Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Aqua Chill is a B2B franchise providing bottleless water coolers and filtration systems to offices and businesses. Franchisees run local operations, managing installations, service, and recurring rental accounts.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems franchise requires a total initial investment of $113K – $172K, including a $60K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: D (Below average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $113K – $172K
- 5th pct Food Retail
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 5th pct Food Retail
- Units
- 10
- 4th pct Food Retail
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Food Retail · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Food Retail avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $113K – $172K including a $60K franchise fee, 7.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSFranchisor (Aqua Chill Development, LLC) reported $0 revenue in FY2023 and FY2022; the entity is a development company with no franchise revenue, holding only cash. Audited by Velez Hardy, March 29, 2024.
- RISKVerdict D (Below average), verdict score 38/100 (higher is better).
- DATANo Item 19 financial performance representation. Without franchisor-disclosed revenue data, you'll need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Aqua Chill Development, LLC
- CEO title
- President
- Mark Jepson
- CEO experience
- 29 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- NV
- HQ
- 3626 N. Rancho Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130
- Auditor
- Velez & Hardy, LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $0
- vs $0 prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Mark Jepson
- Headquarters
- NV
- Founded
- 2013
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 0
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 83% below the typical food retail franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown12 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $60K | $60K | |
| Technologynot refundable | $500 | $1K | |
| Equipment, Furniture and Fixturesnot refundable | $10K | $12K | |
| Leasehold Improvementsnot refundable | $0 | $2K | |
| Start Up Inventorynot refundable | $15K | $20K | |
| Vehiclenot refundable | $0 | $3K | |
| Staffingnot refundable | $0 | $6K | |
| Apparelnot refundable | $100 | $300 | |
| Insurancenot refundable | $1K | $2K | |
| Travel, Lodging and Meals for Initial Training Programnot refundable | $1K | $5K | |
| Business Licenses, Permits and Professional Feesnot refundable | $500 | $2K | |
| Operating Expenses and Additional Fundsnot refundable | $25K | $60K | |
| Total initial investment | $113K | $172K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $113K – $172K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $25K – $60K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $60K – $60K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- -n/d
- Total fee load
- 7.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% of gross sales |
| Training fee | $300 |
| Transfer fee | $5K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Inventory (initial) | $15K – $20K |
| Total fee load | 7.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
20%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2024 FDD
Financial Performance
Franchisor (Aqua Chill Development, LLC) reported $0 revenue in FY2023 and FY2022; the entity is a development company with no franchise revenue, holding only cash. Audited by Velez Hardy, March 29, 2024.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 7.0% — below the Food Retail average of 9.2%.
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Food Retail averages
How Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 10
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 10
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 0%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 0
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 0
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation required to be disclosed.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Velez & Hardy, LLC
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 38 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGHGoing Concern status is FALSE — indicates potential financial viability concerns at corporate level
- 02MEDNo Item 19 financial performance data disclosed — cannot validate $113k-$171k investment ROI claims
- 03MINORZero territory protection — franchisees compete directly with each other and company-owned locations
- 04MED7% royalty on undisclosed revenue creates blind spot for true cost burden on net profitability
- 05MINOR20-year term locks franchisees into long commitment with unproven business model transparency
- 06MINORHigh initial investment ($60k franchise fee alone) relative to tiny system size indicates poor scale economics
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 7.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 20 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 20 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | none |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 20 mi |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 3 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 50 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 2 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Clark County, Nevada |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | NV |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 23 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 120 hrs
- Training location
- Corporate headquarters, Las Vegas, NV
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee selects site; franchisor must approve
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
3 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems franchise?
The total investment to open a Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems franchise ranges from $113K – $172K, with an initial franchise fee of $60K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems franchise owners earn?
Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems has 10 total units in the United States, including 0 franchised units and 10 company-owned units.
Is Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Aqua Chill Drinking Water Systems as a D-grade franchise with a verdict score of 38 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.