Opening? Set up your books and accountingAlready open? Move your books and accounting to Averan

Breakdown

The Seals franchise unit economics

The Seals franchisees sell and install replacement gaskets, door hardware and cutting boards for commercial refrigerators, freezers and ovens, mainly at restaurants.

Franchised outlets, end of 20256

Initial fee$49,000

Total investment$101,200–$147,300

Royalty10% of sales

The Seals franchise at a glance

The Seals’ 2026 FDD, issued 1 April 2026, makes no financial performance representation in Item 19, so it gives no sales or profit figure. A franchise from The Seals costs $101,200 to $147,300 to open, including the $49,000 initial franchise fee.

The Seals charges a royalty of 10% of annual Gross Billings up to $1,499,999, 9% to $2,999,999 and 8% above, with a minimum monthly royalty of $750 to $2,000 from the first anniversary of opening.
The Seals also charges a 2% Promotional Fund contribution, which was not operational in 2025, and a $499 monthly Technology Fee.
From the fourth year, a franchise from The Seals must generate at least $40,000 of Gross Billings a month, $480,000* a year, to keep its territory.
The Seals had 6 franchised outlets and no company-owned outlets at the end of 2025, up from 2 franchised outlets at the start of 2023, with 12 signed agreements not yet open.
The Seals Franchising, LLC has offered franchises since 2019 and has been owned by EverSmith Brands since February 2025.

These figures come from The Seals's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, as the brand reported them, and were read by Averan Advisors. The $480,000 a year is $40,000 x 12.

Own this franchise?

See what your numbers should look like every month.

Talk to Averan → Move your books and accounting to Averan →

By Scott Engler · Averan Advisors · Source: The Seals Franchising, LLC, 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) · Updated 28 October 2026

From the fourth year, The Seals requires at least $40,000 of Gross Billings a month in each territory. That is $480,000* a year. At that level the royalty, Promotional Fund, Technology Fee and conference fee of The Seals come to $64,563*, 13.45%* of billings.
Below $240,000* of annual billings, the $2,000 minimum royalty of The Seals sets the royalty at $24,000* a year. With the 2% fund, the Technology Fee and the $975 conference fee, Averan puts the charges of The Seals at 27.80%* of billings of $120,000* a year and 14.90%* at $240,000*.
The Seals charges its royalty on Gross Billings in the month billed, whether or not the customer has paid. Royalty payments to The Seals start within two months of signing, and the minimum royalty of The Seals starts on the first anniversary of opening.
The Seals takes $10,000 off the first fee for veterans and first responders, and $9,000 off a second fee when two franchises are bought together. Initial franchise fees paid to The Seals in 2025 ranged from $5,000 to $49,000.
The Seals had 12 signed franchise agreements not yet open at the end of 2025 and 6 open franchised outlets. Item 20 of The Seals shows 4* franchised openings from 2023 to 2025 and no terminations, closures or transfers.

Revenue

What the FDD of The Seals discloses about revenue

The 2026 FDD of The Seals makes no financial performance representation. Item 19 states that The Seals makes no representations about the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. The FDD of The Seals gives no average, median or profit figure.

Franchisees of The Seals work mainly with restaurants. Item 1 states that franchisees of The Seals deal with restaurant owners, general managers, kitchen managers and head cooks, and also serve supermarkets, convenience stores, hotels, colleges, schools, nursing homes and hospitals. The Seals also sells cutting boards, hot-side gaskets, door sweeps and closers, strip curtains and hardware repair, and The Seals offers no refrigeration repair.

The Seals Franchising, LLC was formed in August 2019 and was acquired by EverSmith Brands on February 3, 2025. Investment funds managed by The Riverside Company control the parent of The Seals, and affiliates of The Seals franchise 1-Tom-Plumber, U.S. Lawns, milliCare, Kitchen Guard and Prism Specialties. EverSmith Brands Holding Company guarantees the performance of The Seals, and Item 21 attaches its financial statements.

