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Maui Wowi Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026

Quick-Service RestaurantsAZFranchising since 2015
DBelow averageBelow average28/100Editorial grade from public filings; not investment advice.
Investment
$103K – $597K
Disclosed sales
not disclosed
SBA charge-off
36.6%
on 47 loans

Investment, fees, disclosed sales, units, SBA record and risk, as one PDF. Free; no spam; one click to unsubscribe.

FV-01590FDD 2025Data QualityStandard71%
Manager-run OKNo: No territory protection

Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records

Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology

Maui Wowi is a franchise serving Hawaiian-style fruit smoothies and espresso from carts, kiosks, and shops at events and fixed sites. Franchisees run a mobile or storefront operation managing blending, service, and event bookings.

FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026

A Maui Wowi franchise requires a total initial investment of $103K – $597K, including a $30K – $50K franchise fee. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. SBA 7(a) loans show a 36.6% charge-off rate across 47 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: D (Below average), 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 scored3 of 3 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.

Overview

Investment
$103K – $597K
6th pct Service Resta…
Avg gross sales
N/A
Royalty
Not extracted
Units
80
73rd pct Service Resta…
SBA charge-off
36.6%
% of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category

Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers

Total Investment
$103K – $597K
Median $486K
below median ↓, better than category
Franchise Fee
$30K – $50K
Median $35K
above median ↑, worse than category
Liquid Capital Req'd
$0 – $50K
Median $33K
below median ↓, better than category
Avg Revenue
Not disclosed
Franchisor makes none
Royalty Rate
Not extracted
Median 5.5%
Ongoing Fees
15.0% of rev
Median 7.5%
above median ↑, worse than category
SBA Charge-Off Rate
36.6%
47 loans · Median 14.3%
above median ↑, worse than category
System Size
80 units
Median 18 units
above median ↑, better than category
Turnover Rate
12.5%
Median 0.0%
Territory
None
The franchisor can open or license outlets nearby
Owner-Operator
Optional
Can hire a manager
Litigation
20 cases
Review carefully

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 $103K – $597K including a $30K franchise fee.
  • RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
  • RISKVerdict D (Below average), verdict score 28/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 36.6% across 47 loans (well above the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
  • GROWTHNegative: net -9 franchised outlets in the latest year (1 opened, 10 closed) (Item 20).
  • LEGAL20 litigation matters disclosed in Item 3, higher than typical. Of the 15 listed on this page, 3 name the franchisor itself, 11 its parent, affiliates or predecessor, 1 an officer personally. Pending claims are allegations, not findings.

Item 1 · who you're contracting with

The Franchisor

Corporate structure & franchisor financials
Legal entity
Kahala Franchising, L.L.C.
Parent company
MTY Franchising USA, Inc.
FDD Item 1, page 7 of the 2025 FDD
Ultimate parent
MTY Food Group, Inc.
FDD Item 1, page 7 of the 2025 FDD
Predecessor
Maui Wowi Franchising, Inc.
Prior franchisor entity
CEO title
Chief Executive Officer
Eric Lefebvre
CEO experience
13 yrs
Years in role or industry
Incorporated in
AZ
HQ
9311 E. Via De Ventura, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258
Auditor
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC)
Audited financials
Franchisor revenue
$580.3M
vs $263.7M prior year
Management churn noted
Frequent turnover
Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes

Affiliated brands

  • Maui Wowi International
  • of Kahala Franchising

Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).

Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 7

26 other brands on this site name MTY Food Group, Inc. as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.

Portfolio: MTY Food Group

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
Eric Lefebvre
Headquarters
AZ
Founded
2008
FDD year
2025
States available
29

Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?

Entry cost runs 28% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.

