Do you love ice cream? Many people do. The consumption of ice cream leaves individuals happy. But then there is selling ice cream. Ice cream is a dream product to sell to a number of people who wish to start a business. Franchise businesses come in here. Franchising is business in a box. You are going to use the name of a well-known brand and their intention to start your personal shop.  

Cream Stone is one of the names that are searched by many people. So, you have ever been to one: you know that it is not a regular ice cream shop. It is an experience.  

But how do you start one? And the great one, how much does it cost?  

The quick fun food business is expanding at a very high rate in India. Here are some of the figures that will help us determine the size of this market.  

• Big Market: The Indian Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) market, comprising outlets such as ice cream salons, was estimated to be approximately 28billion dollars (approximately 230,000 crores in 2024).  
• Rapid Expansion: The rate of expansion of this QSR market is very high of approximately 15 per cent annually. This implies that an increasing number of people are dining out.  
• Love for Sweets: The Indian ice cream market is estimated to have more than 26,800 crores in 2024.  
• Brand Power: Cream Stone has increased significantly. It now possesses well above 117 stores in over 34 cities.  

This article is your guide to the Cream Stone franchise cost. We will disaggregate all the costs, bit by bit, in very simple terms. We will discuss the amount of money you need, the amount of profit that you are capable of, and how to apply.  

About Cream Stone Ice Cream  

We can discuss money later but first of all, we should learn about the brand. Why is it so special?  

Brand History 

Cream Stone is an Indian popular ice cream franchise. It began its operation in Hyderabad in 2009. Mr. Viren Shah, the founder, had a great idea in the United States. He watched human beings preparing ice cream using a frozen rock and blending it with various toppings. He introduced this concept of cold stone in India and Cream Stone was born.  

It quickly became a huge hit. People were fond not only of the taste, but also of the show. It is currently among the favorite concept ice cream brands in the country.  

Brand USP (What Makes It Special?)  

USP is an acronym for Unique Selling Proposition. It is what makes a brand stand out of the rest of the brands. Cream Stone possesses a USP which is very strong. Their main attraction is the so-called Cold Stone. The ice cream does not simply come out of a tub. Rather, a large scoop of ice cream is placed on a stone of frozen granite that is maintained at extremely low temperature.  

• The Live Show: The employees then pour your choice of toppings, such as brownies, nuts, chocolate sauce, or fruits on the ice cream. They chop, mix and smash it all with two metal spatulas, right before your eyes. It is as if it were a live cooking show.  
• Custom Creations: You may select their well known concept flavors (such as the “Willy Wonka” or the Nuts Overload) or make your own mix.  
• 100% Vegetarian: Cream Stone ice creams are all eggless. This qualifies it as an ideal option to a very large number of customers in India.  
• Experience: You do not simply go to Cream Stone to have an ice cream. You visit it because of the experience. It is an enjoyable family, friends and kid friendly place.  

The reasons why Entrepreneurs are seeking Cream Stone Franchise Opportunities  

Entrepreneurs (people who desire to start a business) are in constant search of Cream Stone. Here’s why:  

• It is a Well-Known Brand: Cream Stone is already known and popular among people. You do not need to invest much money in an attempt to describe what your shop is.  
• It Has a Proven Plan: The company has a working system. They are familiar with the process of establishing the store, training employees, and which flavors are most popular. The only thing you need to do is to go along with their plan.  
• It is a Happy Business: The sale of ice cream is a pleasant job. Customers are generally in a good mood.  
• It is Different: It is not an ordinary ice cream salon. The concept of the cold stone makes it unique in comparison to other companies.  

Cream Stone Franchise Cost Breakdown

It is the most significant section. We can discuss the amount of money you will require.  

Estimated Capital Investment.  

The total investment required to start Cream Stone franchise in India is 30 lakhs to 50 lakhs.  

This figure may be greater or lesser. It will be determined by the city, the place (a crowded shopping center and a street with few people), and the size of your shop. There are even bigger models of lounges that cost up to 70 lakh rupees.  