The FDD of The Seals lists the franchisor’s financial condition among its state-required risks. The FDD states that the financial condition of The Seals calls into question its ability to provide services and support. The risk page of The Seals also lists mandatory minimum payments, minimum sales performance and unopened franchises.

Fees by revenue

Fees at example billing levels

Royalty, Promotional Fund, Technology Fee and conference fee for one franchise of The Seals from month 31, at example annual billing levels (Averan calculations from Item 6 terms) *Averan calculation
Annual Gross Billings	Royalty	Promotional Fund, technology and conference	Charges for the year	Share of billings
$120,000*	$24,000*	$9,363*	$33,363*	27.80%*
$240,000*	$24,000*	$11,763*	$35,763*	14.90%*
$480,000*	$48,000*	$16,563*	$64,563*	13.45%*
$1,000,000*	$100,000*	$26,963*	$126,963*	12.70%*

Averan calculations. The billing levels are examples for the arithmetic, not FDD figures, and $480,000 is the year-four minimum of $40,000 a month. Billings are assumed even across the 12 months, the royalty uses the $2,000 minimum that applies from month 31, the Promotional Fund is taken at 2%, the Technology Fee at $499 a month and the conference at $975. Required local marketing of $1,000 a month in the first year is left out.

From month 31, The Seals charges a minimum royalty of $2,000 a month. Below $240,000* of Gross Billings a year, spread evenly, the royalty of The Seals stays at $24,000* a year. Above $240,000*, the royalty of The Seals rises by 10 cents for each added dollar of billings up to $1,499,999.

The Seals adds a 2% Promotional Fund contribution and a $499 monthly Technology Fee. Item 11 states that franchisees of The Seals must contribute 2% of Gross Billings to the Promotional Fund. The Promotional Fund of The Seals was not operational in 2025 and had no contributions or spending.

At the $480,000* a year that The Seals requires from the fourth year, the royalty, fund, Technology Fee and conference fee come to $64,563*. That is 13.45%* of billings for a franchise of The Seals.

The royalty of The Seals falls to 9% of annual Gross Billings from $1,500,000 and 8% from $3,000,000. A multi-unit owner of The Seals pays a separate royalty on the Gross Billings of each franchise, so the tiers of The Seals apply franchise by franchise.

Minimum billings

Minimum royalty and minimum billings

Minimum monthly royalty and minimum Gross Billings for each franchise of The Seals, Item 6 note 1 and Item 12 *Averan calculation
Period after opening	Minimum monthly royalty	Monthly billings at which 10% equals the minimum	Minimum Gross Billings to keep the territory
Before the first anniversary	None	None	None
Months 12 to 17	$750	$7,500*	None
Months 18 to 30	$1,000	$10,000*	None
Month 31 to the end of year 3	$2,000	$20,000*	None
Year 4 onward	$2,000	$20,000*	$40,000 a month

Source: the 2026 FDD of The Seals, Item 6 note 1 and Item 12. The third column is Averan’s division of each minimum royalty by the 10% royalty rate.

The Seals starts its minimum royalty on the first anniversary of opening. The minimum royalty of The Seals is $750 a month in months 12 to 17, $1,000 in months 18 to 30 and $2,000 from month 31, for each franchise.

From the fourth year, a franchise from The Seals must generate at least $40,000 of Gross Billings a month to keep its territory. That is $480,000* a year. If a franchisee misses the minimum performance requirement, The Seals may terminate the franchise agreement on notice.

The Seals charges royalties on Gross Billings, the amount billed in a month whether or not payment is received. Royalty payments to The Seals start within two months of signing the franchise agreement, and the royalty rate of The Seals rises to 11% during a default.

A territory from The Seals holds 1,000 to 2,500 Retail Food Service Locations. The Seals will not operate or franchise another business of The Seals in the territory, apart from Regional Accounts, and the franchisee of The Seals does not receive an exclusive territory. The Seals may sell Regional Accounts anywhere and deducts a Regional Account Management Fee of 1% to 10% of the fees those accounts pay.

