Buff City Soap Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Buff City Soap is a retail franchise selling handmade, plant-based soaps and bath and body products made fresh in-store. Franchisees run soap makeries producing and selling products on the retail floor, plus online.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Buff City Soap franchise requires a total initial investment of $395K – $1.3M, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). SBA 7(a) loans show a 8.7% charge-off rate across 23 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $395K – $1.3M
- 39th pct Retail
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 18th pct Retail
- Units
- 271
- 38th pct Retail
- SBA charge-off
- 8.7%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Retail · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs 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 $395K – $1.3M including a $50K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSTotal revenues comprise franchise and other revenue ($10,036K) and brand fund revenue ($2,887K) for fiscal 2023; amounts reported in thousands.
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 59/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 8.7% across 23 loans (near or below the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHSystem growing at 55.0% CAGR over 3 years with 271 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Buff City Soap Franchising, LLC
- Parent company
- Buff City Soap Holdings, LLC
- Ultimate parent
- Buff City Soap InvestCo, LLC
- CEO title
- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
- Dorvin Lively
- Incorporated in
- DE
- HQ
- 5294 Beltline Road, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas 75254
- Auditor
- PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $12.9M
- vs $9.8M prior year
Affiliated brands
- owned Makeries
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Dorvin Lively
- Headquarters
- TX
- Founded
- 2018
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 35
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 102% above the typical retail franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown24 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $50K | $50K | |
| Construction and Leasehold Improvements | $43K | $310K | |
| Rental Expenses | $40K | $200K | |
| Interior and Exterior Signs | $18K | $30K | |
| Furniture and Fixtures | $63K | $150K | |
| Equipment | $7K | $50K | |
| Smallwares | $2K | $4K | |
| Architects and Engineering | $6K | $20K | |
| Other Professional Fees (Accountant/Lawyers/Business Advisors) | $1K | $20K | |
| Opening Inventory | $20K | $120K | |
| Opening Supplies | $9K | $15K | |
| Computers, Software, Telecommunication, Networking, Security | $6K | $20K | |
| Training and Pre-Opening Expenses | $21K | $34K | |
| Pre-Opening Labor | $19K | $26K | |
| Insurance | $8K | $9K | |
| Deposits and Permits | $2K | $25K | |
| Market Introduction Budget | $15K | $40K | |
| Utility Deposits | $0 | $5K | |
| Security System | $1K | $5K | |
| Lease Deposit | $2K | $25K | |
| Total initial investment | $816K | $2.6M |
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
- $395K – $1.3M
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $63K – $96K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $500 |
| Training fee | $500 |
| Transfer fee | $13K |
| Renewal fee | $25K |
| Inventory (initial) | $20K – $120K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Buff City Soap 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 Buff City Soap unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
6%
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
Total revenues comprise franchise and other revenue ($10,036K) and brand fund revenue ($2,887K) for fiscal 2023; amounts reported in thousands.
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 8.0% (near the Retail average).
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System expanding at 55.0% CAGR over 3 years across 271 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
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 Retail averages
How Buff City Soap Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 271
- Opened
- 12
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 2
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 0.8%
- Company-owned
- 9
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 97%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +55.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +55.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 12
- Closed (3yr)
- 2
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 2
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Ceased ops
- 6.8%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 33 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
Available to sell in · Item 12
- Indiana
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
States where the franchisor is registered to sell new franchises (FDD registration filings).
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 23
- Loan volume
- $8.5M
- Median loan
- $350K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 8.7%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 91.3%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 100.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 12
- Defaults
- 2
- Typical loan rate
- 6.5%
- avg rate to borrowers
- vs industry
- 28.6%
- brand is below its industry ↓
- Jobs supported
- 406
- 4.8 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 26%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 87% went to startups / new businesses, 13% to established operators
Top lenders financing Buff City Soap franchisees
Showing 3 of 12 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Buff City Soap's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 10 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 10 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 6-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 8.7% — 46% below the 16.0% national norm, i.e. lower lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Buff City Soap presents moderate-to-cautionary risk due to opaque unit economics, minimal growth trajectory, and absence of performance disclosure (Item 19), making ROI validation impossible without direct franchisee verification.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation required to be disclosed in Item 3
Largest disclosed settlement: $120,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 59 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDNo Item 19 (Average Unit Volume) disclosed — impossible to assess ROI or payback period
- 02MINORSlow unit growth of only 4.0% YoY suggests market saturation or franchisee struggles
- 03MINORWide investment range ($395K–$1.28M) indicates inconsistent unit economics or unclear cost structure
- 04MEDHigh franchise fee ($50K) relative to disclosed financial transparency — high barrier without proven returns
- 05MEDNo disclosed average revenue or net income creates information asymmetry favoring franchisor
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% 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 | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 5 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 4 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 12 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Dallas, Texas |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | TX |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed in Item 3
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 18 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 48 hrs
- Training location
- Dallas, TX (corporate office and/or BCS Makery location)
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 12 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee (with franchisor approval)
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Revel POS
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Revel POS
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
257 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Buff City Soap · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Buff City Soap franchise?
The total investment to open a Buff City Soap franchise ranges from $395K – $1.3M, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Buff City Soap franchise owners earn?
Buff City Soap 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 Buff City Soap 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 Buff City Soap FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Buff City Soap's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Buff City Soap has a charge-off rate of 8.7% across 23 loans, meaning 8.7% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many Buff City Soap franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Buff City Soap has 271 total units in the United States, including 262 franchised units and 9 company-owned units. 12 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Buff City Soap a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Buff City Soap as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 59 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?
If you represent Buff City Soap, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
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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.