American Kolache franchise
2026 filing · June 29, 2026GrowingShares sales figures
American Kolache at a glance
A bakery café serving sweet and savory kolaches, breakfast items and coffee in a casual setting. At the end of 2025 there were 13 American Kolache locations in the US, 10 franchised and 3 company-owned.
The business
- Franchisor
- American Kolache, Inc
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Ballwin, Missouri
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $230K–$345K
- A single American Kolache
- Franchise fee
- $39,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 6%
- 6% of gross sales, paid weekly
- Brand fund
- Yes
- 2% of the previous week's gross sales once collection starts
- Renewal fee
- See terms
- 10% of the then- current initial franchise fee
- Agreement length
- 5 years
- Territory
- None
- No exclusive territory
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2025
- 13
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 10
- Company-owned
- 3
- Change in 3 years
- +7
- Franchised locations, 2023–2025
- States
- 6
- Most in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana
Support and records
From American Kolache, Inc’s 2026 filing; revenue and net income from its audited financial statements, page 197; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Franchisor revenue is the company that sells the franchises (royalties, fees and anything else it earns), not what a location makes.
Where it ranks
American Kolache among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | American Kolache | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $287,469 | Costs less than 58% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $39,000 | Lower than 58% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 6% | Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 13 | Fewer than 57% of franchises |
How much a American Kolache franchise costs
Opening a single American Kolache costs an estimated $229,968 to $344,969. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are leasehold improvements ($75,000 to $125,000) and equipment ($44,000 to $60,500). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $39,000 | ||
| Lease Deposit | $1,950 | $4,000 | |
| Rent (3 months) | $5,850 | $12,000 | |
| Utilities (3 months) | $2,100 | $2,400 | |
| Architect & Engineer Fees | $6,000 | $8,000 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $75,000 | $125,000 | |
| Signage | $4,500 | $12,000 | |
| Furniture and Fixtures | $3,850 | $6,050 | |
| Third Party Delivery Fees (3 months) | $5,000 | $10,000 | |
| Computer Equipment | $12,000 | $14,000 | |
| Miscellaneous Equipment & Supplies | $3,000 | $5,000 | |
| Equipment | $44,000 | $60,500 | |
| Initial Inventory | $4,000 | $6,000 | |
| Uniforms | $750 | ||
| Business License & Permits | $2,000 | $3,000 | |
| Professional Fees | $1,000 | $2,000 | |
| Internet Service (3 months) | $450 | $600 | |
| Insurance | $3,150 | $3,600 | |
| Training Expense | $3,542 | $12,443 | |
| Third Party Training Expense | $326 | ||
| Initial Launch Marketing & Promotions | $2,500 | ||
| Additional Funds/Working Capital | $10,000 | $15,000 | |
| Total | $229,968 | $344,969 | |
Source: American Kolache, Inc, 2026 filing, page 20
American Kolache franchise fee
The franchise fee is $39,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: American Kolache, Inc, 2026 filing, page 12
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of gross sales, paid weekly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 2% of the previous week's gross sales once collection starts. |
| Point Of Sale (POS) Fees | Currently $75/month |
| Renewal Fee | 10% of the then- current initial franchise fee |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: American Kolache, Inc, 2026 filing, page 13
Other fees as filed, from pages 14–17. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
Shares figures American Kolache publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: American Kolache, Inc, 2026 filing, page 51
- Estimate Estimated yearly sales per location
- $380K–$660K
Estimated from the sales that 292 comparable franchises file, matched on industry, format, cost to open, fees and size.
SBA loans to American Kolache franchisees
Lenders approved 5 SBA 7(a) loans for American Kolache franchisees from 2022 to 2025, $934K in all. None has been paid off or charged off yet.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
Growth and closures
Share of franchised locations, 2025 / 2023–2025. Typical means the median: half of brands are above it, half below.
| Measure | American Kolache | Typical breakfast brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrowthNet change in franchised locations | +67% / +233% | +5.4% / +7.9% | +1.2% / +10% |
| ClosuresTerminated, not renewed or stopped operating | 17% / 33% | 0% / 7.1% | 3.9% / 16% |
| Bought backLocations the franchisor took back | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% |
Typical breakfast brand is the median of the 20 brands in breakfast franchises with three years of counts.
How American Kolache compares
Of the 58 breakfast franchises on this site, American Kolache is the 5th cheapest to open and the 29th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | American Kolache | Typical breakfast brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $230K | $640K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $345K | $1.2M | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $39K | $40K | $40K |
| Royalty | 6% | 5% | 6% |
| US locations | 13 | 13 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 46 of 58 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 58 brands in breakfast franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5 (+2) | 4 | +2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 6 (+1) | 3 | +1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 (+4) | 3 | +5 | −1 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: American Kolache, Inc, 2026 filing, page 55
Where American Kolache locations are
At the end of 2025, American Kolache had locations in 6 states. The most are in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.
- Missouri6
- Illinois3
- Indiana1
- Kansas1
- Kentucky1
- Virginia1
Source: American Kolache, Inc, 2026 filing, page 56
Who owns American Kolache?
American Kolache franchises are sold by American Kolache, Inc.
From American Kolache, Inc’s 2026 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: American Kolache, Inc, 2026 filing, litigation on page 12, bankruptcy on page 12
American Kolache filings
The figures on this page come from American Kolache, Inc’s 2026 filing, issued June 29, 2026, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 filing | June 29, 2026 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2023–2025 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other breakfast franchises
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American Kolache is also on these lists: bakery franchises, food franchises.