Voodoo Brewing Co. Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Voodoo Brewing Co. is a craft brewery franchise operating taprooms that serve house and guest beers with pub food. Franchisees run the taprooms, managing beer service, kitchen, and staffing.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise requires a total initial investment of $482K – $1.6M, including a $75K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). SBA 7(a) loans show a 0.0% charge-off rate across 38 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $482K – $1.6M
- 22nd pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 24th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 27
- 23rd pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- 0.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Full-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Full-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 $482K – $1.6M including a $75K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 reports Historical Actual Sales rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 65/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 0.0% across 38 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHSystem growing at 228.6% CAGR over 3 years with 27 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Voodoo Licensing LLC
- Parent company
- Voodoo Brewing Co., Inc.
- CEO title
- President
- Mike Edwards
- CEO experience
- 25 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Incorporated in
- Pennsylvania
- HQ
- 24414 State Highway 8, Union City, Pennsylvania 16438
- Auditor
- Kezos & Dunlavy, LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $1.3M
- vs $2.5M prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Affiliated brands
- Voodoo Licensing Southern
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Mike Edwards
- Headquarters
- PA
- Founded
- 2018
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 11
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 10% below the typical full-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $75K | $75K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $50K | $200K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $357K | $1.4M |
| Total initial investment | $482K | $1.6M |
Source: Voodoo Brewing Co. 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
- $482K – $1.6M
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $50K – $200K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $75K – $75K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 0.5%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 6.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 0.5% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $500 |
| Training fee | $500 |
| Transfer fee | $38K |
| Renewal fee | $23K |
| Inventory (initial) | $20K – $40K |
| Total fee load | 6.5% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Voodoo Brewing Co. did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Voodoo Brewing Co. unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
7%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
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
- Item 19 type
- Historical Actual Sales
- Sample size
- 12
- vs category median 18
- Range (low → high)
- $254K→$1.7M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency tier
- limited
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2025
- Disclosed in the 2025 filing, covering 2024
- Transparency
- 0 / 10
- vs category median 3 / 10 · below
Compared against 805 Full-Service Restaurants brands
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 6.5% (near the Full-Service Restaurants average).
Disclosure
Item 19 reports Historical Actual Sales rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
Operator retention
System expanding at 228.6% CAGR over 3 years across 27 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
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 Full-Service Restaurants averages
How Voodoo Brewing Co. Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 27
- Opened
- 14
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 4
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 17.4%
- Company-owned
- 4
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 85%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- Outlier (see FDD)
- Likely small-sample artifact
- 3-yr CAGR
- Outlier (see FDD)
- Likely small-sample artifact
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 14
- Closed (3yr)
- 4
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 15
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Termination rate
- 14.8%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 18.5%
- 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)
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 38
- Loan volume
- $20.7M
- Median loan
- $544K
- average
- 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)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- 0.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 7
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
With a 0.0% charge-off rate across 38 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
Negative franchisor equity (-$1.56M) on $2.16M revenue plus three AAA arbitrations (one still with a hearing scheduled May 2025) across a small 27-unit system. High franchisee turnover (17.4%) relative to size, though Item 19 disclosed and audited.
Litigation (Item 3)
Three litigation matters disclosed: (1) Rios Investment Group LLC v. Voodoo Licensing LLC (AAA arbitration settled March 11, 2025); (2) Shannon M. Shelton v. Voodoo Licensing LLC and Voodoo Licensing Southern LLC (AAA arbitration hearing scheduled May 3, 2025); (3) NERco LLC et al v. Voodoo Licensing Southern LLC et al (federal court, settlement conference scheduled April 29, 2025). Two franchisees currently in mediation.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Kezos & Dunlavy, LLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
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 65 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORNegative net worth -$1.56M
- 02MINOR3 arbitrations, one active (hearing scheduled 5/3/2025)
- 03MINORTurnover 17.4% on 27-unit system
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 6.5% 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 | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | distance |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory radius | 2 mi |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| 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 | 1 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 2 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Crawford County, Pennsylvania |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Pennsylvania |
| Litigation count | 3 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Three litigation matters disclosed: (1) Rios Investment Group LLC v. Voodoo Licensing LLC (AAA arbitration settled March 11, 2025); (2) Shannon M. Shelton v. Voodoo Licensing LLC and Voodoo Licensing Southern LLC (AAA arbitration hearing scheduled May 3, 2025); (3) NERco LLC et al v. Voodoo Licensing Southern LLC et al (federal court, settlement conference scheduled April 29, 2025). Two franchisees currently in mediation.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 7 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 61 hrs
- Training location
- certified training Restaurant location that we designate, at the grand opening of another franchisee's Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise location, and/or at your Restaurant Location
- Site selection
- franchisor
- POS system
- Toast
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Toast
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
56 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Voodoo Brewing Co. · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise?
The total investment to open a Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise ranges from $482K – $1.6M, with an initial franchise fee of $75K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise owners earn?
Voodoo Brewing Co. does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the Voodoo Brewing Co. 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 Voodoo Brewing Co. FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Voodoo Brewing Co.'s franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Voodoo Brewing Co. has a charge-off rate of 0.0% across 38 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 Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Voodoo Brewing Co. has 27 total units in the United States, including 23 franchised units and 4 company-owned units. 14 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Voodoo Brewing Co. a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Voodoo Brewing Co. as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 65 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?
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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.