Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
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back, executive director of the National Ice Cream Retailers Association. Retailers employing this method represent no more than 1 percent of the industry, which, as a whole, is projected to generate some $74 billion in revenue worldwide by 2018, he says. Jay Yim (who speaks for himself and his wife throughout this article) says he began getting inquiries from potential franchisees the very day that first Creamistry shop opened. So far, the company has sold franchises in California, Flor- ida, Nevada and Texas, as well as South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, and also in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and in Dakar, Senegal. Most of the franchisees are single-unit op- erators, but the company is also working with several area developers and master franchisees. These are operators with track records for building brands well, but Yim says the com- pany wants to see whether they can operate a single Creamis- try shop successfully before they are permitted to open a sec- ond. Otherwise, though, Creamistry is pumped and primed for expansion. "We're trying hard to grow our brand as fast as we can," Yim said. "We're focusing on franchisee support and corporate trainers and building a strong foundation for the franchisees to rely on. We're looking for energetic, motivated people with good work ethics. They have to be heavily involved in the store. We do not approve investors." A prospective franchisee must have a net worth of $400,000, and $150,000 in liquid assets. The franchise fee is $40,000, and franchises must pay 6 percent of gross sales plus a 1.5 percent marketing contribution. The estimated cost to develop a shop is between $250,000 and $400,000. Creamistry shops typically measure between 1,000 square feet and 1,800 square feet, and the company likes locations in neighborhood centers with a supermarket sur- rounded by restaurants and ample parking. Management has developed kiosk models for traditional malls, as well as freestanding buildings for theme parks. At press time the company was working on a deal to open a shop in Padre Stadium, in San Diego. "People think we should be going into malls, but that's not what we're looking for," Yim said. "If we're surrounded by restaurants, we get a lot of customers who are finishing lunch or dinner and want dessert." Finding the right location is one of the biggest challenges. "We compete with all the ice-cream shops and all the fast-food businesses," he said. "Most centers already have an ice-cream or yogurt shop." As it happens, Creamistry does a lot of its branding in schools, where representatives like to put on demos about the chemistry behind the frozen treats, and the students all re- ceive a gift card. "The kids come back and tell us how great the show was at the school," Yim said. "That's been a great way to market Creamistry." S C T For information about franchising, contact Jay Yim, vice president, at (714) 673-9287 or jay@creamistry.com. 22 S C T / J u n e 2 0 1 5 r e T a i l i n g T o d a y Qualified leasing calls delivered… faster than a speeding bullet! Starts With Super Prospecting LEASING LEASING (714) 309-4548