Frutta Bowls Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $388K – $633K
- Disclosed sales
- $451K
- gross sales, not profit
- SBA charge-off
- 20.0%
- on 20 loans
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Frutta Bowls is a quick-service franchise serving acai and pitaya bowls, smoothies, and healthy fare. Franchisees run the shops, managing fresh prep, inventory, and counter service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Frutta Bowls franchise requires a total initial investment of $388K – $633K, including a $35K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $451K[2]. SBA 7(a) loans show a 20.0% charge-off rate across 20 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: F (Weakest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✓ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored5 of 7 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $388K – $633K
- 63rd pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- $451K
- Outlet subsetNet sales3rd pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 48th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 26
- 53rd pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- 20.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-Service Restaurants median · 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 $388K – $633K including a $35K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSAverage unit revenue of $451K/year (reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system).
- RISKVerdict F (Weakest tier), verdict score 18/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 20.0% across 20 loans (above the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHNegative: net -2 franchised outlets in the latest year (4 opened, 6 closed); 16 signed but not yet open (Item 20).
- FLAGBankruptcy history disclosed in the FDD. Review Item 4 for details before proceeding.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- SW-Frutta Bowls Franchising Co., LLC
- Parent company
- Restaurant Co., LLC dba WOWorks
- FDD Item 1, page 7 of the 2025 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- CLP Dining, LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 7 of the 2025 FDD
- Predecessor
- Frutta Bowls Franchising, L.L.C.
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer and President
- Bryan Kelly Roddy
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 3135 1st Avenue N., Suite 15459, St. Petersburg, FL 33733
- Auditor
- Hill, Barth & King LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $32.1M
- vs $34.8M prior year
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 7
4 other brands on this site name CLP Dining, LLC as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2025 FDD). Spelling variants of the same group may be listed apart; a brand is never grouped with an owner its filing does not name.
Overview
About
- CEO
- Bryan Kelly Roddy
- Headquarters
- FL
- Founded
- 2020
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 11
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost is about typical for a quick-service restaurants franchise (near the category median).
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $35K | $35K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $15K | $35K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $338K | $563K |
| Total initial investment | $388K | $633K |
Source: Frutta Bowls 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $388K – $633K
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $15K – $35K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $35K – $35K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 3.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of net sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 3.0% of net sales |
| Technology fee | $605 |
| Training fee | $400 |
| Transfer fee | $18K |
| Renewal fee | $18K |
| Inventory (initial) | $5K – $10K |
| Total fee load | 9.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 54% below the quick-service restaurants norm.
Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system
Reported as net sales, not gross sales
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19
Single-unit · not modelled
Returns at a glance
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit, and the operating costs that turn one into the other are in no filing. We publish no modelled return for Frutta Bowls until someone supplies them — yours, in the models below.
—
Not modelled yet
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
Total invested capital · disclosed
$535K
Item 7 initial investment plus working capital, as filed — the one figure here that needs no assumption.
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, read against the 30–60% reference band · Yale SOM, Post-MBA Path Exhibit 2 (2023). Below that band a passive index fund likely outperforms; above it the franchisor has pricing power you're subsidizing.
Note: Item 19 revenue is what the franchisor discloses, and it is the top line only — gross sales are not profit. No FDD discloses the operating costs that turn one into the other, so those fields start empty and nothing is modelled until you supply them from your own lease quote, labor market and build-out budget.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Frutta Bowls unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
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%.
Not modelled yet
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
A 25-unit return is built on a per-unit EBITDA. Fill in the operating costs in Model A above and this model runs on that figure, or take the whole scenario to the full ROI workbench, where the portfolio and LBO models accept your own per-unit economics directly.
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: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system
Reported as net sales, not gross sales
- Avg gross sales
- $451K
- 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
- gross sales
- Sample size
- 21 outlets
- vs category median 19
- Range (low → high)
- $156K→$1.6MNot cited — published from our reading of the franchisor's disclosure document; the page it is printed on has not been located.
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2025
- Disclosed in the 2025 filing, covering 2024
Compared against 781 Quick-Service Restaurants brands
Revenue is only 0.9x the investment. This means each unit may take 5+ years to recoup the initial outlay at typical margins.
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 $451K/year in gross sales. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 0.9x. Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 9.0% — above the Quick-Service Restaurants median of 7.5%.
Disclosure
Transparency score 0/10 — minimal disclosure beyond the required average. Hard to judge the distribution of outcomes across units.
Operator retention
System contracting at -13.8% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven consolidation or franchisee exits.
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 medians
How Frutta Bowls Compares
Category median of published Quick-Service Restaurants brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 26
- Opened
- 4
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 6
- Terminated
- 1
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 4
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 23.1%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 96%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -13.8%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -13.8%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 1
- Not renewed
- 4
- Transferred
- 2
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 16
- 0.62 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 12
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Transfer rate
- 7.7%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Termination rate
- 19.2%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 19.2%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 11 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.
11
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.
- Total loans
- 20
- Loan volume
- $4.2M
- Median loan
- $165K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 20.0%
- on 20 loans · 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)
- 80.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 50.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 10
- Defaults
- 2
- Typical loan rate
- 8.2%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 10.8%
- brand above franchise avg ↑
- Jobs supported
- 310
- 8.1 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 33%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 83% went to startups / new businesses, 17% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in limited-service restaurants, franchised businesses charge off at 10.8% vs 10.0% for independents — franchising is associated with 8% higher SBA default risk in this category.
