How to Start Your Own Dessert Franchise

Nobody needs an excuse to spend more time around dessert franchises. But if – given the fast growth that these businesses have been seeing in recent years – you’ve decided you want to start your own dessert franchise, here’s how you can do exactly that.

Dessert franchises have quickly become much-loved parts of the British high street. It’s no surprise then that lots of people are looking to start their own dessert and sweet businesses. But with so much advice already out there, what really matters when it comes to starting your own dessert business?

If you’re looking for simple and easy tips for building your own sweet business, here’s what you need to know.

What does a dessert franchise do?

Mostly what it says on the tin: run a popular dessert business. From ice creams to wafers and crepes, dessert franchisees will need a sweet tooth to spend this much time around sweet treats. On a regular basis, your average dessert franchisee doesn’t just work on the busy frontlines, they also take care of much of the back-office and management sides to running a business.

These things can often include: 

• Recruitment 
• Processing invoices
• Negotiating deals with suppliers
• Finding the right premises and setting up shop there
• Maintaining and upgrading specialist industry equipment
• Helping to devise marketing materials
• Testing new recipes 

It’s a varied role, and the above tasks aren’t exhaustive, but franchisees need to be able to wear many hats when dealing with the ins and outs of running your own business. 

Why start a dessert franchise?

High streets have been hit hard by trading restrictions, but there’s no doubt that businesses are looking to make a big comeback. Against a backdrop of positive economic noise, businesses in these sectors have been doing everything they can to get back into the black.

And make no mistake about it, business is definitely improving. Whether it be in-store sales, supermarket sales or other kinds of sweet purchases, desserts are very much back on the menu for consumers. 

COVID-19 has fuelled a sharp rise in dessert sales, bucking its previous ongoing decline. This ambient category has been the main engine room of this uptick; its nostalgic brands and value-for-money proposition chiming well at a time of upheaval and economic uncertainty.
- Mintel

How to start your own dessert franchise 

1. Find a niche

Calling something a dessert doesn’t give much of an indication of what kind of food it actually is. When you consider the names of some of the biggest businesses in the dessert sub-sector, you instantly associate it with a particular kind of product. So, the key is to find the right niche for you. 

Whether you want to run an ice cream parlour or a crepe stall – or anything in between – there is a lot of room for you to grow and develop a business in a unique direction. But it all starts by focusing your resources into one specialist niche. 

2. Find a franchise 

There are lots of different dessert franchises out there, but not all of them are the right fit for you. Ask yourself why it is you want to start a franchise and then begin your search for the best franchise that ticks all those boxes. Ask yourself some of the following questions to figure out your priorities: 

• Do you have previous experience in a section of the dessert sub-sector?
• How much additional training and support will you need?
• Are there dedicated contacts for finding the right premises and financial deals?
• Can you afford the initial and ongoing financial costs?
• Does the franchisor have specialist strategies for marketing and recruitment? 

Your priorities are your own, so even if the above don’t concern you initially, these could still be some good questions for screening potential franchisors. 

3. Skill up

You don’t necessarily need to have had previous experience in the hospitality or food sectors to get started. Plenty of focused training will be given to you so that when you are ready to start your own business, you will have everything you need. What franchisors do look for, however, is the right skillset and personality:

• You will need a commitment to developing a long-term business
• A determined mindset
• Perseverance
• Decent business sense
• A good eye for recruitment

4. Find the right location

Very simply, for a dessert business to succeed, you need as many eyes on it as possible. When you’re looking for the right place to set up your business, make sure that it’s a busy area with plenty of footfall. Dessert restaurants have a considerable amount of visual pull, so even just a few glances from passers by can be enough to draw new customers. 

The rules around finding the right location have changed though, and it’s undeniable that online shopping has gained a major foothold on many traditional retail businesses. Make sure that your location ticks all the boxes for the post-Covid environment. 

Start your own dessert franchise

It’s the dream of so many people to start their own business. But where lots of people fail to follow through on this dream, you should now hopefully have a much better idea of what it takes to start your own business. Being your own boss comes with lots of rewards, so – if you now feel more prepared – you’re well on the way to starting your own sweet business.

If you’re still not sure, there’s plenty more resources to help you. There are some excellent dessert franchises operating in the UK, so consider one of these businesses if you’re on the lookout. Or, to see what other franchise opportunities there are, have a look at the UK franchise directory.