5 Advantages of Running a Dessert Franchise

Cara Squires, writer

Published at 01/11/2021, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

5 Advantages of Running a Dessert Franchise — Photo © 5-Advantages-of-Running-a-Dessert-Franchise.jpg

If you’ve got a sweet tooth and a deep desire to start running a dessert business, why not become a franchisee? Franchising combines the freedom of business ownership with plenty of franchisor support, and in a sector as in-demand as desserts, it’s a completely financially viable option. Here are the five biggest advantages of running a franchise in this increasingly popular food service niche.

In 2020, Just Eat reported a 36% increase in dessert orders [Mintel]. Though COVID has impacted food service franchises across the board and there is still recovery to be done in the sector, demand for bakeries, sweet shops, dessert bars and cupcake cafés continues to increase. La Donuteria, for instance, has grown by 370% since the start of the pandemic. If that doesn’t convince you that starting your sweets business in 2021 is a good idea, keep reading. There are many more advantages to discover.

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Why start a dessert franchise in 2021?

Not everyone is suited to the day-to-day roles and responsibilities that come with running a sweets franchise and, before you charge ahead with an investment, it’s important that you figure out whether you are. Though most dessert franchise investment opportunities won’t ask that you have any previous industry experience or qualifications, you will still benefit from the following transferable skills and traits:

A knack for customer service/talking to people
A friendly demeanour
Creativity
Attention to detail
Leadership and people management
Time management
A head for business
A love for the work

If you tick all of those boxes and you’re excited about the prospect of starting this franchise, then there’s no better time than 2021 to get stuck in. In just a few years, you could find yourself at the helm of a profitable, growing franchise business. All you’ll need to do is put in the work, listen hard to all you’re taught, and follow the proven business model of your franchisor.

The 5 key advantages of a dessert franchise

You’ve already discovered how in-demand desserts and dessert franchise businesses are in 2021, but there are many more reasons to consider making an investment – whether it’s with a donut franchise, a crepe franchise or an ice cream franchise. Here are the five strongest benefits of running a dessert franchise...

1. There’s plenty of room to find your specialism

Though the dessert industry is only a sub-sector of the wider food service industry, you’ll never feel hemmed in when you start researching and looking for the perfect sweets franchise to invest with. In fact, you’ll soon realise that there’s a huge amount of room to find the right fit, and a billion different niche industries hidden within this one.

You might choose to invest with Chock Shop, a fast-growing producer of artisan Belgian chocolate brownies, for a minimum initial amount of £10,000 and franchise fees of £15,000. Or, you might choose to invest with Bubblewrap, a trendy bubble waffle franchise that’s seen a huge amount of interest and traction in 2021, for a minimum initial amount of £36,000 and franchise fees of £15,000. Whatever your journey, you’ll have lots of options.

2. Associated costs will be lower than other food franchises

A restaurant franchise is, as franchise investments go, on the more expensive side. This is because even beyond the initial investment amount, restaurants come with higher overheads, higher associated costs and higher staffing demands than most other franchise types. If the idea of running a restaurant-style business appeals, but you’d like to lower those costs, a dessert franchise is a really good option.

This cost dip largely comes down to what you’re selling. While a classic, savoury restaurant serves a full menu of dishes and must order many different ingredients, a dessert franchise generally sells more of the same thing. Even when you’re offering a lot of different flavours of something, you’re still using far fewer ingredients comparatively. This cuts costs down a huge amount, from ordering ingredients all the way to cooking and/or preparing the dishes.

3. You can easily respond to changing customer demands and desires

Consumer wants and needs are always shifting, and some industries are better-equipped to deal with these shifts than others. Running a dessert franchise, you’ll find switching up the menu regularly to account for changing customer desires is as easy as… well… pie. Your franchise will never become “outdated” or “untrendy” because its menu can be continually adapted and adjusted.

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4. You’ll always be able to fall back on your franchisor

When you start your own business and go it alone from day one, you’ll definitely have more freedom than you will as a franchisee. But you also won’t have any training, any mitigation of risk, any support or any existing (and proven) guidelines to follow all the way to success. If you choose to start a franchise, you will always be able to fall back on your franchisor because your success is their success, and vice versa.

The beauty of the franchise model means your business and profits are your own, but you also have a support network around you when you might need it most. A good franchisor will have a strong central support programme with experts in a wide variety of business functions – from accounts and IT to marketing and legal support. - Tim Harris, ChipsAway

5. You’ll have plenty of growth opportunities

There’s always room to grow when you’re working within a wider franchise network and, as you run your sweets franchise successfully, profiting and increasing your custom with each passing year, you’ll have all the opportunity you want to branch out. Perhaps into multi-unit franchising or something similar? As a franchisee, the sky’s the limit – and franchisor support will only help you to reach that sky.

Start running your own business in the dessert industry today

If, having discovered these advantages, you’re more ready than ever to start your journey in the dessert industry, stay on Point Franchise. Continue your research and discover detailed information on whatever niche you’ve chosen, whether that’s the top crepe restaurant trends of 2021 or ways in which the sugar tax has impacted sweets businesses.