CARIBOU COFFEE

CARIBOU COFFEE

Caribou Coffee Development Company, Inc. franchises retail coffeehouses (Chalets, Cabins, and Kiosks) that serve coffee, coffee-based beverages, teas, baked goods, and retail items for on-premises and carry-out consumption in modern environments. The business model involves granting franchises for standalone, drive-thru, and non-traditional locations like malls, airports, and campuses, with franchisees adhering to standardized operations, recipes, and branding. It targets coffee lovers, quick-service customers, and consumers in high-traffic areas seeking premium beverages and snacks.

152
Locations
$606K–$937K
Investment
Since 2006
Franchising
Food & BeverageMinneapolis, MNCaribou Coffee Company, Inc.www.cariboucoffee.comDisclaimer

Franchise Costs


Franchise Fee
$30,000
Item 5 of FDD
Initial Investment Range
$606,100 $937,000
Low: $606,100High: $937,000
Item 7 of FDD
Royalty Rate
5.00%
of gross sales
Brand Fund
2.00%
Item 6 of FDD
Fixed Monthly Fees
$500 – $1,000
Item 6 of FDD

5% royalty (Cabin/Chalet) + up to 3% marketing contribution (currently 2% Brand Fund + 1% local) + $500-$1,000/mo technology fee

Financial Performance


Item 19 Financial Performance

Average Gross Revenue
$0
Median Gross Revenue
$0
EBITDA Margin
0%
Average EBITDA
$0

Data Based On: Gross sales data based on 131 non-traditional franchised Kiosk locations and 7 traditional franchised locations, all active for the full 2024 fiscal year. Profitability metrics (EBITDA, best guess profit range) are derived from 110 company-owned Drive-Thru Chalet and 59 company-owned Cabin Coffeehouses for the full 2024 fiscal year, with franchisee-related cost rates applied to estimate franchisee profit ranges.

* Weighted average gross revenue for non-traditional franchised Kiosk locations (Table 1, Page 2): (68 units × $267,063 + 38 units × $561,546 + 6 units × $1,836,096 + 19 units × $486,137) / 131 total units = $456,123.75. Weighted average median gross revenue for non-traditional franchised Kiosk locations (Table 1, Page 2): (68 units × $265,142 + 38 units × $465,259 + 6 units × $1,881,009 + 19 units × $367,395) / 131 total units = $412,030.97. Average EBITDA (Cash Flow) and EBITDA margin are derived from company-owned data (Table 4, Page 6) due to the lack of explicit franchised profit data. Weighted average AUV for 110 company-owned Drive-Thru Chalet ($1,104,835) and 59 company-owned Cabin ($821,192) stores = $1,005,811.70. Weighted average Cash Flow % (EBITDA margin) for these stores: (110 units × 20.2% + 59 units × 11.7%) / 169 total units = 17.23%. Weighted average EBITDA: $1,005,811.70 × 0.1723 = $178,805.46. Best guess profit low/high are based on the 'Franchisee Adjusted Cash Flow %' provided for company-owned units in Table 4 (Page 6), applied to the weighted average AUV of company-owned stores. Weighted average low margin for franchisees: (110 units × 6% + 59 units × -2%) / 169 total units = 3.21%. Weighted average high margin for franchisees: (110 units × 9% + 59 units × 1%) / 169 total units = 6.21%. Best guess profit low: $1,005,811.70 × 0.0321 = $32,257.39. Best guess profit high: $1,005,811.70 × 0.0621 = $62,431.74.

Extracted Item 19 Section

How CARIBOU COFFEE Compares


Key Insights

  • Top 10 largest franchise system in Coffee & Bakery
FranchiseInvestmentFeeRoyaltyLocations
CARIBOU COFFEE
Current
$606K – $937K$30K5.0%152
PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ$633K – $4.9M$35K5.0%1,112
SCOOTER'S COFFEE$955K – $1.5M$40K6.0%825
NOTHING BUNDT CAKES$667K – $1.0M$45K6.0%643
GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES$341K – $463K$25K6.0%395
7 BREW$894K – $2.2M$35K4.5%297
Coffee & Bakery Average
37 franchises
$498K – $1.1M$40K5.5%

* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 37 Coffee & Bakery franchises by location count.

Locations & Growth


Outlet Growth Over Time

Total outlets at end of each year

Geographic Distribution (2024)

Outlets by state across the United States

Top States
1MN
48
2WI
26
3ND
20
4MO
7
5SD
7
6NE
6
7OH
6
8MI
6
9IA
5
10KS
3
11CO
3
12FL
3
13NC
2
14GA
2
15IL
2

+5 more states

Franchisee Contacts


62 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.

NameSBA Loan
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active

62 Contacts Available

Unlock all CARIBOU COFFEE franchisee contacts with verified contact information

Due Diligence


Litigation (Item 3)

Franchisee Cases0
No litigation involving franchisees reported

Bankruptcy (Item 4)

Bankruptcy HistoryNo
No bankruptcy history reported

System Health (Item 20)

Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year

Terminations
3
Non-Renewals
1
Reacquired
0
Ceased Ops
5
Transfers
8
Sold to Franchisees
0
Projected New
12

Frequently Asked Questions


The total initial investment to open a CARIBOU COFFEE franchise ranges from $606,100 to $937,000. This includes a franchise fee of $30,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 5.0% of gross sales.

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