Top lenders financing Frutta Bowls franchisees
Showing 3 of 10 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.
Lender network · 7(a) + 504
SBA Lending Report
Full lending analysis for Frutta Bowls from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 7.6%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 76%
- Avg interest rate
- 8.18%
- Avg chargeoff amount
- $146K
- Lender concentration
- 33.3%
- Job velocity
- 8.1 per $100K
- NAICS benchmark
- 8.7%
- NAICS 722513
- Jobs supported
- 310
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 33% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stearns Bank National Association | 6 | $925K | 16.7% |
| 2 | Readycap Lending, LLC | 3 | $752K | 33.3% |
| 3 | Telhio Credit Union Inc | 2 | $219K | N/A |
| 4 | The Huntington National Bank | 2 | $412K | N/A |
| 5 | Hanover Community Bank | 1 | $145K | 0.0% |
| 6 | First Bank of the Lake | 1 | $596K | N/A |
| 7 | Frost Bank | 1 | $149K | N/A |
| 8 | First Community Bank | 1 | $425K | N/A |
| 9 | BayFirst National Bank | 1 | $205K | N/A |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHOhio | 5 | 0 | 0.0% |
| NJNew Jersey | 4 | 1 | 25.0% |
| AZArizona | 2 | 0 | -- |
| PAPennsylvania | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| DEDelaware | 1 | 1 | 100.0% |
| GAGeorgia | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| KYKentucky | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| TXTexas | 1 | 0 | -- |
| VAVirginia | 1 | 0 | -- |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Borrower profile
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
A 20.0% charge-off rate means roughly 1 in 5 franchisees failed to repay their SBA loan. Investigate what changed.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 20.0% — 25% above the 16.0% national norm, i.e. higher 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
Declining unit base, regulatory history, opaque financials, and high capital requirement make this a caution-to-high-risk investment requiring extensive due diligence.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
Two predecessor (Frutta Bowls Franchising, L.L.C.) regulatory actions: (1) NY AG Assurance of Discontinuance 2018 for selling franchises without registration, including $3,000 payment and rescission offer; (2) Maryland Securities Commissioner Consent Order 2018 for same, with rescission offer to 2 franchisees. Current franchisor discloses no litigation.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Subject: the company or an affiliate. Disclosed (Item 4 covers the last 10 years)
Predecessor Frutta Bowls Franchising, L.L.C. filed Chapter 11 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey (Case No. 19-13230(MBK)) on February 15, 2019. Current entity acquired predecessor assets per Court order dated December 28, 2020.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Hill, Barth & King LLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Financial statements are the audited consolidated statements of the parent/guarantor, Restaurant Co., LLC dba WOWorks (and subsidiaries), not the franchisor SW-Frutta Bowls Franchising Co., LLC, alone. FY2024 ended Sept 29, 2024. Total revenue $32,134,573 comprises: Franchise and royalty $10,220,907; Food and beverage $12,382,154; Support and marketing fees $9,447,996; Rental income from subleases $83,516. Member's equity is a deficit of $(924,730). Prior FY2023 statements audited by Zapken & Loeb LLP (merged with Hill, Barth & King LLC).
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- 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 18 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDUnit count declined 7.4% year-over-year (26 units) indicates system contraction and potential market saturation or operational challenges
- 02MINORTwo concluded administrative actions against predecessor company for franchise registration and sales compliance violations suggest regulatory/disclosure issues
- 03MEDHigh investment range ($387.5K–$632.5K) with undisclosed profitability creates significant financial risk without transparent earnings data
- 04MEDFranchise term limited to 10 years (shorter than industry standard 15-20 years) may indicate franchisor uncertainty or higher renewal risk
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 9.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · 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 | Protected territory |
| 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 | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 15 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 24 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 9 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | Montgomery County, PA (litigation venue; mediation optional at franchisor's discretion in Philadelphia, PA) |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | PA |
| Litigation count | 2 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Two predecessor (Frutta Bowls Franchising, L.L.C.) regulatory actions: (1) NY AG Assurance of Discontinuance 2018 for selling franchises without registration, including $3,000 payment and rescission offer; (2) Maryland Securities Commissioner Consent Order 2018 for same, with rescission offer to 2 franchisees. Current franchisor discloses no litigation.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 15 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 56 hrs
- Training location
- Wall, NJ (classroom virtual / OJT at company-owned or franchised restaurant)
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 56 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Site selection
- Franchisee with franchisor approval; franchisor provides Site Search Area exclusivity for 6 months during site selection
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
48 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Frutta Bowls franchise?
The total investment to open a Frutta Bowls franchise ranges from $388K – $633K, with an initial franchise fee of $35K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Frutta Bowls franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Frutta Bowls FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $451K. Important context: Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system; Reported as net sales, not gross sales. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
Who owns Frutta Bowls?
Frutta Bowls is franchised by SW-Frutta Bowls Franchising Co., LLC. Its parent company is Restaurant Co., LLC dba WOWorks. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is CLP Dining, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Frutta Bowls 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 Frutta Bowls FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Frutta Bowls's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Frutta Bowls has a charge-off rate of 20.0% across 20 loans, meaning 20.0% 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 Frutta Bowls franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Frutta Bowls has 26 total units in the United States, including 25 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 4 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Frutta Bowls a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Frutta Bowls as a F-grade franchise with a verdict score of 18 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. 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
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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.