Exotic Snack Guys Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Exotic Snack Guys is a retail franchise selling exotic and international snacks and drinks. Franchisees run the stores, managing inventory, merchandising, and sales.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Exotic Snack Guys franchise requires a total initial investment of $162K – $291K, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2026 FDD, average unit revenue was $754K[2]. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $162K – $291K
- 15th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- $754K
- Company-owned only1 outlet9th pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 11th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 5
- 24th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-Service Restaurants 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 $162K – $291K including a $50K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSAverage unit revenue of $754K/year (company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance).
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 48/100 (higher is better).
- FLAGRevenue data based on only 1 outlet. Treat as directional, not definitive. Ask franchisees directly for current unit economics.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Exotic Snack Guys Franchising, LLC
- Parent company
- None
- CEO title
- CEO
- Zohaib Naman
- Incorporated in
- IL
- HQ
- 2787 N Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647
- Auditor
- Smith, Buzzi & Associates, LLC
- Audited financials
Affiliated brands
- Exotic Snack Guys Florida
- International Snack Imports
- Exotic Snack Guys
- no longer offers license agreements
- Exotic Snack Guys TL
- Exotic Snack Guys Altamonte
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Zohaib Naman
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 2025
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 2
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 66% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown15 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $50K | $50K | |
| Travel and Living Expenses While Training | $2K | $5K | |
| Real Property Rent and Security Deposits (3 mos.) | $5K | $30K | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $5K | $40K | |
| Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment | $15K | $30K | |
| Initial Inventory | $50K | $85K | |
| Uniforms | $300 | $500 | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $1K | $2K | |
| Licenses, Permits, and Certifications | $2K | $2K | |
| Insurance (3 mos.) | $300 | $500 | |
| Supplies | $2K | $4K | |
| Computer Hardware and Software | $3K | $4K | |
| Professional Fees | $3K | $4K | |
| Additional Funds (3 mos.) | $25K | $35K | |
| Area Development Fee | $100K | $150K | |
| Total initial investment | $261K | $441K |
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
- $162K – $291K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $25K – $35K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- -n/d
- Total fee load
- 5.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $300 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Inventory (initial) | $50K – $85K |
| Total fee load | 5.0% of rev |
A 5.0% total fee load is unusually lean. More of each revenue dollar stays with the franchisee.
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 38% below the quick-service restaurants norm.
Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance
Based on a single outlet - not a system average
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 19
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$106K
14.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
41%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
29 mo
cash-on-cash, unlevered
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
What one unit earns on your invested capital
Model A · Single-Unit Return
Computes unlevered return on invested capital (ROIC) for a single franchise unit. The target band for an attractive franchise is 30–60% ROIC. Below that and a passive index fund likely outperforms; above that and the franchisor has pricing power you're subsidizing.
Note: Item 19 revenue is what the franchisor discloses. It's the top line only. Operating costs below are category estimates. Override them to match your real lease quote, labor market, and build-out budget.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Exotic Snack Guys unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
41%
Within the 30–60% "attractive franchise" band
What 25 units return when you use SBA financing
Model B · Return on Equity: Debt-Financed Acquisition
Models a 25-unit portfolio acquisition financed with an SBA 7(a) loan. Shows equity IRR (your return on cash invested), DSCR (how safely the cash flow covers debt service), and the capital stack (SBA + seller + equity breakdown).
This is the “search fund” or “entrepreneurship through acquisition” scenario: you buy an existing multi-unit operator, use leverage to amplify returns, and either operate or hire management. The 25-unit size is the typical minimum for an SBA-backed franchise portfolio acquisition to pencil as a full-time income.
What “return on equity” means here: if you put in $500K of your own cash and the business generates enough EBITDA to pay down debt and grow, your equity IRR is the annual return on that $500K, including the value created when you eventually sell. Target IRR for a search fund is typically 25–35%.
Levered LBO scenario · Yale Crease Capital framing
What would 25 Exotic Snack Guys units return on equity?
Equity IRR · 5-yr
49.9%
7.57× MOIC
Year-1 DSCR
1.88×
EBITDA ÷ debt service
Equity required
$1.1M
on $5.3M purchase
Total debt
$4.2M
SBA $2.6M + senior + seller note
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: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance
Based on a single outlet - not a system average
- Avg gross sales
- $754K
- Per unit, per year
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Item 19 type
- affiliate company store gross revenue
- Sample size
- 1 outlet
- vs category median 20 · small
- Reported figure
- $754K
- A single outlet — not a range
- Transparency tier
- revenue_only
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2026
- Disclosed in the 2026 filing, covering 2025
- Transparency
- 3 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · below
Compared against 782 Quick-Service Restaurants brands
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Unit economics
Average unit generates $754K/year in gross sales. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 3.3x. Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 5.0% — below the Quick-Service Restaurants average of 7.9%.
Disclosure
Transparency score 3/10 — moderate disclosure depth. Average and range data are available but detailed cohort breakdowns may be limited. Sample size of 1 outlet — treat as directional only.
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 Quick-Service Restaurants averages
How Exotic Snack Guys Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 5
- 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
- 5
- 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
- 1
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 2 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
2
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
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
Exotic Snack Guys presents caution-to-high-risk profile due to undisclosed profitability, minimal system scale (5 units), false going concern status, and inability to validate promised returns.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation information required to be disclosed in Item 3.
Largest disclosed settlement: $149,700
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Smith, Buzzi & Associates, LLC
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 48 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOROnly 5 units in system with unknown growth trajectory raises viability concerns
- 02MINORNo net income disclosure (Item 19) prevents ROI validation despite $753k avg revenue claim
- 03HIGHGoing Concern status is FALSE, indicating potential financial instability at corporate level
- 04MINORHigh initial investment range ($161.5k-$290.9k) relative to system size and unproven unit economics
- 05MINORExtremely small franchise base limits support infrastructure and brand recognition leverage
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 5.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Territory type | exclusive |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory radius | 2 mi |
| Territory population | 500,000 |
| 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 | 25 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 3 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 3 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Illinois |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | IL |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation information required to be disclosed in Item 3.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 8 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 40 hrs
- Training location
- Affiliate location in Chicago, Illinois
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 40 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Time to open
- 6 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee with franchisor approval
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Square POS System
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Square POS System
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Exotic Snack Guys franchise?
The total investment to open a Exotic Snack Guys franchise ranges from $162K – $291K, 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 Exotic Snack Guys franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Exotic Snack Guys FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $754K. Important context: Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance; Based on a single outlet - not a system average. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Item 19 in the Exotic Snack Guys 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 Exotic Snack Guys FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Exotic Snack Guys's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Exotic Snack Guys (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 Exotic Snack Guys franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Exotic Snack Guys has 5 total units in the United States, including 0 franchised units and 5 company-owned units.
Is Exotic Snack Guys a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Exotic Snack Guys as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 48 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 Exotic Snack Guys, 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.