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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Carvel Corporation vs Magnolia Bakery International

    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.

    Carvel Corporation2026 FDDMagnolia Bakery International2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Carvel Corporation

    $38,850 – $1,051,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Magnolia Bakery International

    $499,700 – $1,276,270

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Carvel Corporation

    $3,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Magnolia Bakery International

    $29,500

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Royalty · Item 6

    Carvel Corporation

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Magnolia Bakery International

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Carvel Corporation and Magnolia Bakery International 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 (Carvel Corporation: 5, Magnolia Bakery International: 15). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Carvel Corporation

    $38,850 – $1,051,200
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Magnolia Bakery International

    $499,700 – $1,276,270
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Carvel Corporation

    $3,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Magnolia Bakery International

    $29,500
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Carvel Corporation

    6%
    OTHER FEES Type of Fee 1, 4 Amount Date Due Remarks Royalty Fee — 6%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Magnolia Bakery International

    6%
    Royalty 6% — 6%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Carvel Corporation

    2%
    Marketing Obligation Currently, each calendar quarter, you must spend not less than — 2% — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 32

    Magnolia Bakery International

    3%
    Marketing Fund — 3% — 3%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Carvel Corporation

    720
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 93

    Magnolia Bakery International

    11
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 51
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Carvel Corporation

    +68
    Calculated: 652 at end of 2023 → 720 at end of 2025

    Magnolia Bakery International

    +1
    Calculated: 10 at end of 2023 → 11 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Carvel Corporation

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Magnolia Bakery International

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

    Carvel Corporation

    1950
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Magnolia Bakery International

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

    Carvel Corporation

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Magnolia Bakery International

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Carvel Corporation
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 104eligible singlebranded full Streetside Shoppes — 2nd Quartile
    26 shoppes
    other 2nd Quartile Sample size
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 92
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 104eligible singlebranded full Streetside Shoppes — Top Quartile
    $779,624
    other Top Quartile Mean net sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 92
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 104eligible singlebranded full Streetside Shoppes — 3rd Quartile
    26 shoppes
    other 3rd Quartile Sample size
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 92
    +2 more groups in the full report
    Magnolia Bakery International
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — TenUSaffiliatedBakeries:8FullBake/2NoBake
    5 units
    other TenaffiliateBakeries
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 45
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — TenUSaffiliatedBakeries:8FullBake/2NoBake Morning7am–12pm
    107 transactions
    other Morning7am–12pm
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 47
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — TenUSaffiliatedBakeries:8FullBake/2NoBake Midday12pm–5pm
    $5,137
    other Midday12pm–5pm
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 47
    +12 more groups in the full report

    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.

    Carvel Corporation vs Magnolia Bakery International: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Carvel Corporation or Magnolia Bakery International?
    Carvel Corporation: $38,850 – $1,051,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Magnolia Bakery International: $499,700 – $1,276,270 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Carvel Corporation. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Carvel Corporation and Magnolia Bakery International royalties compare?
    Carvel Corporation: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31); Magnolia Bakery International: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Carvel Corporation or Magnolia Bakery International?
    Carvel Corporation: 720 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 93); Magnolia Bakery International: 11 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 51). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Carvel Corporation and Magnolia Bakery International disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Carvel Corporation has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups; Magnolia Bakery International has reviewed Item 19 figures for 15 location groups. 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

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    Full Carvel Corporation report

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

    Full Magnolia Bakery International report

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

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