Franopolis

    Buff City Soap

    Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data

    Reviewed sources

    Buff City Soap franchise specializes in handmade soaps, bath bombs, and personal care products created fresh in-store using plant-based ingredients.

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    Headline figures

    Buff City Soap quick facts

    Is Buff City Soap a franchise?
    Yes. Buff City Soap offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2025, it reported 222 franchised and 8 company-owned outlets (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 64).
    How much does it cost to open a Buff City Soap franchise?
    The Buff City Soap Franchise Disclosure Document reports separate estimated initial investments by format: $383,292 for total $383 — $383292 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 26); $408,292–$981,024 for total $408 — $408292 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 26); $80,800–$188,500 for singlemakery cover total and required franchisoraffiliate payments — $80800 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 1); $408,292 for minimum2makerydevelopment cover total and franchisoraffiliate payments — $408292 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 1); $105,800–$213,500 for minimum2makerydevelopment cover total and franchisoraffiliate payments — $105800 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 1). These formats are not combined. Each is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
    What is the Buff City Soap initial franchise fee?
    The disclosed initial franchise fee for a standard single unit is $50,000 (2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 15). Other fee options (for example multi-unit or conversion) are listed separately in the report. Details
    What ongoing fees does Buff City Soap charge?
    The disclosed ongoing royalty is 6% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 16). The brand or advertising fund contribution is 2% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 16). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
    Does Buff City Soap disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Yes. The Buff City Soap FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 61). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
    How many Buff City Soap locations are there?
    The FDD reports 230 outlets at the end of 2025 (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 64). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
    Is Buff City Soap a good franchise to buy?
    Franopolis does not rate or recommend franchises. From the reviewed FDD: Item 19 includes financial performance figures; check which locations and period they cover; Item 20 lists outlet openings, closures and transfers; Item 6 includes a brand or advertising fund contribution on top of royalty; Item 20 also lists current and former franchisees you can contact. Review the full FDD with a franchise attorney and accountant before deciding.

    From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.

    What the disclosures show

    1. 1The 2026 FDD (Item 7) estimates opening costs separately by format: $383,292 (Total $383 — $383292); $408,292 – $981,024 (Total $408 — $408292); $80,800 – $188,500 (SingleMakery cover total and required franchisoraffiliate payments — $80800); $408,292 (Minimum2Makerydevelopment cover total and franchisoraffiliate payments — $408292); $105,800 – $213,500 (Minimum2Makerydevelopment cover total and franchisoraffiliate payments — $105800); several initial fee options apply.
    2. 2Item 19 covers 9 separate groups: revenue and other measures for 66 Franchised locations; revenue and other measures for 67 Franchised locations; revenue and other measures for 67 Franchised locations; revenue and other measures and profit and costs and EBITDA for 4 Affiliate-operated company locations; other measures for 200 Franchised locations; other measures for 200 Franchised locations; other measures for 8 Franchised locations; other measures for 8 Franchised locations; other measures for 200 Franchised locations. They are not combined.
    3. 3Outlets declined by 30 in 2025, to 230 (United States, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).

    From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.

    Franchises under $100kOther brands whose disclosed Item 7 low end fits this budget.Compare outlet trendsPut Item 20 counts side by side with up to 3 other brands.

    Buff City Soap head-to-head

    Closest peers in the same subcategory, side by side from reviewed FDD figures. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    Buff City SoapVSThe UPS Store®
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    Buff City SoapVSAce Hardware
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    Buff City SoapVSGnc Holdings
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    Buff City SoapVSAmerisourcebergen Drug
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    Costs · Items 5–7

    What does it cost to open?

    Estimated opening costs and the fees payable to the franchisor.

    Startup Investment — Item 7

    Range across 5 single-unit formats

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Formats disclosed in Item 7 (5)

    Each format has its own total. The total depends on the format you choose.

    • SingleMakery cover total and required franchisoraffiliate payments — $80800PDF p. 1$80,800 – $188,500
    • Minimum2Makerydevelopment cover total and franchisoraffiliate payments — $105800PDF p. 1$105,800 – $213,500
    • Total $383 — $383292PDF p. 26$383,292
    • Total $408 — $408292PDF p. 26$408,292 – $981,024
    • Minimum2Makerydevelopment cover total and franchisoraffiliate payments — $408292PDF p. 1$408,292

    Standard single-unit franchise fee

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15
    Discounted and multi-unit options are separate; see all fees.

    Ongoing Fees — Item 6

    Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.

    Royalty Fee — 6%Main ongoing fee

    72 reported fees, each with its payment basis, are listed below; they haven't been sorted into recurring, initial and occasional groups yet.

    Financial Performance — Item 19

    What results are disclosed—and for which locations?

