ention
a franchise opportunity and many people envision the golden arches, burgers and fries and
a drive-thru window. Yet Charmain and Charles Smiths franchise venture is a cool
contrast to the fast-food option, and they dont have to feel guilty about consuming
their all-natural, healthy product.The couple bought a Happy & Healthy Products,
Inc. Fruitfull® Frozen Fruit Bars franchise in Atlanta in January as a venture for
Charmain. She wanted to run a business that also allowed her time for the couples
two daughters. She says the $28,000 franchise fee was low enough to enable them to get
their feet wet while minimizing their risk. She secured $20,500 from the Small Business
Administration to finance the venture.
The products sold by Happy & Healthy Products are all-natural, no-or-low fat frozen
fruit and yogurt bars with chunks of real fruit in them. Linda Kamm, founder and president
of the company, created it in 1991.
The average cost of a franchise jumped to $33,997 in May, according to Mary Galinat,
vice president of communications at the Boca Raton, Florida-based company. Galinat
describes the franchise as a home-based business that is profitable and flexible enough to
run as either a part-time or full-time venture.
Happy & Healthy Products has approximately 115 franchisees in 38 states and Puerto
Rico, including four African American franchisees in Florida, Georgia and Texas. The
company is growing nationally and there are franchises available in many locations, says
Galinat.
The standard wholesale franchise agreement includes 10 freezers, two pallets of the
product (14,400 fruit bars) and one week of training in the franchisees location.
During that week, a Happy & Healthy Products marketing consultant provides product,
equipment and sales training. The training period concludes once the marketing consultant
and franchisee land 10 freezer accounts and five to 10 conventional accounts. Freezer
accounts are those locations that make use of Fruitfull® equipment rather than
placing the fruit bars in their own freezers. Happy & Healthy has no ongoing royalty
fees.
The company helped establish the Smiths first 15 accounts, and representatives
often call to offer help. Charmain Smith has 10 years of experience in food service
management and spends about 30 hours each week running the business. Her work includes
inventory, deliveries and installing freezers in new locations. In addition to his
full-time career as a corporate CFO, Charles Smith does all of the accounting work and
assists with other aspects of the business.
Their company, Tastes Like
Heaven, Inc., currently serves 43 accounts including four locations in Georgia comprised
of Kroger supermarkets, an executive health club chain, corporate cafeterias and local
schools and colleges. They project that they will have 75 to 100 accounts by year-end and
gross $75,000 to $100,000. (Editor's note: This is what was reported in this
article, however, Happy & Healthy Products, Inc. is not allowed to make any
projections as to income to potential franchisees and this is not to be construed as
such.)
The Smiths plan to move the business from their Gwinnett County home to a nearby office
location with a walk-in freezer. They will also hire a part-time employee to make
deliveries. Other plans include working on more agreements with large chains. Their
company is in negotiations with a national warehouse club to put the fruit bars in its
Atlanta locations.
According to the Smiths, some potential franchisees may shy away from this type of
opportunity because theyve been in high-level positions in their careers and
havent thought theyd drive a delivery truck. "Its a blue collar
job," says Charles Smith, "but its a fun and flexible way to make
money."
The Smiths say this opportunity is ideal for everyone because each entrepreneur can
tailor it to their lifestyle. The attractiveness, low start-up cost and healthy nature of
the product also make this franchise a winning proposition.
For more information on Happy & Healthy Products, Inc., Fruitfull® Frozen
Fruit Bars, call 800-764-6114 or visit www.fruitfull.com.