Total investment (Item 7)$103K – $597KCited, not corroborated — printed on page 45 of the 2025 FDD (Item 7). Nothing else in our record independently restates or re-derives it.
Franchise fee$30,000Cited, not corroborated — printed on page 35 of the 2025 FDD (Item 5). Nothing else in our record independently restates or re-derives it.
RoyaltyNot extracted
Ad fundNot extracted
Working capital$0 – $50K

Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7

Full Item 7 breakdown14 line items

Initial investment breakdown

Item 7 initial investment line items
Line itemLowHigh
Initial Franchise Fee (Note 2)$24K$50K
Travel and Living Expenses (2 persons) while training, not including salaries, if any, for you and your employees (Note 3)$650$7K
Architect’s Fees (Note 5)$10K$20K
Real Estate Lease (Note 19) (Note 4)$1K$30K
Fixed Kiosk (Note 10)$0$128K
Equipment/décor (Notes 6 and 8)$9K$38K
Construction (Note 6)$32K$210K
Opening Inventory (Note 11)$2K$10K
Signage (Note 12)$7K$16K
POS System, Credit Card Processing and Back Office Computer Equipment (Optional) (Note 13)$3K$15K
Miscellaneous Opening Costs (Note 13)$3K$8K
Additional Funds – 3 months (Note 15)$0$50K
Grand Opening Marketing (Note 18)$10K$10K
Business Insurance (Note 20)$1K$5K
Total initial investment$103K$597K

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
$103K – $597K
Top 40% of category vs category
Liquid capital req'd
$0 – $50K
Top 40% of category vs category
Franchise fee
$30K – $50K
Top 40% of category vs category
Royalty
No royalty on gross sales. Instead, franchisor earns reve…
Ad fund
15% of the purchase price of Maui Wowi Products (product-…
Total fee load
15.0%
vs 9–13% typical

Ongoing fees · Item 6

Maui Wowi: Item 6 recurring fees
FeeAmount
Technology fee$99
Training fee$1K
Transfer fee$8K
Renewal fee$8K
Inventory (initial)$2K – $7K
Total fee load15.0% of rev
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Blue values = direct from FDD (Item 7 investment, Item 19 revenue, Item 6 fees)Not set = no filing supplies it and we will not substitute one. Enter your own

Maui Wowi makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.

Returns model · single-unit ROIC

What would one Maui Wowi unit return on the cash you put in?

From FDDNot set — you supply itYou overrode an FDD value
Revenue · per unit, per yearnot set
Item 19 not disclosed. Enter your own revenue assumption
Franchisor take · royalty + ad fundnot set
typ 6–8%
typ 3–5%
Operating costs · not in any FDDnot set

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.

Total invested capital · what you put in to openFDD
FDD Item 7: $103K–$597K (midpoint used)
Item 7 didn't break this out. Enter your pre-opening cash burn

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 annual revenue, royalty rate, ad fund rate, 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.


Store EBITDA · annual
—
EBITDA margin
—
Total invested
$375K
Payback
—
Single-unit only. A multi-unit portfolio gives up roughly 5–15% of this to shared services (corporate G&A) before reaching the ~10-unit break-even point.

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

No financial performance representation

This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.

Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.

Showing the headline figures — all 135 extracted fields are in the Full FDD Report · $19 →

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 15.0% — above the Quick-Service Restaurants median of 7.5%.

Disclosure

This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.

Operator retention

System contracting at -18.4% 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 Maui Wowi Compares

Metric
Maui Wowi
Category median
vs median
Investment
$350K
$486Kmiddle half $342K–$748K · n=780
Below median, better than category
Revenue
N/A
$975Kmiddle half $664K–$1.4M · n=284
N/A
Unit Count
80
18middle half 5–79 · n=755
Above median, better than category

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?

