Corelife Eatery Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

CoreLife Eatery is a health-focused restaurant chain offering a variety of nutritious and flavorful salads, grain bowls, and broth-based dishes. With a commitment to using fresh, whole ingredients, CoreLife Eatery provides customers with convenient and wholesome dining options.

CoreLife Eatery is a fast-casual restaurant franchise founded in 2016 in Syracuse, New York. Its mission is to serve real, clean foods made fresh every day in each location.

CoreLife Eatery is headquartered in Binghamton, New York, under CoreLife Eatery Franchisor, LLC. The brand leveraged the success of its pilot location to develop a scalable franchise model.

While the menu emphasizes clean-eating trends like GMO-free ingredients, antibiotic-free proteins, and nutrient-rich broth bowls, the franchise system focuses on high-quality execution and community engagement.

The franchising opportunity launched shortly after the April 2015 pilot proved successful.

The brand differentiates itself by blending hand-crafted food preparation with fast-casual convenience, attracting health-conscious customers who value wellness and flavor without sacrificing speed or affordability.

Initial investment

Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Type of Expenditure Amount
Initial Franchise Fee $35,000
Architect/Engineer and Architectural Design Review Fee $12,500 – $16,000
Project Coordinator $0 – $2,000
Permits and Licensing $1,000 – $6,000
Leasehold Improvements $310,000 – $390,000
Equipment $180,000 – $200,000
Furniture and Fixtures $85,000 – $110,000
Smallwares $17,000 – $20,000
Signage and Graphics $20,000 – $40,000
Computer Equipment & Information / POS Systems $11,000 – $15,300
Uniforms $3,000 – $4,000
Initial Inventory and Supplies $12,000 – $18,000
Pre-Opening Advertising $28,000
Grand Opening Food Giveaway $3,000 – $5,000
Insurance Deposits $1,500 – $5,000
First Month’s Rent / Security Deposit $0 – $30,000
Initial Training $15,000 – $25,000
Miscellaneous Opening Costs $500 – $10,000
Professional Fees $1,000 – $5,000
Additional Funds – 3 Months $25,000 – $60,000
Total for Single Unit CoreLife Eatery $760,500 – $1,024,300
Type of Expenditure Amount
Initial Franchise Fee $35,000
Architect/Engineer and Architectural Design Review Fee $12,500 – $16,000
Project Coordinator $0 – $2,000
Permits and Licensing $1,000 – $6,000
Leasehold Improvements $310,000 – $390,000
Equipment $180,000 – $200,000
Furniture and Fixtures $85,000 – $110,000
Smallwares $17,000 – $20,000
Signage and Graphics $20,000 – $40,000
Computer Equipment & Information / POS Systems $11,000 – $15,300
Uniforms $3,000 – $4,000
Initial Inventory and Supplies $12,000 – $18,000
Pre-Opening Advertising $28,000
Grand Opening Food Giveaway $3,000 – $5,000
Insurance Deposits $1,500 – $5,000
First Month’s Rent / Security Deposit $0 – $30,000
Initial Training $15,000 – $25,000
Miscellaneous Opening Costs $500 – $10,000
Professional Fees $1,000 – $5,000
Additional Funds – 3 Months $25,000 – $60,000
Total for Single Unit CoreLife Eatery $760,500 – $1,024,300

Franchise Disclosure Document

Number of units

Training

CoreLife Eatery provides an extensive training program to ensure franchisees are well-equipped to operate their restaurant successfully. Below are the key components:

  1. Initial Training Program
    CoreLife Eatery offers a three-week Initial Training Program, approximately 150 hours long, at no tuition charge for up to four attendees, including the Operating Principal and Designated Manager. It covers food preparation, portion control, packaging, standards, marketing, customer service, and equipment maintenance. The training must be completed before the restaurant opens, and all associated expenses (travel, lodging, etc.) are borne by the franchisee.
  2. On-Site Opening Assistance
    The franchisor provides up to two weeks of on-site training around the restaurant’s opening. This includes additional hands-on instruction for the Operating Principal and Designated Manager. The goal is to reinforce practical implementation skills and ensure the smooth launch of operations.
  3. Additional and Refresher Training
    CoreLife may offer refresher or remedial training if operational deficiencies are found, or when new managers are appointed. Franchisees may also request further assistance or training, either at corporate headquarters or onsite, subject to availability and fees. The franchisor retains discretion over the scheduling, content, and delivery method for all training sessions.

Territory Protection

CoreLife Eatery offers franchisees a designated territory that may come with certain protections, typically defined at the time of agreement. The standard protected Territory generally extends in a one-mile radius from the center of the approved restaurant location.

However, this area can be adjusted depending on population density or specific conditions like being in an Urban Residential or City Center area, where the radius may be reduced based on statistical data and franchisor discretion.

Although this may offer some exclusivity, the franchisor reserves broad rights to distribute its products and services through various channels, including online sales, supermarkets, catering, and non-traditional venues such as airports or stadiums.

Competitors

Below are some of

Corelife Eatery

key competitors in the

Healthy

sector.

Franchise
Franchisees
Initial fee
Total investment
Revenue
Upgrade
Gross Profit
Upgrade
EBITDA
Upgrade

26

New
+
-26%
-26%

$35,000

$761,000

$1,024,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

Competitors

Bango Bowls

Bango Bowls is a health-food café franchise offering acai bowls, smoothies, and fresh-fruit breakfast meals, serving health-conscious consumers and active lifestyles, and known for vibrant flavour combos, social-media appeal, and grab-and-go convenience.

Franchisees

?

1
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$177,000 - $615,000

Sidewalk Juice

Sidewalk Juice is a juice and smoothie franchise offering fresh-pressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and wellness shots, serving health-conscious customers, and known for natural ingredients, made-to-order drinks, and bright, minimalist cafés.

Franchisees

?

6
+
50%
50%
Investment

?

$262,000 - $2,046,000

Fruitfull

Fruitfull is a dessert and beverage franchise offering fruit-forward treats, smoothies, and refreshing specialty items, serving health-minded dessert seekers, and known for vibrant flavors, customizable options, and a bright, cheerful café experience.

Franchisees

?

15
+
-48%
-48%
Investment

?

$91,000 - $218,000

The Fresh Monkee

The Fresh Monkee is a health food franchise offering smoothies, cold-pressed juices, bowls, and wellness beverages, serving health-conscious consumers, and known for clean ingredients, transparency, and energetic brand presence.

Franchisees

?

1
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$155,000 - $317,000

VARA Juice Restaurant

VARA Juice Restaurant is a health-focused franchise offering fresh juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and plant-based meals in a clean, modern setting.

Franchisees

?

3
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$252,000 - $648,000

Project LeanNation

Project LeanNation is a health-focused meal prep and nutrition franchise providing balanced, macro-friendly meals designed for fitness enthusiasts and busy professionals.

Franchisees

?

28
+
300%
300%
Investment

?

$238,000 - $354,000