Jet-black International, Inc. Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Jet-black International, Inc. franchise requires a total initial investment of $110K – $179K, including a $48K franchise fee. Per the latest FDD, average unit revenue was $706K[2]. SBA 7(a) loans show a 0.0% charge-off rate across 11 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified
Overview
- Investment
- $110K – $179K
- 38th pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- $706K
- 25th pct Home Services
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 132
- 60th pct Home Services
- SBA charge-off
- 0.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Home Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Home Services 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
- Total investment $110K – $179K including a $48K franchise fee.
- Average unit revenue of $706K/year (median $460K).
- Verdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 73/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 0.0% across 11 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Jet-Black International, Inc.
- Predecessor
- Black Dawg Franchise Group LLC
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Nicholas P. Kelso
- Incorporated in
- Minnesota
- HQ
- 12445 Boone Avenue South, Savage, MN 55378
- Franchisor revenue
- $5.8M
- vs $5.6M prior year
Overview
About
Asphalt sealcoating, crack filling, and pavement maintenance services (Jet-Black Businesses) and pavement marking/line striping services (Yellow Dawg Striping Businesses) for residential, commercial, and government properties
- CEO
- Nicholas P. Kelso
- Headquarters
- Minnesota
- Founded
- 1992
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 36% below the typical home services franchise.
Source: FDD · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $48K | $48K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $5K | $5K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $57K | $126K |
| Total initial investment | $110K | $179K |
Source: Jet-black International, Inc. 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
- $110K – $179K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $5K – $5K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $48K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 1% to 8% of Gross Revenues (tiered continuing fee), subje…
- Ad fund
- No advertising fund contribution required; franchisees mu…
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Renewal fee | $3K |
| Inventory (initial) | $28K – $28K |
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 41% below the home services norm.
Source: FDD · 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
$71K
10.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
47%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
25 mo
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $706K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $460K
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Item 19 type
- historical_average
- Sample size
- 42 units
- vs category median 32
- Range (low → high)
- $134K→$5.1M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
Compared against 355 Home Services brands
Revenue is 4.9x the investment midpoint. At typical franchise margins, this suggests a payback under 3 years.
vs Home Services averages
How Jet-black International, Inc. Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 132
- Opened
- N/A
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 3
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 98%
- vs corporate-owned
No multi-year history disclosed and no opening/closing activity in the last reporting year.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 11
- Loan volume
- $609K
- Median loan
- $37K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- 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)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 9
- Defaults
- 0
- Typical loan rate
- 6.0%
- avg rate to borrowers
- vs industry
- N/A
- NAICS 2389
- Jobs supported
- 30
- 4.9 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 18%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 0% went to startups / new businesses, 100% to established operators
Top lenders financing Jet-black International, Inc. franchisees
Showing 3 of 9 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.
With a 0.0% charge-off rate across 11 loans, banks have historically viewed this brand favorably for lending.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 0.0% — 100% 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
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation disclosed in Item 3.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
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: Yes
What are you signing up for?
Source: FDD · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Territory type | exclusive |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory population | 20,000 |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 1 year |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 15 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Governing law | Law of the state where the Business is located |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation disclosed in Item 3.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 36 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 41 hrs
- Training location
- Savage, Minnesota (and remote for some subjects)
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- STARS System
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: STARS System
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Jet-black International, Inc. franchise?
The total investment to open a Jet-black International, Inc. franchise ranges from $110K – $179K, with an initial franchise fee of $48K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Jet-black International, Inc. franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Jet-black International, Inc. FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $706K. The median is $460K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Jet-black International, Inc.'s franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Jet-black International, Inc. has a charge-off rate of 0.0% across 11 loans, meaning 0.0% 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 Jet-black International, Inc. franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Jet-black International, Inc. has 132 total units in the United States.
Is Jet-black International, Inc. a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Jet-black International, Inc. as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 73 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
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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.