Total units80Cited, not corroborated — printed on page 84 of the 2025 FDD. Nothing else in our record independently restates or re-derives it.
3-yr growth-18.4% (worth scrutinizing)
Turnover rate12.5% (caution)

Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20

Unit growth

Item 20 · unit dynamics

The Growth Chart

Total units
80
Opened
1
Last reporting year
Closed
10
Terminated
0
Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
Non-renewed
8
Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
Turnover rate
12.5%
Company-owned
0
Corporate units in the system
% franchised
100%
vs corporate-owned
Net growth (3-yr)
-18.4%
Net unit change over 3 years
3-yr CAGR
-18.4%
Compounded over last 3 years

Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers

Terminated
0
Not renewed
8
Reacquired
0
Franchisor bought back
Signed, not yet open
0
0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
Projected new
0
Franchisor's next-year forecast
Termination rate
8.7%
Franchisor-initiated terminations
Ceased ops
13.8%
Units that stopped operating
2022
98
Franchised units
2023
89-9
Franchised units
2024
80-9
Franchised units

Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.

Item 12 · 29 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.

29

states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)

Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list

1 current owner across 1 state.

  • TX 1

Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20; 1 entries carry no state. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.

Growth insight

A system losing more than 10% of its units year-over-year is a red flag. Check whether closures are concentrated in specific regions.

SBA loan performance

Government records

SBA Loan Data

Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.

F
SBA Lending Health
Weak SBA lending record · 36.6% charge-off
Total loans
47
Loan volume
$6.6M
Median loan
$123K
50th percentile
Charge-off rate
36.6%
on 47 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)
63.4%
5-yr charge-off
N/A
Loans approved 2021+
Active lenders
29
Defaults
15
Typical loan rate
5.1%
avg rate to borrowers
Franchised industry avg
31.2%
brand above franchise avg ↑
Jobs supported
347
6.0 per loan
Lender concentration
14%
top lender's share

Franchise vs independent — in snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars, franchised businesses charge off at 31.2% vs 27.4% for independents — franchising is associated with 14% higher SBA default risk in this category.

Vintage analysis

Maui Wowi charge-off rate by loan vintage

BrandNational avg
Maui Wowi charge-off rate by loan vintage. Showing 7 vintages from 2002 to 2008. Rates range from 0.0% to 75.0%.0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%60%65%70%75%'02'03'04'05'06'07'08

Top lenders financing Maui Wowi franchisees

Bank of America, National Association6 loans33.3%
TD Bank, National Association3 loans66.7%
Wells Fargo Bank National Association3 loans33.3%

Showing 3 of 29 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 Maui Wowi from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.

Principal loss rate
31.7%
Avg SBA guarantee
74%
Avg interest rate
5.12%
Avg chargeoff amount
$122K
Lender concentration
14.3%
Job velocity
6.0 per $100K
NAICS benchmark
30.1%
NAICS 722213
Jobs supported
347

Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 14% of loans

#LenderLoansVolumeDefault %
1Bank of America, National Association6$229K33.3%
2TD Bank, National Association3$625K66.7%
3Wells Fargo Bank National Association3$316K33.3%
4Columbia Bank3$670K66.7%
5Celtic Bank Corporation3$450K50.0%
6PNC Bank, National Association2$194K50.0%
7Comerica Bank2$246K50.0%
8Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company1$60K0.0%
9Home Federal Bank1$142K0.0%
10East West Bank1$85K0.0%

Geographic failure vector

StateLoansDefaultsRate
CACalifornia12541.7%
NJNew Jersey4375.0%
MIMichigan3133.3%
TXTexas3266.7%
AZArizona2150.0%
MOMissouri200.0%
NYNew York200.0%
VAVirginia21100.0%
CTConnecticut100.0%
DCWashington DC100.0%

SBA 7(a) lending trend

2002
7
2003
5
2004
6
2005
3
2006
5
2007
6
2008
4
2009
1
2012
1
2014
3
2015
1

Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict

Lending insight

A 36.6% charge-off rate means roughly 1 in 3 franchisees failed to repay their SBA loan. Investigate what changed.

What could kill this investment?

SBA loans charge off at 36.6% — 128% above the 16.0% national norm, i.e. higher lender-observed risk.

