to 1,123,048 and quartile averages indicating a substantial spread between top and bottom performers.

Data Scope and Limitations: The sales data cover calendar years 2022 and 2023 for operational franchise outlets and are unaudited; expense and net income metrics are absent for franchised units and available only for two company-owned locations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to open a SoBol franchise?

The total initial investment for a SoBol franchise ranges from $195,600 to $453,200, according to the 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and working capital.

What is the SoBol initial franchise fee?

The initial franchise fee for SoBol is $35,000, as stated in the 2024 FDD. This fee is paid upon signing the Franchise Agreement.

How much do SoBol franchise owners make?

SoBol franchise locations reported average gross sales of $594,632 and median gross sales of $612,241 in 2024, based on Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document. Actual earnings vary by location, market, and operator experience.

Does SoBol have any franchise lawsuits or legal issues?

SoBol received a legal risk score of 100 out of 100 in the 2024 FDD analysis. The franchise reported no material legal proceedings.

Does SoBol offer exclusive franchise territories?

SoBol received a territory protection score of 45 out of 100. Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units.

What training does SoBol provide to new franchisees?

SoBol received a training and support score of 54 out of 100. The brand provides a robust 77-hour training curriculum designed to prepare the two individuals included in the initial franchise fee for operational roles within the franchise.

How many SoBol franchise locations are there?

SoBol had 65 total locations as of the 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document.

What type of business is SoBol?

SoBol is a restaurant franchise serving a menu of fresh, made-to-order acai bowls, fruit bowls, fruit smoothies and other healthy menu items.

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