    9 separate populations, shown apart. Revenue is not owner income.

    66 locations

    Revenue and other measures · 66 locations

    Who is counted
    Topthird
    Excluded
    Immature/outletsnotopenFebruary24 2026excluded; nofranchiseexpenses/netprofittable.
    Method
    Unauditedfranchiseesupplied; NetSalesincludeorderfulfillment/nontraditionalrevenueforsomefranchiseesnotall. Excludeslimitedcomplimentary(up to2%weekly),tips,tax; giftredemptions/businessinterruptionincluded; afterdiscounts.

    These groups are never combined.

    Outlet Changes — Item 20

    How has the outlet count changed?

    United States, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of 2025 of each year.

    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64

    Net −41 outlets, 2023–2025

    0271202326020242302025−11−30

    Year-end counts reported in Item 20. The scale starts at zero; the labels between the dots show each year's change. Openings and closures for 2025 haven't been pulled from the Item 20 tables yet, so no turnover or churn is shown.

    Questions to investigate

    Prompts based on what this brand's reviewed disclosures do and don't show — not conclusions. Join free as a member to save questions to your research.

    For the franchisor

    • Which line items in the 2026 Item 7 estimate ($80,800 – $981,024) vary most by market, and why?

    • Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?

    • Which locations are included in the Item 19 figures, and which were excluded?

    • Reported units decreased from 260 to 230 in 2025. What drove the change?

    • Is a territory available in my area, and how is it defined in my agreement?

    For current and former owners

    • How did your actual startup costs and timeline compare with the Item 7 estimate?

    • How many hours a week do you work in the business, and in what role?

    • How do your results compare with the Item 19 figures, and what explains the difference?

    • What support from the franchisor has been most and least useful?

    For your advisors

    • Ask a franchise attorney to review the territory, renewal, transfer and termination terms.

    • Ask an accountant to build a cash-flow plan using your own assumptions, not the franchisor's.

    Sources & vintage history

    Every displayed fact is retained with its disclosure vintage, item, page, and reviewed status. Prior vintages remain on file rather than being overwritten.

    Citations (2026 FDD)

    1. [1]Standard initial franchise fee — Item 5 · PDF p. 15
    2. [2]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Topthird · PDF p. 61
    3. [3]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Middlethird · PDF p. 61
    4. [4]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottomthird · PDF p. 61
    5. [5]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 4maturecompanyMakeries · PDF p. 61; PDF p. 62
    6. [6]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Mature18+months franchiseMakeries · PDF p. 60
    7. [7]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 200 mature franchised BCS Makeries as of Dec. 28, 2025. · PDF p. 60
    8. [8]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 8 mature company-owned BCS Makeries as of Dec. 28, 2025. · PDF p. 60
    9. [9]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 8 company-owned BCS Makeries as of Dec. 28, 2025; all 8 were mature. · PDF p. 60
    10. [10]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Mature status requires a BCS Makery to be open as of Feb. 24, 2026 and operatin… · PDF p. 60
    11. [11]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 64

    "PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page. Source document: FDD

    Territory & operations

    254 addresses in Franopolis's imported location list. Coverage may differ from Item 20 outlet counts.

    These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.

    Legal & agreement

    Franchisor financial statements

    Fiscal yearMeasureReported value
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 total revenues$5,090
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 professional and technology services$514
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 income from operations$1,732
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 brand fund revenue$1,011
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 labor$1,865
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 franchise and other revenue$4,079
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 total costs and operating expenses$3,359
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 net income$1,732
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 costs and operating expenses advertising and marketing$678
    2026unaudited period ended june 28, 2026 general and administrative expenses$302
    2025balance sheet assets current assets cash and cash equivalents$7,934
    2025balance sheet accounts receivable, net$2,435

    These figures describe the franchisor company, not individual franchise locations.

    SBA-backed loans to franchisees

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    Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) & 504 FOIA data. Loan volume is not a measure of franchisee success.

    Related research

    Brands in the same subcategory first, then the wider industry, ordered by shared business format, overlapping investment range, Item 20 outlet count and search interest. This is not a ranking or recommendation.

    The UPS Store®Ace HardwareGnc HoldingsAmerisourcebergen DrugMatco ToolsEDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS

    Head-to-head comparisons

    Buff City Soap vs The UPS Store®Buff City Soap vs Ace HardwareBuff City Soap vs Gnc HoldingsBuff City Soap vs Amerisourcebergen DrugBuff City Soap vs Matco ToolsBuff City Soap vs EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS
    Compare reviewed facts

    At a glance

    Business history

    Not reviewed

    Owner participation

    Not reviewed

    Territory language

    Litigation disclosure

    Not reviewed

    Bankruptcy disclosure

    Not reviewed

    Agreement term

    Not reviewed

    Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.

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