SBA charge-off36.6% · 47 loans
Verdict score28/100 (higher is better)
Litigation20 cases
Auditor going-concern doubtNo (favorable vs category)

Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21

Risk analysis

FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21

Risk & Legal

DBelow average28Verdict score 28/100

Maui Wowi presents HIGH RISK due to contracting franchise system, undisclosed unit economics, material litigation history, and unclear parent company financial viability—franchisees should demand verified financial statements and current unit performance data before committing.

High confidence±4 pts
2432

Litigation (Item 3)

Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).

Multiple concluded arbitration and litigation matters involving Kahala Franchising and its MTY USA affiliates. Cases include franchisee breach of contract disputes, financial performance misrepresentation claims (Papa Murphy's class action settled for up to $4M per group), trademark infringement suits, and regulatory consent orders involving predecessor brands. Two active suits filed by franchisor in fiscal year 2024 (breach of contract and forcible detainer). Several predecessor regulatory actions involving Maui Wowi Franchising in Maryland.

Largest disclosed settlement: $585,000

Bankruptcy (Item 4)

None disclosed

Audited financials (Item 21)

Yes · PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC)

Franchisor revenue (Item 21)

Yr 1: $580.3MYr 2: $263.7MNon-royalty: $51.7M

Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)

Item 21 financial statements are the consolidated audited financials of the franchisor's parent/guarantor, MTY Franchising USA, Inc., not Maui Wowi/Kahala Franchising L.L.C. alone. Figures in thousands of USD; FY ended Nov 30, 2023 (yr1) and Nov 30, 2022 (yr2). The FY2023 revenue increase reflects mergers/acquisitions of affiliated entities (combined revenues per Item 1). Auditor opinion signed by PwC, Montreal, Canada, Feb 2, 2024.

ⓘ 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: 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 28 / 100 verdict

  1. 01MINORUnit count declining 10.1% year-over-year (80 units) indicates system contraction and weak franchisee retention
  2. 02MEDNo Item 19 financial disclosures (avg revenue/net income not disclosed) prevents assessment of actual unit profitability
  3. 03HIGHSignificant litigation history involving predecessors, affiliates, and multiple restaurant brands under common ownership with breach of contract and misrepresentation claims raises operator integrity concerns
  4. 04MINORHigh franchise fee ($30,000) combined with declining unit count suggests franchisor may be dependent on new recruitment over system growth

Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification

Showing the headline figures — all 135 extracted fields are in the Full FDD Report · $19 →

Full litigation history from the FDD (Items 3 and 4) →

Litigation case detail20 matters · Item 3

Litigation cases

The franchisor

Concluded (2)

  • KOHO, Inc. v. Kahala Franchising, L.L.C.

    settled

    Brought by a franchisee · filed 2015 · Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles · BC572565

    “KOHO, Inc. v. Kahala Franchising, L.L.C.; Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles; Case No.: BC572565. On or about February 17, 2015, Koho, Inc. (“Koho”) filed a Complaint against Kahala Franchising, L.L.C. (“Kahala”) alleging: (i) breach of contract; (ii) unjust enrichment; and (iii) declaratory relief.”Page 24 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“On June 19, 2017, the parties entered into a settlement agreement whereby Kahala repurchased Koho’s Area Developer territory for the sum of $75,000 and forgave the remaining damages owed in the amount of $130,000.”

  • Texas Nrgize #1, Inc. v. Kahala Franchising, L.L.C. and Kahala Holdings, L.L.C.

    settled

    Brought by a franchisee · filed 2014 · 67th Judicial District Court, Tarrant County, Texas; removed to United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas; transferred to District of Arizona · 067-272652-14; 4:14-cv-544-Y; CV15-0337 PHX DGC

