Franchisor Stories
Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Frios is a mobile frozen dessert franchise that delivers happiness on a stick through its colorful Sweet Rides, offering handcrafted gourmet pops.
Frios Gourmet Pops is redefining the frozen treat business with a mobile-first franchise model designed for fun, flexibility and high community engagement. Known for its whimsical Sweet Rides and crave-worthy flavors, Frios offers a low-investment, quick-launch opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to sell happiness across neighborhoods, events and wholesale accounts. Backed by strong branding and corporate support, Frios has quickly become one of the largest gourmet pop franchises in the country.
Frios was born in a tiny garage as a creative escape from the ordinary and quickly evolved into a nationwide movement of “Happiness Hustlers.” Cliff Kennedy, the current CEO, first discovered Frios as a customer stuck in traffic—one bite of a Key Lime Pie pop changed his life. Within a year, he bought the company and transformed it into a mobile franchise model known for its signature tie-dye vans and handcrafted pops.
Mission: To deliver moments of happiness through delicious pops and joyful experiences that connect communities and create lasting memories.
Vision: To become the most recognized mobile frozen treat brand in the U.S. by spreading smiles, one handcrafted pop at a time.
Frios is expanding across the U.S. with prime territories available. Each territory typically includes a population of 150,000 across contiguous ZIP codes.
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a Frios Sweet Ride Van franchise ranges from $71,615 to $90,654. The investment for a Happiness Hauler Trailer ranges from $59,548 to $101,417, and a Nelson Cart will run $71,000 to $90,000. The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks the costs down for a Sweet Ride Van as follows:
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $37,500 | $37,500 |
| Sweet Ride Van, Wrap & Equipment | $15,115 | $16,654 |
| Computer, Software and POS System | $300 | $1,500 |
| Grand Opening Marketing | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Initial Starter Pack | $5,500 | $6,500 |
| Insurance Deposits (3 Months) | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Travel for Initial Training | $750 | $1,500 |
| Professional Fees | $250 | $2,500 |
| Licenses & Permits | $200 | $500 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $10,000 | $20,000 |
Initial Franchise Fee: Frios charges a non-refundable initial franchise fee of $37,500, which is due upon signing the Franchise Agreement. This fee covers a single territory with a population of up to 150,000 people and is fully earned upon payment. The fee structure is applied uniformly across all franchises, with limited exceptions as outlined in the FDD.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2025 FDD, Frios franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty | Varies by number of territories and weeks of operation/weekly |
| Brand Development Fund | Up to 2% of gross sales/weekly |
| Franchisee directed local marketing | Not less than $1,500/annually |
| Technology and Marketing Fee | Up to $350/monthly |
| Email Address Fee | $120/annually |
ROI Potential: Frios does not list average sales information in its Item 19. However, it notes that the average number of pops purchased per store during the 2024 calendar year was 29,972.
New franchisees receive in-depth, hands-on training in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, covering everything from equipment use and operations to marketing and customer service. Training begins immediately upon signing and continues with ongoing sessions and monthly calls.
Frios provides help with event booking, inventory planning, pricing strategy and day-to-day operations. Support continues long after launch, with regular communication and field visits from the leadership team.
To be approved, prospective franchisees must demonstrate good moral character, sufficient business experience, aptitude and financial resources to operate a Frios business. Additionally, they must not own, operate or plan to operate a competing business.
Franchisees must operate at least one Sweet Ride and are encouraged to participate in events, neighborhood sales and wholesale distribution. The model supports both single-unit and multi-unit ownership, with options for solo operators or family-run businesses.
Frios supports leasing through third-party business van leasing companies. Franchisees can also secure their own local vehicle financing if preferred.
Franchisees like Nick Reeder and Leesa Wolfe have shared testimonials about the brand’s joyful mission and business flexibility.
"I love Frios because it lets me be who I am. It fits who I am and who my family is - we are goofy, fun-loving people, like to make money, and we love tie-dye! It's very family-friendly, and that's just us." – Leesa Wolfe
"Our pops really bring a childlike feeling, a feeling of freedom, and a feeling of fun when you bite into it. I think that's something really special we're able to offer people." – Nick Reeder
The demand for frozen desserts continues to grow as consumers seek indulgent, refreshing options that also meet evolving dietary preferences. The global frozen dessert market is expected to be valued at $120 billion in 2025, and it is forecasted to reach $196.30 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 6.1% during that period. From 2020 to 2025, the market registered a CAGR of 5.7%.
Frios sets itself apart with:
Primary Competitors: Kona Ice, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
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