Meals of Hope Franchise FAQS
Answers to common questions about the meal packing franchise opportunity
What is a Meals of Hope franchise?
A Meals of Hope franchise is a for-profit meal packing business. Founded in 2007, Meals of Hope was created to help fight the hunger crisis in the United States. In that time, we’ve donated millions of meals that have reached every corner of the country, as well as millions of people abroad. Because of the enormous demand, Meals of Hope began franchising in 2022 to deepen our impact and help entrepreneurs thrive in a business that has unlimited personal and financial potential.
How much does it cost?
The total investment to own a Meals of Hope franchise is from $21,050 to $31,925. This includes the cost of your first packing event, which is approximately $11,500. This will cover the cost of all materials, ingredients, and logistics for your first event. The ongoing costs of ownership are also designed to be low. Meals of Hope doesn’t collect royalties, which allows our franchise owners to keep more of the money they earn, and because our franchise owners don’t need an office or a staff to get started, our franchise owners save on those costs as well. Please refer to our Item 7 for details.
While Meals of Hope doesn’t offer direct access to financing, we do have relationships with two fantastic third-party lenders: Tenet Financial Group and Benetrends Financial who can help you secure the capital needed to launch your business.
Tenet Financial Group
Three separate options for funding your franchise:
- 401(K)/ IRA Rollover
- Non-SBA Term Loans
- Home Equity Line of Credit
Tenent Financial Group Funding Options
Benetrends Financial
They offer several options and an online calculator.
What is the franchise fee?
For a limited time, there is no initial franchise fee. Please review the cost table for a detailed breakdown of the expenses required to start your Meals of Hope franchise. Discounts are available for additional territories.
How big are the territories?
There are 64 exclusive total territories available. Our territories are large and protected, so that our franchise owners can benefit from the full potential of the demand in their markets.
Do you provide training and support?
Yes. We provide you with support in every aspect of the business model. From how to win customers, how to run events, how to market effectively, and professional development to help you become the leader we know you can be.
What will my role as an owner be?
Your role as the owner of a Meals of Hope franchise will consist of finding sponsors to host your events, and then planning and running those events. You spend a significant amount of time networking in your community, building relationships with key stakeholders to sponsor your next events, and spreading the word about the good that your business can deliver to people in need.
Do I need to get an office?
No. Meals of Hope is a home-based business that doesn’t require you to spend money renting office space.
How do I get customers?
As a Meals of Hope franchise owner, your main role will be finding sponsors to host your events. Our primary sponsors include houses of worship, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, schools, colleges and universities, corporations, business and civic organizations, and more. The sponsors will provide you with space to host your event, and oftentimes, the ability to market the event to their network. It’s a win-win.
What do the events look like?
A Meals of Hope packing event is a fun-packed, high-energy two hours that brings people of all ages together to do good for others in need. Everyone who attends the event is a volunteer, and their efforts make an enormous impact. A few hundred people can pack tens of thousands of meals in the span of a two hour event.
How do I get the supplies for my event?
You get all of the supplies for every event through Meals of Hope, Inc.
Do I have to ship the food?
No. Typically, the Feeding America Food Bank in the area will gladly pick up the meals at the host site. All you have to do is host the two-hour event, and create an amazing experience for the sponsor and the volunteers. Once the event is over, the food bank will deliver the meals free of charge to the food pantries in the area.