This 30-50 Lakh is not a single fee. It is a combination of a multitude of different expenses. Let’s break them down.  

Cost Components  

This is where all that money is taken:  

1. Franchise Fee: What it is: It is the entry fee that you pay to the Cream Stone company once. It provides you with the privilege to use their brand name, their recipes and their business system.  

Estimated Price: 5 to 10 lakhs (including GST).  

What you receive; You receive the brand license, the full operations manual (the rule book) and an initial training of you and your employees.  

2. Store Setup and Interiors: What it is This is what you use to make the store and make it look like a Cream Stone. The company designed is special and your store should appear like that.  

• Estimated Price: 12 to 15 lakh rupees.  
• What it entails: This is a huge portion of the cost. It covers the chairs, tables, glamour lighting, the main billing counter, the gorgeous signboards, and all the wall branding.

3. Equipment and Machinery | It is everything in the kitchen that is required to operate the shop.  

• Estimated Price: 10 to 12 lakhs in rupees.  
• What it contains: This is extremely crucial. It will consist of the special cold stone machine, large deep freezers (to store the ice cream), display freezers (to display the flavors), waffle cone makers, blenders, and the billing machine (the POS system).  

4. Initial Stock (Inventory)

• What it is: You can not open a shop that has nothing in it. This will be the price of your first order of all the ice cream, toppings, sauces, fruits, brownies, cups and spoons.  
• Estimated Price: 3 to 5 lakhs of rupees.  

5. Working Capital  

• What it is: This is emergency money or backup money. You may not make a lot of profit on the very first day with your store. You have to pay the salaries of your staff, rent and electricity bills of the shop during the initial months. That money funds such expenses.  
• Estimated Price: 2 to 3 lakhs.  

6. Ongoing Cost: The Royalty Fee  

• What it is: This does not form a part of the initial investment. It is a payment that you make to the company on a monthly basis as long as you are operating the franchise.  
• Estimated Price: 6 to 8 per cent of your total monthly sales.  
• Example: In the case of your store, you would have to pay the company 60,000-80,000 as royalty fee that month, assuming that you sold 10 lakhs of ice cream that month. This is the fee that they will support them on a continual basis, new menu items, and branding.  

Franchise Models of Cream Stone in India.  

Cream Stone understands that one size cannot fit everybody. A large store may be situated in a primary street, whereas a small store is suitable in a mall. They have various models or types of stores. Depending on the model, the cost varies significantly.  

1. The Kiosk Model (or Express Format)  

What it is: It is a small and compact shop. They can be frequently found in food courts of malls, at the airport or even in the lobby of a large office building.  

• Space Needed: Small. Around 150 to 400 square feet.  
• Specialization: It is primarily a take-away shop. There is little or no seating.  
• Investment: This model is the least expensive. It is between 25-40 lakhs.  
• Why choose it? The rent is reduced and there are less people to staff.  

2. The Standard Outlet (or Lounge Model)  

• What it is: This is the traditional Cream Stone parlor. It is a bigger shop in which individuals have the opportunity to sit and have their ice cream.  
• Space Needed: Much larger. Around 500 to 700 square feet (or more).  
• Focus This model is all about the experience. It has a pleasant family and group seating.  
• Investment: It is the costlier model. It is approximately 50 lakhs to 70 lakhs.  
• Why choose it? It is able to serve a higher number of customers simultaneously as well as tends to sell more overall. It establishes a better community relationship.  

Franchise Cost Estimates City-Wise

The price we have discussed ( 70-30 lakh) is a scale. It is highly dependent on what city you are in.  The Franchise Fee of the company (the 5-10 lakh) tends to be similar all over. The huge distinction is Real Estate the rent of your shop.  

Let’s compare a few big cities:

Cream Stone Franchise Cost in Hyderabad

• The Brand: This is the home city of Cream Stone. Here the strength of the brand is very high.  
• The Price: It is extremely expensive to rent a 500 sq. ft. shop in a prime location (such as Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills or Gachibowli). You must also pay a huge security deposit which may take 6 to 10 months of rent.  