    “Texas Nrgize #1, Inc. v. Kahala Franchising, L.L.C. and Kahala Holdings, L.L.C.; 67th Judicial District Court, Tarrant County, Texas; Civil Action No.: 067-272652-14 subsequently removed to United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas; Case No.: 4:14-cv-544-Y.”Page 24 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“In December 2015, the parties executed a settlement agreement in which Defendant paid Plaintiff the sum of $35,000. The parties filed a Stipulation to Dismiss With Prejudice on December 18, 2015.” (page 26)

Status not stated in the filing (1)

  • Kahala Franchising, L.L.C. v. All About Food, Inc. and Chu Yup Lee a/k/a Michale Lee

    Brought against a franchisee · Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Lake County, Illinois · 2024LA00000001

    “Suit for Breach of Contract Kahala Franchising, L.L.C. v. All About Food, Inc. and Chu Yup Lee a/k/a Michale Lee; In the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Lake County, Illinois; Case No.: 2024LA00000001.”Page 34 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

Parent, affiliates and predecessor

Concluded (10)

  • Pretzelsdallas1, Inc. v. Wetzel’s Pretzels, L.L.C.

    settled

    Brought by a franchisee · Wetzel’s Pretzels, L.L.C. · filed 2019 · American Arbitration Association, Los Angeles, California · AAA Case No.01-19-0002- 9326

    “Pretzelsdallas1, Inc. v. Wetzel’s Pretzels, L.L.C.; Los Angeles, California; AAA Case No.01- 19-0002-9326. On or about July 19, 2017, we entered into a franchise agreement with Pretzelsdallas1, Inc. (then known as Triple Scoops, Inc.). On or about September 11, 2019, Pretzelsdallas1, Inc., (“Claimant/Counter Respondent”) a franchisee, filed a demand for arbitration against Wetzel’s Pretzels,”Page 29 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“September 24, 2021, the parties entered into a settlement agreement, in which a mutual release of all claims was agreed to, and Respondent/Counter Claimant paid Claimant/Counter Respondent the sum of $125,000. The matter was subsequently dismissed with prejudice.” (page 30)

  • Desert Ribs, L.L.C., Famous Gracie, L.L.C., Famous Freddie, L.L.C., Famous George, L.L.C. and Famous Charlie, L.L.C. v. Famous Dave’s of America, Inc.

    settled

    Brought by a franchisee · Famous Dave’s of America, Inc. · filed 2016-03-14 · American Arbitration Association, Minneapolis, Minnesota · 01 16 0000 8549

    “Desert Ribs, L.L.C., Famous Gracie, L.L.C., Famous Freddie, L.L.C., Famous George, L.L.C. and Famous Charlie, L.L.C. v. Famous Dave’s of America, Inc., American Arbitration Association, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Case No. 01 16 0000 8549. On March 14, 2016, the franchisees for the Famous Dave’s® Restaurants in Chandler, Peoria, Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona (“Claimants”) filed a Demand for Arbitration”Page 27 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
  • Famous Dave’s of America, Inc. v. Allan Gantes; John Gantes; M Mart 1, L.L.C.; Kurt Schneiter; Shoreline FD Investors, L.L.C.; SR El Centro FD, Inc. SR Long Beach FD, Inc.; SR Palmdale FD, Inc.; SR Restaurant Holdings Group, Inc.; SR Simi Valley FD, Inc.; SR Tracey FD, Inc.

    settled

    Brought against a franchisee · Famous Dave’s of America, Inc. · filed 2015-07-24 · Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, Central Division · BC589329

    “Famous Dave’s of America, Inc. v. Allan Gantes; John Gantes; M Mart 1, L.L.C.; Kurt Schneiter; Shoreline FD Investors, L.L.C.; SR El Centro FD, Inc. SR Long Beach FD, Inc.; SR Palmdale FD, Inc.; SR Restaurant Holdings Group, Inc.; SR Simi Valley FD, Inc.; SR Tracey FD, Inc.; Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, Central Division, Case No. BC589329.”Page 28 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“On September 29, 2018, the parties agreed to enter into a confidential settlement agreement and a mutual release of claims (the “El Centro Settlement Agreement”), which contained the following material terms: (i) SR Defendants received $75,000 towards the payment of their attorney’s fees contingent” (page 29)

