The Spice & Tea Exchange franchise
A The Spice & Tea Exchange franchisee sells spices, herbs, teas, blends, oils and related accessories. At the end of 2025 there were 98 The Spice & Tea Exchange locations in the US, 97 franchised and 1 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $364K–$609K
- Franchise fee
- $38,750
- Royalty
- 7% + minimum
- Locations, 2025
- 98+11 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- On the SBA Franchise Directory
From The Spice & Tea Exchange Franchising, LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a The Spice & Tea Exchange franchise costs
Opening one store costs an estimated $364,150 to $608,764. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: The Spice & Tea Exchange Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 21
The Spice & Tea Exchange franchise fee
The franchise fee is $38,750. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: The Spice & Tea Exchange Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 11
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | The greater of 7% of gross sales or $1,750 monthly. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: The Spice & Tea Exchange Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 12
Sales and earnings
Shares figures The Spice & Tea Exchange publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: The Spice & Tea Exchange Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 55
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 89 (+3) | 1 | 3 |
| 2024 | 93 (+4) | 1 | 4 |
| 2025 | 97 (+4) | 1 | 4 |
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.
Source: The Spice & Tea Exchange Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 59
How The Spice & Tea Exchange compares
Of the 44 retail franchises on this site, The Spice & Tea Exchange is the 32nd cheapest to open and the 29th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | The Spice & Tea Exchange | Typical retail |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $364K | $251K |
| Royalty | 7% | 5% |
| Closed or left per year | 4.1% | 4.5% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +12.8% | +5.2% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 39 of 44 |
Typical is the median across the 44 brands in retail franchises.
