CRATERS & FREIGHTERS

Item 7 lays out the initial investment from $207,000 to $390,000, covering franchise fee of $35,000, real estate, equipment for crating, vehicles, and working capital. Ongoing fees hit 5% royalty on gross sales plus 1% brand fund and a flat $500 monthly technology surcharge, which edges higher than bare-bones service peers but aligns with logistics ops needing tech for tracking. No Item 19 means zero official revenue or profit figures, forcing reliance on indirect signals like the system's 65 locations after 33 years franchising—barely +2% growth from 64 units in 2023 to 65 in 2024, with just 2 projected new units and 5 transfers signaling low turnover but stagnant scale.

SBA records show 6 loans averaging $676,083, a hefty size reflecting capital-intensive setups in transportation and storage, yet the small count underscores limited adoption amid broader service franchise booms. For business services investors eyeing steady B2B demand, this low-density territory protection avoids intra-brand competition, but tepid growth and absent financials raise red flags on scalability. Weigh if your logistics background can revive momentum in a field where high-value freight promises margins without mass retail headaches.