  • Purav Enterprises, L.L.C., Balwant Bahia, and Paramjit Samra v. The Extreme Pita Franchising USA, Inc., EP Development, Inc., and Feisal Ramjee

    settled

    Brought by a franchisee · The Extreme Pita Franchising USA, Inc. · filed 2015-06-22 · Superior Court of the State of Washington for King County · 15-2-15120-7

    “Purav Enterprises, L.L.C., Balwant Bahia, and Paramjit Samra v. The Extreme Pita Franchising USA, Inc., EP Development, Inc., and Feisal Ramjee ; Superior Court of the State of Washington for King County, Case No. 15-2-15120-7. On June 22, 2015, Purav Enterprises, L.L.C., Balwant Bahia, and Paramjit Samra (collectively “Plaintiffs”), filed a complaint against The Extreme Pita Franchising USA,”Page 23 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“The parties entered into a settlement agreement on March 11, 2016, in which Defendants paid Plaintiffs the sum of $20,000. The matter was dismissed on March 16, 2016.”

  • Rob & Bud’s Pizza, L.L.C. v. Papa Murphy’s International, Inc. and Papa Murphy’s International, L.L.C.

    settled

    Brought by a franchisee · Papa Murphy’s International, Inc. and Papa Murphy’s International, L.L.C. · filed 2015-04-17 · United States District Court for the Western District of Washington · 5:15-cv-05090- TLB

    “Rob & Bud’s Pizza, L.L.C. v. Papa Murphy’s International, Inc. and Papa Murphy’s International, L.L.C.; United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Case No. 5:15-cv-05090-TLB. In spring 2015, Papa Murphy’s sent a notice of default to plaintiff for alleged defaults under the plaintiff’s franchise agreements.”Page 31 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“The case was dismissed with prejudice as part of a settlement with plaintiff in this case and the LMP case under which Papa Murphy’s purchased plaintiff’s nine Papa Murphy’s stores at an agreed upon value of the stores’ assets plus $500,000.”

  • DTD Pizza LLC, et al. v. Papa Murphy’s International LLC, et al. (consolidated with Mitch and Kristen Brink, et al. v. Papa Murphy’s International LLC, et al.)

    settled

    Brought by a franchisee · Papa Murphy’s International LLC (and related Papa Murphy’s entities, board members and executives) · filed 2014 · Washington Superior Court, Clark County · 14-2-00904-0 (consolidated with 14-2- 01743-3)

    “DTD Pizza LLC, Brian Watson, Alton Spears, LMP Enterprises LLC, Pizza Enterprises LLC, Alan and Denise Barnett, DOB Enterprises, Inc., Douglas and Lesia Billing, Rob & Bud's Pizza, Robert J. Dickerson Trust UA, Rob Dickerson, 4LM Enterprises, Inc., Jana and Randell Liles, Ben and Kim Mayfield, SEAMS Holdings LLC, Scott and Erica Shelby, Robert Hoersting, PM Savannah LLC, James and Mona King, Hans”Page 30 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“Each of the plaintiff groups entered into settlements with Papa Murphy’s in which they dismissed all of their claims against defendants with prejudice and the action was dismissed in June 2020.” (page 31)

  • Urquieta Sweet Frog, L.L.C. and Ana Urquieta v. SweetFrog Enterprises, L.L.C. d/b/a SFF, L.L.C.

    settled

    Brought by a franchisee · SweetFrog Enterprises, L.L.C. d/b/a SFF, L.L.C. · filed 2014-12-23 · American Arbitration Association · 01 14 0001 8086

    “Urquieta Sweet Frog, L.L.C. and Ana Urquieta v. SweetFrog Enterprises, L.L.C. d/b/a SFF, L.L.C., American Arbitration Association; Case No. 01 14 0001 8086. On December 23, 2014, Urquieta Sweet Frog, L.L.C. and Ana Urquieta, a former sweetFrog franchisee and its owner (collectively “Plaintiffs”), filed a Demand for Arbitration against SweetFrog Enterprises, L.L.C. (“Defendant”).”Page 26 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“This matter was settled in December of 2015. Under the settlement, Defendant agreed to pay Plaintiffs $300,000 and the parties executed mutual releases.”