Cream Stone may not be franchising out of Hyderabad since it is their prime location. It was even stated on their official site that they did not franchise in Hyderabad. They can choose to operate their stores there. This should be checked out with the company.  

Cream Stone Franchise Cost in Chennai

• The Market: Chennai boasts of a large dessert and ice cream market.  
• The Price: It will be expensive, as it was in Hyderabad, to get a place in a good location in a busy place (such as Anna Nagar or T. Nagar). The initial cost will include a large portion of the rent and the deposit. The amount of money that you are supposed to spend on your total investment would be on the higher side which would be around ₹45 lakh to 60 lakh on a decent size parlor.  

Franchise cost Cream Stone Cement Franchise Cost is located close to Delhi / New Delhi.  

• The Market: Delhi-NCR is a very large market, yet there is a great deal of competition as well.  
• The Price: It is among the high-priced real estate areas in India. The rent in a market with a high foot traffic (such as in Connaught Place, South Delhi or a large mall) will be very high. It might be well above ₹50 lakhs or ₹60 lakhs, merely due to the fact that the security deposit on the shop will be huge.  
• The Easy Formula: The larger the city and the more famous the place, the greater will be your overall investment.  

Cream Stone Franchise Profit Margin and Returns

The second large question is it, when you have spent all that money, how much can you make? Profit and returns (also known as ROI) are the topic of our conversation.  

What is Profit Margin?  There are two types of profit.  

• Gross Profit: This is the amount you get on the ingredients. In the case of ice cream, this is very high. A product, an ice cream that you are selling at 200 rupees may only require you 70 rupees ice cream and toppings. The ₹130 is your gross profit.  
• Net Profit: This is the actual profit. This is what you have in your pocket after all the expenses have been met: the ingredients, salaries of your staff, the rent of your shop, the electricity bill, and the 6-8 percent royalty to Cream Stone.

The net profit margin of a profitable Cream Stone store in an excellent location is normally around 18 to 25 percent.  

ROI: In the case of Cream Stone franchise, the average payback period is 18 to 24 months (1½ to 2 years). It may take as many as 30 months (2 1/2 years) according to some sources.  

This is highly favourable to a food business. But it is dependent on three things:  

• Location: A shop in a mall full of people will earn more money than a shop on a deserted street.  
• Good management: You need to keep wastes down (do not waste toppings) and also you need to keep your employees under control.  
• Customer service: Satisfied customers will be able to visit us again and again.  

Cream Stone franchise application procedure: step by step.  

You got the money and you are all pumped. How do you apply? It is a highly professional process.  Step‑by‑step guide  

• Step 1: Complete application form: Visit the official site of Cream Stone (creamstoneconcepts.com). Go to the Franchise page and complete their application form. They will request that you provide your name, phone number, email and the city you are interested in.  
• Step 2: The first talk (review): Cream Stone franchise group will consider your application. They can call you in case they are interested. The initial dialogue will involve whether you are right. They will enquire about your history and whether you are ready with the cash.  
• Step 3: Show your finances: You need to demonstrate that you can afford to finance the project to the company. This is by displaying bank statements or other evidence that you possess 30-50 lakh.  
• Step 4: Make a city plan: The company will request you to design a development plan. This is to mean that you do research on your own city. Discuss with them the population, other brands of ice-cream available, and good market locations.  
• Step 5: Find a location: This is the step that is most significant. Identify some good shop locations in your city and offer them to the company.  
• Step 6: Location approval: The Cream Stone team will research in the sites you recommended. They can even come to the city. They will have to give the end- approval to the shop.  
• Step 7: Pay and Sign the agreement: The final meeting is after the location is accepted. Sign the official Franchise Agreement (a legal document). Make the initial franchise fee ( 5-10 lakh).  
• Step 8: Training and set-up of store: The store designs are provided by the company. Construct internally, purchase machinery and organize everything. This usually takes 45 to 60 days. In this period the firm fully trains you and your personnel on the production of the ice cream and operating the shop.  
• Step 9: Grand opening!: After preparing the store and training the staff, go on to start your own Cream Stone store.  

