Grocery store franchise is one of the most popular and highly profitable business models, and we can easily understand why?
The population is rapidly increasing, and we all need food to survive, which means grocery store chains are not going away anytime soon.
Franchises of grocery shops are chains of small stores that sell food, snacks, and other household goods and essentials.
Grocery store franchises focus more on the convince rather than selling expensive and imported foodstuff.
The rising number of people prefer to shop from small shops or small supermarkets to supermarkets. This tendency means that investing in franchise grocery stores would be a
An entrepreneur can easily open either a small grocery store at an affordable cost or a big one with a gas station.
Depending on the budget, size, diversity of products, and concept, grocery store franchise opportunities are endless.
If you are thinking about getting into the grocery store franchise business, we have compiled a list of the 10 best grocery store franchise opportunities that are looking for new franchises with a willingness to expand the brand recognition and promise a fast return on Investment, marketing, merchandise, and constant support in starting and doing the business.
Let’s get started!
Interested In Grocery Store Franchise?
10 Best Grocery Store Franchise Opportunities
1. Street Corner Franchise
| Founded in | 1988 |
| Franchising Since | 1995 |
| Estimated Outlets | 36 |
| Franchise Fees | $30,000 |
| Initial Investment | $122,300 – $657,300 |
| Liquidity | $50,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 5% |
The Street Corner is one of the best grocery store franchise options for beginners to build their own businesses at an affordable cost.
Chain’s urban market concept is what makes it different from traditional convenience stores.
Found in 1988, it comes with all the benefits of being your boss, plus you’ll get hands-on training, vendors and assistance, and all the support you need to run and grow your franchise.
Street Corner has outlets in all the high-traffic areas all over the U.S., including famous shopping malls, college campuses, hospitals, and office buildings, making it a worthy option to be part of the fastest-growing grocery store chain industry.
2. Circle K Franchise
| Founded in | 1951 |
| Franchising Since | 1999 |
| Estimated Outlets | 12,095 |
| Franchise Fees | $25,000 |
| Initial Investment | $189,250 – $2,204,150 |
| Liquidity | $100,000 |
| Total Investment | $189,250-$2,204,150 |
| Royalty Fees | 2.5-5.5% |
Founded more than 50 years ago, Circle has been one of the largest convenience store chains in the U.S., owned and operated by Canadian multinational company Alimentation Couche-Tard. Circle K also has $2,380 additional stores worldwide under the franchise agreement.
On-the-go customers can find everything they need at Circle stores, including beverages, coffee, frozen and refrigerated foods, dry and packaged goods, and other groceries.
Circle K offers business executives and entrepreneurs the opportunity to work with a franchisee that helps grow new businesses and provides the flexibility to tailor individual stores to the customers.
3. GNC Franchising
| Founded in | 1935 |
| Franchising Since | 1988 |
| Estimated Outlets | 6,019 |
| Franchise Fees | $40,000 |
| Initial Investment | $149,722 – $388,630 |
| Liquidity | $240,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 6% |
GNC Franchising is a global company that specializes in a variety of food supplements, health management items, and natural cosmetics.
GNC was founded in Pittsburgh in 1935 by David Shakarian by the name Lackzoom, and since then, it’s been the standard for health and wellness solutions.
As more and more people are getting interested in a healthy lifestyle and better nutrition, GNC expanded into other states and changed the company’s name to GNC.
GNC offers in-house financing for the franchisees and also has third-party sources that offer financing to cover the franchise fee, startup costs, inventory, equipment, and payroll.
4. Save A Lot Franchise
| Founded in | 1977 |
| Franchising Since | 1978 |
| Estimated Outlets | 1,150 |
| Franchise Fees | None |
| Initial Investment | $750,000 – $1,500,000 |
| Liquidity | $300,000 |
| Royalty Fees | None |
Customers love how easy it is to find the groceries they need at Save A Lot of stores, Whether it’s USDA-inspected meat, farm-fresh fruit, pantry staples, cleaning supplies, or other everyday necessities.
Exclusive, award-winning brands and low prices, which do not include anywhere else, are also appreciated.
By purchasing one of the Save A Lot grocery store franchises, the franchisee receives many benefits.
First, our team of real estate experts assists partners in site selection and real-estate negotiations.
Another advantage is a continuous assortment and exclusive distribution that helps to compete in tough market conditions.
And finally, ongoing support from a dedicated franchise team starts with introductions and ends with accounting services.
5. 7-Eleven Franchise
| Founded in | 1927 |
| Franchising Since | 1964 |
| Estimated Outlets | 77,346 |
| Franchise Fees | $0-$1,000,000 |
| Initial Investment | $69,650 – $1,233,900 |
| Liquidity | $50,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 50% gross profit |
7-Eleven, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is an international convenience store company in the United States. The franchise’s first location was an ice cream parlor in Dallas, established in 1927.
7-Eleven gained widespread popularity when their stores were open 24 hours, seven days a week. A week, year-round. They offer a variety of snacks, hot and cold drinks, petrol, etc.
If you’re serious about franchising, you can take advantage of 7‑Eleven programs to help qualified franchisees succeed.
7‑Eleven has an in-house program that offers a grant of up to 65% of your initial franchise fee.
The program, unusual for most franchisors, also provides an opening (or financing) account to purchase inventory and operating expenses for your store.
Read In Detail 7-Eleven Franchise
6. Grocery Outlet Franchise
| Founded in | 1946 |
| Franchising Since | 1973 |
| Estimated Outlets | 325 |
| Franchise Fees | None |
| Initial Investment | $150,000 – $250,000 |
| Liquidity | $25,000 |
| Royalty Fees | None |
Grocery Outlet is another great franchise option for opportunistic buyers in the United States.
