Duff's CakeMix franchise
2023 filing · March 8, 2023
Duff's CakeMix at a glance
A do-it-yourself cake and cupcake decorating studio from cake artist Duff Goldman, hosting walk-in sessions, classes and parties. At the end of 2022 there were 2 Duff's CakeMix locations in the US, all company-owned.
The business
- Franchisor
- CakeMix Franchising, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchising since
- 2022
- Franchisor based in
- Irvine, California
- Typical size
- 1,650–2,700 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $272K–$415K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $45,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 6%
- 6% of gross sales, paid weekly
- Brand fund
- Yes
- Up to 1% of gross sales, paid weekly
- Renewal fee
- $35,000
- When the agreement ends and you sign again
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2022
- 2
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 0
- Company-owned
- 2
- Change in 3 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2020–2022
- States
- 1
- Most in California
From CakeMix Franchising, LLC’s 2023 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Duff's CakeMix among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Duff's CakeMix | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $343,350 | Costs less than 52% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $45,000 | Higher than 55% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 6% | Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 2 | Fewer than 82% of franchises |
How much a Duff's CakeMix franchise costs
Opening one Duff's CakeMix costs an estimated $271,800 to $414,900. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are construction and leasehold improvements ($125,000 to $225,000) and initial franchise fee ($45,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $45,000 | ||
| Construction and Leasehold Improvements | $125,000 | $225,000 | |
| Lease Deposits – Three Months | $9,000 | $17,500 | |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment | $30,000 | $40,000 | |
| Signage | $6,500 | $9,000 | |
| Computer, Software and POS System | $1,300 | $2,700 | |
| Grand Opening Marketing | $5,000 | ||
| Initial Inventory | $12,000 | $18,000 | |
| Utility Deposits | $3,000 | $6,000 | |
| Insurance Deposits – Three Months | $2,000 | $3,300 | |
| Travel for Initial Training | $2,500 | ||
| Professional Fees | $8,000 | $12,500 | |
| Licenses and Permits | $2,500 | $3,400 | |
| When Due Additional Funds – Three Months | $20,000 | $25,000 | |
| Total | $271,800 | $414,900 | |
Source: CakeMix Franchising, LLC, 2023 filing, page 17
Duff's CakeMix franchise fee
The franchise fee is $45,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: CakeMix Franchising, LLC, 2023 filing, page 11
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of gross sales, paid weekly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | Up to 1% of gross sales, paid weekly. |
| Technology | Up to $500 per month |
| Renewal | $35,000 |
| Additional Employee Initial Training | Our then current training fee, currently $500 per person per day |
| Franchisee Directed Local Marketing | Up to 2% of Gross Sales, currently 1% of Gross Sales |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: CakeMix Franchising, LLC, 2023 filing, page 12
Other fees as filed, from pages 12–14. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Duff's CakeMix does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: CakeMix Franchising, LLC, 2023 filing, page 49
- Estimate Estimated yearly sales per location
- $340K–$600K
Estimated from the sales that 292 comparable franchises file, matched on industry, format, cost to open, fees and size.
How Duff's CakeMix compares
Of the 112 bakery franchises on this site, Duff's CakeMix is the 41st cheapest to open and the 91st largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Duff's CakeMix | Typical bakery brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $272K | $341K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $415K | $720K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $45K | $40K | $40K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| US locations | 2 | 16 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 74 of 112 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 112 brands in bakery franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 (0) | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 (0) | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 (0) | 2 | 0 | 0 |
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: CakeMix Franchising, LLC, 2023 filing, page 50
Where Duff's CakeMix locations are
At the end of 2022, Duff's CakeMix had locations in 1 state. The most are in California.
- California2
| State | Franchised | Company-owned | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Source: CakeMix Franchising, LLC, 2023 filing, page 50
Who owns Duff's CakeMix?
Duff's CakeMix franchises are sold by CakeMix Franchising, LLC. It is a subsidiary of Camp Cake LLC.
From CakeMix Franchising, LLC’s 2023 filing, page 9.
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: CakeMix Franchising, LLC, 2023 filing, litigation on page 10, bankruptcy on page 10
Duff's CakeMix filings
The figures on this page come from CakeMix Franchising, LLC’s 2023 filing, issued March 8, 2023, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 filing | March 8, 2023 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2020–2022 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other bakery franchises
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Duff's CakeMix is also on these lists: entertainment franchises, food franchises.