Eligibility requirements & criteria

Cream Stone chooses partners carefully. Here is what they look for:  

• Money: You have to have the investment amount that is required of 30-50 lakh.  
• Space: You need to be able to obtain a good shop of appropriate size (e.g., 500-700 sq. ft. of a lounge) in a high-traffic location.  
• Passion: You do not need to be a cook. You have to love the brand, love serving customers, and be able to work hard. 
• No partnerships (usually): It is not a group of partners, but one person who operates the store.  
• Same city: They want the franchise owner to be living in the same city with the store so that you can personally manage the store.  

Contact Details:

The official channels of the company are the only safe methods of initiating it. Do not trust any other sites which demand money.  

• Web: https://www.creamstoneconcepts.com/  
• Franchise page: Find the link on their site with the name Franchise or Application. The online one is on the page of creamstoneconcepts.com/application-form.  
• Contact: Contact them through their contact page.  
• Mailing Address: 22840 Troy Commerce Drive, Troy, MI, 48083.  
• Phone: +91 40 2473 2820 / 806  

The official form should always be used on their site. It is the most professional and the initial step.  

Why invest in Cream Stone franchise?  

Let’s sum up the good points.  

• A powerful, cherished brand: You are purchasing into a name that is familiar and trusted by people.  
• Unique product: The cold stone show is your greatest marketing tool. It is entertaining to watch and makes customers come back.  
• Great company services: Cream Stone will take care of all the details, including location search, store design, training of your employees, and new menu suggestions. You are not alone.  
• An increasing market: Indians are increasing their expenditure on luxury snacks. The market of desserts is expanding at a very rapid pace.  
• High profit and quick returns: It is a good business model with a net profit margin of 18-25 0 and a payback period of approximately 2 years.

Alternatives to the Cream Stone Franchise

Cream Stone would be a good option, but is an experience brand, which is expensive. Otherwise, the following are some other good ice cream franchises in India.

• Naturals Ice Cream: It is a very famous brand that sells only natural flavors of fresh fruits, such as sitaphal, mango and others. It typically invests between 10 lakh and 20 lakh which is usually less than Cream Stone.
• Baskin-Robbins: It is a famous global brand of ice cream of 31 flavors. It is also of premium investment, which normally ranges between 25 lakh and 50 lakh.
• Giani: North Indian, very popular. They specialize in ice cream, falooda and shakes.
• Amul Ice Cream Parlor: Investment is considerably low, less than 10 lakh. You market the entire products of Amul. Amul has a good brand loyalty, but it is not a luxury experience as Cream Stone.
• Ibaco (by Havmor): Cream stone has another brand which is the Ibaco. It provides an upscale experience of numerous flavors and toppings that you are charged on a weight basis.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Cream Stone franchise is a promising business. It is an enjoyable company that markets a distinctive product. Nonetheless, it is a heavy investment. About 30-50 lakh will be needed in terms of money to spend. The most significant expenses are the interior of the store and costly kitchen appliances.

You, in turn, are provided with a complete, proven plan of success by the company. With an excellent place of location and running your store properly, you will get a net margin of 18-25 percent and break even after 2-2.5 years of operation. The initial one is easy, you do your own research, go to a store, and, in case you are serious, fill out the application form on their official site.

FAQs

What is the amount of money I would need to open a Cream Stone?  

A minimum of 30 lakhs to 50 lakhs is required as a total investment. A smaller kiosk can be priced at 30-40 lakhs whereas a big lounge store can be priced at 50-70 lakhs.

Is it possible to make a good profit working with a Cream Stone franchise?  

Yes. A store that is well operated and located properly may have a net profit margin of 18-25. This implies that you will be able to retain 18 to 25 as profit after all expenses after selling 100.

Am I required to possess food business experience?  

No, you don’t need to be a chef. Cream Stone offers complete training. You need to have good business skills, be passionate and be ready to run the store on your own.

What is the first step to be used?  

Visit the official site creamstoneconcepts.com and fill the form Franchise Application Form. The process can only be initiated in this manner.