Franchise Facts Report → compare → Marble Slab Creamery vs Kilwins
Marble Slab Creamery vs Kilwins
Two food & beverage franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| Marble Slab Creamery | Kilwins | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $354,500 – $476,650 | $295,414 – $880,343 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | 6% | 5% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Yes | Yes |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | $540,659 | $933,138 |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 249 | 168 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +1 | +9 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 4.8% | 0.6% |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | 3 | disclosed |
| Risk level our read | Medium | Low |
| FDD year registration | 2025 | 2025 |
Are Marble Slab Creamery and Kilwins the same company?
No — Marble Slab Creamery and Kilwins are franchised by separate companies. Marble Slab Creamery's franchisor is MARBLE SLAB FRANCHISING, LLC; Kilwins's is KILWIN'S CHOCOLATES FRANCHISE INC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
Marble Slab Creamery is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $354,500 – $476,650, against $295,414 – $880,343 for Kilwins.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation. On the headline average unit revenue each discloses, Kilwins reports the higher figure ($933,138 vs $540,659). Revenue is not profit — the full report breaks out what each brand actually represents.
Closures & failure rate
Marble Slab Creamery reports 249 franchised outlets, net change +1 in the latest reported year, a 4.8% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Kilwins reports 168 franchised outlets, net change +9 in the latest reported year, a 0.6% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate; the full report puts both brands' churn against food & beverage medians.
Litigation
Marble Slab Creamery discloses 3 franchisee-vs-franchisor proceedings in FDD Item 3. Kilwins discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (case detail in the full report).
This page is the headline numbers. The Deep report compares up to three brands on the complete FDD record — every fee line, the actual Item 19 figures and what they represent, each lawsuit, and churn benchmarked against food & beverage peers.
Only looking at one of them?
Marble Slab Creamery vs Kilwins — frequently asked
Are Marble Slab Creamery and Kilwins the same company?
No — Marble Slab Creamery and Kilwins are franchised by separate companies. Marble Slab Creamery's franchisor is MARBLE SLAB FRANCHISING, LLC; Kilwins's is KILWIN'S CHOCOLATES FRANCHISE INC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between Marble Slab Creamery and Kilwins?
Marble Slab Creamery and Kilwins are food & beverage franchises from different franchisors (MARBLE SLAB FRANCHISING, LLC and KILWIN'S CHOCOLATES FRANCHISE INC). Marble Slab Creamery is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $354,500 – $476,650, against $295,414 – $880,343 for Kilwins. Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation. On the headline average unit revenue each discloses, Kilwins reports the higher figure ($933,138 vs $540,659). Revenue is not profit — the full report breaks out what each brand actually represents.
Is Marble Slab Creamery more profitable than Kilwins?
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation. On the headline average unit revenue each discloses, Kilwins reports the higher figure ($933,138 vs $540,659). Revenue is not profit — the full report breaks out what each brand actually represents.
Which is cheaper to open — Marble Slab Creamery or Kilwins?
Marble Slab Creamery is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $354,500 – $476,650, against $295,414 – $880,343 for Kilwins.
Is Marble Slab Creamery or Kilwins growing faster?
Marble Slab Creamery reports 249 franchised outlets, net change +1 in the latest reported year, a 4.8% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Kilwins reports 168 franchised outlets, net change +9 in the latest reported year, a 0.6% closure rate (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Food & beverage rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Marble Slab Creamery 2025, Kilwins 2025). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.