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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Buff City Soap vs Gnc Holdings

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Buff City Soap2026 FDDGnc Holdings2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Buff City Soap

    $80,800 – $981,024

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Gnc Holdings

    $31,870 – $530,342

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Buff City Soap

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Gnc Holdings

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Buff City Soap

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Gnc Holdings

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Buff City Soap and Gnc Holdings disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Buff City Soap: 9, Gnc Holdings: 1). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Buff City Soap

    $80,800 – $981,024
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Gnc Holdings

    $31,870 – $530,342
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Buff City Soap

    $50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Gnc Holdings

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Buff City Soap

    6%
    Royalty Fee — 6%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Gnc Holdings

    6%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Buff City Soap

    2%
    Brand Fund Contribution — 2% — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Gnc Holdings

    3%
    National advertising fee — 3%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Buff City Soap

    230
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64

    Gnc Holdings

    1,960
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 109
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Buff City Soap

    −41
    Calculated: 271 at end of 2023 → 230 at end of 2025

    Gnc Holdings

    +1,210
    Calculated: 750 at end of 2023 → 1,960 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Buff City Soap

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Gnc Holdings

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Buff City Soap

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Gnc Holdings

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Buff City Soap

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Gnc Holdings

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Buff City Soap
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Topthird
    $881,657
    other Maturefranchise topthird average netsales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 61
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Middlethird
    $617,896
    other Maturefranchise middlethird median netsales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 61
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottomthird
    $534,871
    other Maturefranchise bottomthird high netsales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 61
    +6 more groups in the full report
    Gnc Holdings
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    259 stores
    other Stores at or above average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 108

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Buff City Soap vs Gnc Holdings: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Buff City Soap or Gnc Holdings?
    Buff City Soap: $80,800 – $981,024 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Gnc Holdings: $31,870 – $530,342 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Gnc Holdings. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Buff City Soap and Gnc Holdings royalties compare?
    Buff City Soap: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16); Gnc Holdings: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Buff City Soap or Gnc Holdings?
    Buff City Soap: 230 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64); Gnc Holdings: 1,960 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 109). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Buff City Soap and Gnc Holdings disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Buff City Soap has reviewed Item 19 figures for 9 location groups; Gnc Holdings has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Buff City Soap report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Gnc Holdings report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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