The Green journal · Understanding your investment
Salad bar franchise investment: build a complete budget
Understand the difference between personal funds and the full restaurant budget, including premises, fit-out, opening costs and working capital.
Personal funds are only one part of the picture
The amount you can invest personally is different from the amount a restaurant needs to open and operate. A project may combine personal funds with other financing, but the financing plan should be grounded in actual costs and a realistic operating forecast.
The current Green Is Better application requires at least €50,000 of personal funds available immediately, excluding borrowing and funds expected later. This threshold is not an all-inclusive opening price and does not establish the terms of an international franchise.
Separate the main cost categories
Start with the premises: deposits, professional fees and preparation work can vary widely. Add equipment and fit-out, then identify franchise-related fees and any training or opening-support costs that apply to the proposed agreement.
Recruitment, initial inventory, insurance, utilities and launch activity also need attention. Request a clear breakdown of what is included in any quoted package and what you must budget separately. Avoid comparing two headline figures before checking their scope.
Make room for the period after opening
Working capital supports the business while it settles into its operating rhythm. Rent, wages, purchasing and other expenses continue whether sales meet your forecast or not. A plan that spends every available resource before opening leaves little flexibility.
Build several operating scenarios and review them with suitable local advisers. Test how changes in sales, labour, rent or ingredient costs affect cash needs. The aim is to understand your exposure rather than to rely on a single optimistic projection.
Adapt the budget to the country
A figure published for one market should not automatically be applied to another. Local property costs, supply arrangements, taxes, employment and the franchise structure all influence a project. Master-franchise development adds a different layer of resources and responsibilities.
See the franchise overview or the territory development page. When you contact Green, distinguish funds currently available from later funding and explain which country and operating format you have in mind.