The bargain grocery store chain offers up to 60% off on conventional grocery store retail prices allowing customers to save a lot of money on well-known brands.
They invest significantly in each independent operator, allowing them to earn more than a typical grocery chain manager while saving them millions of dollars.
Investments are required to build or renovate retail stores and purchase inventory for their stores.
Independent operators manage their staff to operate the store, select consignments from the inventory guide, and sell merchandise to their customers.
7. Gateway Newstands Franchise
| Founded in | 1983 |
| Franchising Since | 1983 |
| Estimated Outlets | 500 |
| Franchise Fees | $15,000 – $150,000 |
| Initial Investment | $55,875 – $501,750 |
| Liquidity | $50,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 3.5% |
Gateway newstands in the United States and Canada are a chain of grocery stores and kiosks located in large office buildings, shopping malls, public areas, and transit stations.
Michael Eichental and David Goldman founded the franchise in 1983 as a partnership of a Canadian family.
Gateway Newstands provides turnkey operation to individual franchisees at a location they cannot guarantee themselves.
Gateway has excellent relationships with potential owners that a typical franchisee cannot hope to achieve.
In addition, coordination in the construction of rental improvements is also provided to franchisees. This coordination is also a skill that franchisees often lack.
8. Express Mart Franchise
| Founded in | 1975 |
| Franchising Since | 1990 |
| Estimated Outlets | 47 |
| Franchise Fees | $15,000 |
| Initial Investment | $86,200 – $361,000 |
| Liquidity | $100,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 6% |
Founded in 1975 by Frank Borer, Express marts are a chain of convenience stores and gas stations owned by independent and contract dealers.
With locations in malls and gas stations in the northeastern United States, Express Mart is committed to providing high-quality products that meet or exceed equipment specifications and customer requirements.
The company is also involved in co-branding partnerships with McDonald’s, Subway, Wendy’s Dunkin’ Donuts, as well as local partnerships with Mark’s Pizza and Jack Subs.
9. Metal Supermarkets Franchise
| Founded in | 1985 |
| Franchising Since | 1987 |
| Estimated Outlets | 105 |
| Franchise Fees | $39,500 |
| Initial Investment | $228,500 – $437,000 |
| Liquidity | $45,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 2-6% |
Metal Supermarket is a Canadian franchise that primarily focuses on selling small quantities of metal to the customer’s desired size.
Metal Supermarket is the largest franchise in the small-volume metal industry and the only one with international reach.
Metal Supermarkets is committed to providing business opportunities to business-minded franchisees.
Your investments in a franchise ensure that you will have the equipment, inventory, and marketing campaigns you need to secure sales from day one.
This head start is one of the many reasons why metal supermarkets are a solid investment opportunity.
10. Ice Born Franchise
| Founded in | 2003 |
| Franchising Since | 2012 |
| Estimated Outlets | 179 |
| Franchise Fees | $7,000 |
| Initial Investment | $11,550 – $242,845 |
| Liquidity | $25,000-$75,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 6% |
Ice Born started franchising in 2012, but the parent company, Ice House America, has been manufacturing and operating automated ice and water vending machines since 2003.
Their ice and water vending machines come in different sizes and are often placed in the yard, parking, and shopping malls.
As of 2022, the company owns and operates 66 franchises in the United States.
The company’s Smart Ice app allows franchisees to monitor their machines remotely from a smartphone or computer.
Comparison of Top 5 Grocery Store Franchises
| Company Name | Street Corner | Circle K | GNC | Save A Lot | 7-Eleven |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded in | 1988 | 1951 | 1935 | 1977 | 1927 |
| Outlets | 36 | 12,095 | 6019 | 1150 | 77,346 |
| Initial Investment | $122,300 – $657,300 | $189,250 – $2,204,150 | $149,722 – $388,630 | $750,000 – $1,500,000 | $69,650 – $1,233,900 |
| Franchise Fees | $30,000 | $25,000 | $40,000 | None | $0-$1,000,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 5% | 2.5-5.5% | 6% | None | 50% gross profit |
Conclusion
At the end of the day, we can say that all the grocery store chain franchises mentioned above are worth buying. However, there’s a lot to consider when choosing the best one.
One of the most important things you should take into account includes the brand’s reputation, training, resources, and support they provide to franchisees and the revenue they generate per year.
Besides, make sure to align your budget and investment requirements of the brands.
We have mentioned the minimum initial Investment and franchise fees of each brand to make it easy for you to decide which options work best for you.
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FAQ
How Much Does It Cost To Open A Grocery Store Franchise In The USA?
Depending on the size of the grocery store, Profitable Venture recommends a budget of up to $250,000 for a small independent grocery store, more than $300,000 for a medium-sized, and over $1 million for a large store.
Is A Grocery Store Franchise Worth Investing In?
The scale of operation makes a grocery store franchise a lucrative business option.
By investing in an online grocery store franchise, you can grab more customers and earn more revenue.
How Much Does A Grocery Store Franchise Owner Earn In The USA?
Grocery store franchise owners make between $60,000 to $300,000 or more, depending on the size and location of the store.
Overall, it’s all about economies of scale and brand reputation.
Amit Gupta is the founder of DrFranchises – a digital marketing agency that helps brands rank better on Google Maps through local SEO strategies. Amit has over 11 years of experience in digital marketing, SEO, email marketing, and social media marketing. He’s also the owner of multiple franchises and has helped countless brands achieve success online. When he’s not working, Amit can be found playing with his dog.