Franchise opportunities compared
Learning Express vs Spice Tea Exchange
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.
Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Learning Express discloses 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 (Learning Express: 3, Spice Tea Exchange: 1). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure | LELearning Express |  Spice Tea Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $25,375 – $387,514 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $312,900 Total initial investment excluding real-estate/building purchase 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $7,500 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11 | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | $1,500 Royalty minimum monthly 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11 | 7% Royalty — gross sales monthly or minimum 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 1% Advertising contribution — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11 | Not available No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 86 Outlets at end of 2024 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 36 | 196 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | −4 Calculated: 90 at end of 2022 → 86 at end of 2024 | +16 Calculated: 180 at end of 2023 → 196 at end of 2025 |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Learning Express stores open at least one full year and comparable in size/scop… 84 stores other Reported stores · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 34 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Learning Express stores open at least one full year and comparable in size/scop… $1,081,417 other Sales 2022 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 35 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Learning Express stores open at least one full year and comparable in size/scop… 83 stores other Stores sample count 2023 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 35 | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record 8.7 percent other company · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56 |
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.
Learning Express vs Spice Tea Exchange: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Learning Express or Spice Tea Exchange?
- Learning Express: $25,375 – $387,514 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Spice Tea Exchange: $312,900 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Learning Express. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Learning Express and Spice Tea Exchange royalties compare?
- Learning Express: $1,500 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11); Spice Tea Exchange: 7% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Learning Express or Spice Tea Exchange?
- Learning Express: 86 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 36); Spice Tea Exchange: 196 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Learning Express and Spice Tea Exchange disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Learning Express has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups; Spice Tea Exchange 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.