  • Fresh Enterprises, L.L.C. v. Ledang Investment Group, L.L.C., Vincent Tienn Le, Ho Tien Le and Hue This Dang

    settled

    Third-party plaintiff · Fresh Enterprises, L.L.C. (successor in interest to BF Acquisition, L.L.C.) · filed 2013-07-02 · Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara; arbitrated before the American Arbitration Association · 1-13-CV-257219 (as captioned); AAA 72-20-1400-0126

    “Fresh Enterprises, L.L.C. v. Ledang Investment Group, L.L.C., Vincent Tienn Le, Ho Tien Le and Hue This Dang Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara, Case No. 1-13-CV-257219. On July 2, 2013, Fresh Enterprises, L.L.C., as successor-in-interest to Baja Fresh Westlake Village, Inc.”Page 27 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“On February 2, 2015, the Arbitrator issued an award in favor of Cross Claimants Ledang in the amount of $660,620.84. The parties entered into a Settlement and Release Agreement on July 20, 2015, under which Counter Defendants paid the Cross Claimants Ledang the sum of $585,000 and the matter was dismissed with prejudice.”

  • In the Matter of Maui Wowi Franchising, Inc., Before the Securities Commissioner of Maryland, Case No. 2007-0194

    concluded

    Government or regulatory action · Maui Wowi Franchising, Inc. (predecessor in interest to Kahala Franchising, L.L.C.) · filed 2007 · Securities Commissioner of Maryland · 2007-0194

    “In the Matter of Maui Wowi Franchising, Inc., Before the Securities Commissioner of Maryland, Case No. 2007-0194. On September 12, 2007, “MWF” entered into a Consent Order with the Maryland Commissioner resulting from MWF inadvertently entering into two franchise agreements with two Maryland residents (“Second Maryland Franchisees”) without delivering to them the appropriate Offering Circular.”Page 33 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“... training program or trainer to monitor MWF’s franchise activities in Maryland for two years; and to reimburse the Maryland Attorney General for its investigation and resolution costs in the total amount of $2,500.”

  • In the Matter of Maui Wowi Franchising, Inc., Before the Securities Commissioner of Maryland, Case No. 2005-0651

    concluded

    Government or regulatory action · Maui Wowi Franchising, Inc. (predecessor in interest to Kahala Franchising, L.L.C.) · filed 2005 · Securities Commissioner of Maryland · 2005-0651

    “In the Matter of Maui Wowi Franchising, Inc., Before the Securities Commissioner of Maryland, Case No. 2005-0651. On November 11, 2005, Maui Wowi Franchising, Inc., the predecessor franchisor of the Maui Wowi brand (“MWF”), entered into a Consent Order with the Securities Commissioner of Maryland (“Commissioner”) resulting from MWF inadvertently entering into four franchise agreements with”Page 32 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

Status not stated in the filing (1)

  • Cold Stone Creamery Leasing Company, Inc. v. JRF, Inc.

