Natural Awakenings Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $60K – $86K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Natural Awakenings is a health-and-wellness media franchise publishing local natural-living magazines in print and digital. Franchisees run the publication, selling advertising and managing content, events, and distribution.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Natural Awakenings franchise requires a total initial investment of $60K – $86K, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% royalty[2]. 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. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above 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: high - issued more than two years ago
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 scored4 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $60K – $86K
- 17th pct Business Serv…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 21st pct Business Serv…
- Units
- 47
- 35th pct Business Serv…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Business Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Business Services 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 $60K – $86K including a $50K franchise fee, 7.0% ongoing royalty.
- 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 B (Above average), verdict score 64/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHNegative: net -1 franchised outlets in the latest year (0 opened, 1 closed); 6 signed but not yet open (Item 20).
- DECLINESystem contracting at -8.0% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven (consolidation) or franchisee-driven (economics).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp.
- Parent company
- KnoWEwell, P.B.C.
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2024 FDD
- Predecessor
- Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. (Florida)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- CEO
- Kimberly Whittle
- Incorporated in
- DE
- HQ
- 350 Main Street, Building 1, Suite 9B, Bedminster, NJ 07921
- Auditor
- Fuoco & Co. (Margate, Florida)
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $561K
- vs $30K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Kimberly Whittle
- Headquarters
- NJ
- Founded
- 1993
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 18
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 45% below the typical business services franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $6K | $25K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $4K | $12K |
| Total initial investment | $60K | $86K |
Source: Natural Awakenings 2024 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
- $60K – $86K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $6K – $25K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- Set by a formula · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $557 |
| Transfer fee | $8K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Total fee load | 9.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Natural Awakenings 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 Natural Awakenings 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 annual revenue, 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.
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
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.
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 9.0% (near the Business Services median).
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 -8.0% 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 Business Services medians
How Natural Awakenings Compares
Category median of published Business Services 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 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 47
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 1
- Turnover rate
- 2.1%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 98%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -8.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -8.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Reacquired
- 1
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 6
- 0.13 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 8
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 17 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.
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
38 current owners across 17 states.
- FL 7
- NJ 7
- MI 3
- PA 3
- AZ 2
- NC 2
- NY 2
- SC 2
- TX 2
- AL 1
- GA 1
- IL 1
- +5 more states
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.
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
Natural Awakenings presents a CAUTION-to-HIGH RISK profile due to undisclosed financials, contracting unit count, high entry costs, and short contract term that collectively suggest limited growth potential and unproven unit economics.
Why this reads harsher than the B grade: the grade weighs financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency across the whole filing, while this summary lists individual flags without that weighting. The flags are worth checking with current owners; neither is investment advice.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Fuoco & Co. (Margate, Florida)
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Audited Statements of Income, FY ended Dec 31, 2023. Total revenues $560,820 comprise royalty fee income $334,667, national/corporate advertising $158,050, franchise sales and transfer fees $62,500, and late fees and other $5,603. Prior period (inception Sep 1, 2022 to Dec 31, 2022) total revenues $30,040.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 64 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDSystem contracting: 47 units with -2.1% YoY decline indicates shrinking franchise base and potential market saturation or franchisee dissatisfaction
- 02MINORNo financial disclosure: Franchisor does not disclose average revenue or net income (Item 19), making ROI impossible to validate before investment
- 03MINORHigh initial investment relative to unknowns: $59,550–$86,275 total investment with no published performance data creates blind investment scenario
- 04MINORModest minimum royalty floor: $250/month (months 1–6) may insufficient to support franchisor operations, suggesting thin margins or weak system support
- 05MINOR5-year term with high franchise fee: $49,500 fee on a 5-year term (vs. typical 10-year) limits ability to recover costs and profit
- 06MINORDeclining unit count in wellness category: Health/wellness franchises are typically growth sectors; contraction suggests competitive pressure or brand weakness
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 2024 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory population | 500,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Somerset County, New Jersey or U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | NJ |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 27 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- Online/Remote
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 6 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee (home office recommended; no site approval required)
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
39 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 Natural Awakenings franchise?
The total investment to open a Natural Awakenings franchise ranges from $60K – $86K, 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 Natural Awakenings franchise owners earn?
Natural Awakenings 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 Natural Awakenings?
Natural Awakenings is franchised by Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp.. Its parent company is KnoWEwell, P.B.C.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2024 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Natural Awakenings 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 Natural Awakenings FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Natural Awakenings's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Natural Awakenings (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 Natural Awakenings franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Natural Awakenings has 47 total units in the United States, including 46 franchised units and 1 company-owned units.
Is Natural Awakenings a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Natural Awakenings as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 64 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.