If you’re thinking about running a dessert franchise but you’re not sure where to start, you’re in the right place. In this article, you’ll discover some of the many different niche areas of the dessert industry. From bakery cafes to dessert parlours, you’ll find the right dessert franchise for you. You’ll move one step closer to making your ideal franchise investment and running your own business.

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The UK dessert industry is growing in 2021. Though every sub-sector of food service saw its fair share of struggle during the height of COVID-19, the majority of dessert businesses have been able to come out on the other side, responding to increased demand and using exciting new industry trends to their advantage. If you’re ready to start your sweets franchise, here are just five of the many avenues you might choose to travel down on your franchising journey...

1. An assorted desserts franchise

An assorted desserts franchise might take the form of a bakery cafe, or a coffee shop with a counter full of tasty sweet treat options. In this kind of franchise, which is usually run out of a physical premises with the support of a team of employees, you’ll find cakes and cookies sitting side-by-side in friendship.

If you love the idea of running a restaurant franchise, but you’re concerned about the high associated costs, choosing this type of dessert franchise might offer you a happy medium. Dessert-focused menus tend to be cheaper to produce than full restaurant menus, because they make use of fewer ingredients and fewer methods of cooking. This lowers the level of investment required.

Choosing the right dessert business

One investment option to consider in the field of assorted desserts is Sweet Spot. You can become a Sweet Spot franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £50,000, with franchise fees of £15,000 and a total investment cost of £90,000. In return for your investment, the Sweet Spot team will fully support your franchise business pre-launch and post-launch, as well as providing you with a comprehensive programme of training.

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>> Read more:

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• Dessert Restaurants: What Franchises Are There in the UK?

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2. A crepe franchise

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Crepes are a popular kind of thin pancake, of which there is a sweet variety and a savoury variety. The number of crepe businesses operating successfully in the UK is growing each year, and if starting a crepe franchise is of interest, you could join this growing number as a franchisee.

According to Laura Bergan of Barry Callebaut, “the dessert category is being pulled in two different directions”. Consumers want premium options and, in the same breath, they want healthier options [Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery]. Crepe franchises are uniquely equipped to respond to both wants, offering a lighter and lower-calorie dessert experience that still comes with premium Belgian chocolate toppings.

How to choose a dessert franchise that specialises in crepes

If you’d love to start your own crepe franchise, why not check out Crepe Delicious? As the world’s largest franchise of its kind, Crepe Delicious supports its network of franchisees with everything from launch and branding, to product development and expansion. You can franchise with the company for a minimum initial investment of £50,000, with franchise fees of £16,000 and a total investment cost of £80,000.

3. A waffle franchise

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One of the biggest ways that waffle-focused dessert franchises maintain their popularity and relevance in the UK is through innovation. Waffles can be paired with a million different ingredients and made into a million different shapes, creating new and exciting flavour and texture combinations that never get old.

If you’re interested in starting a waffle franchise, you’ll have plenty of versatility in terms of the kind of investment you choose to make and the type of business you operate. You could start a full-on waffle restaurant, for example, or you could invest with a food truck franchise that specialises in providing waffles to on-the-go customers.

Finding the right waffle franchise in the sweets sector

One example of an innovative waffle franchise more than worthy of your investment right now is Bubblewrap. Bubblewrap’s concept has actually gone viral multiple times, and this seller of unique and irresistible bubble waffles is available to invest with for a minimum initial amount of £36,000, with franchise fees of £15,000 and a total investment cost of £100,000.

4. A brownie franchise

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As discussed in the crepe franchise category, one of the biggest growing consumer demands in the sweets sector in 2021 is a desire for luxury – for artisanal desserts made from quality, premium ingredients. As the owner of a brownie franchise, you’ll be able to play on this, sourcing your chocolate carefully and elevating the taste experience.

Brownies are also very portable compared to other kinds of sweet treats, like chilled desserts that need to be refrigerated and more structured cakes that need to be stored carefully. This means that if you’d like to work on the road with a mobile food franchise, an investment with a company that primarily makes and sells brownies could be ideal.

How to choose the right brownie franchise for you

Nobody is doing a better job of elevating the brownie experience than Chock Shop. The franchise’s Belgian chocolate brownies are sold at markets, fairs, festivals and more, and franchisees are able to make plenty of profits on the move from enthusiastic customers across the UK. You can become a Chock Shop franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £10,000, with franchise fees of £15,000.

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>> Read more:

• 7 Tips for Choosing a Franchise with the Right Culture For You
• How to Evaluate Whether a Franchise Opportunity Is Right For You
• Mythbusters: Starting a Franchise Is Ultimately the Franchisee's Decision

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5. An ice cream franchise

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Your fifth and final option in this article, and an option just as exciting and potentially profitable as the first, is opening an ice cream franchise. From the classic ice cream van to the fancy, decked-out ice cream bar, there’s definitely room to make your mark and shape your dream career in the ice cream sub-sector.

Ice cream has always been extremely popular in the UK, and you’ll be pleased to know that this popularity isn’t melting away in 2021 - it’s actually on the rise. Ice cream, through the introduction of trendy bar-style locations, has developed a night life with people out on the town as a compelling alternative to end-of-the-night-out fast food.

How to choose a franchise in the ice cream sub-sector

For anyone with a simple love of ice cream, Simply Ice Cream is the one. You can become a franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £18,000, with a total investment cost of £26,000. As a franchisee, you’ll sell the franchise’s range of products to buyers from farm shops all the way to service outlets like pubs and restaurants. Every step of the way, you’ll have the full support of Simply Ice Cream behind you.

Start a sweets franchise today, and enjoy your just desserts tomorrow

Hopefully, you now know exactly which dessert franchise is right for you and where you’d like to invest. With this knowledge at the forefront of your mind, stay on Point Franchise, discover how to run a franchise in your chosen niche effectively, and deepen your industry research. Find out how to start your own dessert franchise, and dive into the five biggest advantages of running a dessert franchise.