    Brought against a franchisee · Cold Stone Creamery Leasing Company, Inc. · Iowa District Court for Dallas County · SCSC050015

    “Suit for Forcible Entry and Detainer Cold Stone Creamery Leasing Company, Inc. v. JRF, Inc.; Iowa District Court for Dallas County; Case No.: SCSC050015.”Page 34 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

Officers and directors (individuals, not the company)

Concluded (1)

  • In re: Restaurants Acquisition I, L.L.C. (Giuliano vs. W. Craig Barber et. al.)

    settled

    Third-party plaintiff · W. Craig Barber (Chief Executive Officer) and Robert Langford (Chief Concept Officer – Family Restaurant Division) · filed 2017 · United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware · 15-12406 (KG)

    “In re: Restaurants Acquisition I, L.L.C. (Giuliano vs. W. Craig Barber et. al. United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on December 2, 2015 (Case No. 15-12406 (KG)). On December 1, 2017, the Chapter 7 trustee in the Restaurants Acquisition I, L.L.C. (“RAI”) bankruptcy proceeding filed suit in the United States Bankruptcy Court against our Chief Executive Officer W.”Page 29 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3

    Outcome:“On March 6, 2019, Barber and Langford each settled with the Chapter 7 trustee by each agreeing to pay to the trustee and estate separate payments totaling $150,000 each over a three-year period.”

This list shows 15 of the 20 matters Item 3 discloses; the rest are in the filing.

Item 3 lists the litigation the franchisor must disclose; a matter against a parent, an affiliate or a named officer is not a matter against the franchisor, and pending claims are allegations, not findings.

What are you signing up for?

Ongoing fees run about 15.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.

Initial term10 yrs
Renewal term10 yrs
TerritoryNone (caution)
Initial training40 hrs

Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17

FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal

Contract & Territory Detail

Initial term10 years
Renewal term10 years
Allowed renewalsℹ1
Territory typeNo territory protection
Protected territoryNo
Exclusive territoryℹNo
Online sales rightsℹRestricted
Franchisor can competeYes
Hire a manager?Allowed
Owner-operatorOptional
Non-compete (years)ℹ2 years
Non-compete (miles)ℹ10 mi
Right of first refusalℹYes
Transfer requires consentYes
Termination notice30 days
Curable defaultsℹ6
Mandatory arbitrationYes
Arbitration locationfranchisee_state
Jury trial waiverYes
Governing lawState where Franchised Business is located
Litigation count20
View Item 3 litigation summary

Multiple concluded arbitration and litigation matters involving Kahala Franchising and its MTY USA affiliates. Cases include franchisee breach of contract disputes, financial performance misrepresentation claims (Papa Murphy's class action settled for up to $4M per group), trademark infringement suits, and regulatory consent orders involving predecessor brands. Two active suits filed by franchisor in fiscal year 2024 (breach of contract and forcible detainer). Several predecessor regulatory actions involving Maui Wowi Franchising in Maryland.

Items 10, 11

Training & Operations

Classroom training
0 hrs
On-the-job training
40 hrs
Training location
Scottsdale, Arizona or another site designated by Kahala Franchising
Ongoing training
Required
Site selection
Franchisee
Franchisor financing
Offered
Item 10

Items 5 & 11

Franchisor Support

✓Site selection assistance
✓Grand opening support
✓Lease negotiation help

Item 20 · call current owners

Franchisee Contacts

2 owners to call

Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20

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713-907-••••TX

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to open a Maui Wowi franchise?

The total investment to open a Maui Wowi franchise ranges from $103K – $597K, with an initial franchise fee of $30K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

What do Maui Wowi franchise owners earn?

Maui Wowi makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.

Who owns Maui Wowi?

Maui Wowi is franchised by Kahala Franchising, L.L.C.. Its parent company is MTY Franchising USA, Inc.. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is MTY Food Group, Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.

What is Item 19 in the Maui Wowi 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 Maui Wowi FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.

What is Maui Wowi's franchise failure rate?

Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Maui Wowi has a charge-off rate of 36.6% across 47 loans, meaning 36.6% 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 Maui Wowi franchise locations are there?

As of their most recent FDD filing, Maui Wowi has 80 total units in the United States, including 80 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.

Is Maui Wowi a good franchise to buy?

FranchiseVerdict rates Maui Wowi as a D-grade franchise with a verdict score of 28 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.

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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.