Brand charges

Recurring and event fees of The Seals, Item 6
Fee	Amount	When
Royalty Fee	10% of annual Gross Billings to $1,499,999, 9% to $2,999,999 and 8% from $3,000,000; minimum $750 to $2,000 a month; 11% during a default	By the 15th of the following month
Promotional Fund	2% of monthly Gross Billings; not operational in 2025	By the 15th of the following month
Technology Fee	Currently $499 a month; additional user licenses $8 to $37 a month	With the royalty
Local marketing	At least $1,000 a month from one month before opening through the first year	Upon invoice
Annual Convention Fee	Currently $975; not to exceed $2,000	As incurred
Regional Account Management Fee	1% to 10% of the fees paid by a regional account	Deducted from regional account payments
Additional training	$750 a day plus travel and lodging	As incurred
Transfer Fee	$15,000, or $5,000 to an existing franchisee, plus $2,500 for each additional agreement	At transfer
Resale Assistance Fee	$10,000 plus commissions, if the franchisor finds the buyer	Before transfer
Renewal Fee	Currently $5,000; not to exceed 20% of the then-current initial fee	At renewal
Management Fee	15% of Gross Billings plus expenses, if the franchisor steps in	Weekly

Source: the 2026 FDD of The Seals, Item 6, which states that all fees are payable to the franchisor. Averan does not show a total fee as a share of average revenue because the FDD of The Seals has no Item 19.

The royalty and Promotional Fund of The Seals total 12%* of Gross Billings up to $1,499,999 a year. The Seals also charges a $499 monthly Technology Fee, $5,988* a year, for its software suite.

The Seals requires local marketing of at least $1,000 a month in the first year. The Seals may collect and spend the local marketing amount itself or direct how it is spent, and The Seals currently requires only that the franchisee spend it.

The Seals reports no revenue from required franchisee purchases in 2025. Item 8 states that The Seals received $265.54 of rebates in 2025 and expects 5% of its 2026 revenue to come from required purchases or leases. The Seals is the only approved vendor of its software suite.

Early termination of a franchise from The Seals carries liquidated damages. The amount is the average monthly royalty paid to The Seals over the prior 12 months, multiplied by the lesser of 36 months or the months left in the term.

Cost to open

Estimated initial investment for one franchise of The Seals, Item 7 of the 2026 FDD
Line	Low	High
Initial franchise fee	$49,000	$49,000
Training	$1,200	$3,800
Equipment, inventory, supplies and marketing supplies	$1,000	$4,000
Rent	$1,000	$7,500
Tenant improvements	$1,000	$7,000
Vehicle expenses	$5,500	$11,000
Computer equipment, phones and Technology Fees	$3,000	$5,000
Insurance	$3,500	$4,500
Business license fees	$50	$200
Legal and accounting fees	$750	$2,000
Security and utility deposits	$1,000	$2,000
Incorporation filing fees	$200	$300
Local marketing	$4,000	$6,000
Additional funds, 3 months	$30,000	$45,000
Total	$101,200	$147,300

Figures as filed, in the order Item 7 prints them. The training line of The Seals covers travel, food and lodging for two people, and the local marketing line covers one month before opening and three months after.

Discounts available

The Seals takes $9,000 off the initial franchise fee for a second franchise bought at the same time as the first, $40,000 instead of $49,000.
The Seals offers 50% off the then-current initial franchise fee for an additional franchise after at least two years of operation.
The Seals takes $10,000 off the initial franchise fee for the first franchise of an honorably discharged U.S. veteran under VetFran.
The Seals takes $10,000 off the initial franchise fee for the first franchise of a qualified first responder.

From Item 5 of the The Seals 2026 FDD. The costs on this page use the full initial franchise fee for one unit, before any discount.

One franchise from The Seals costs $101,200 to $147,300 to open. The initial franchise fee of The Seals is $49,000 for a territory of 1,000 to 2,500 Retail Food Service Locations. The FDD cover states that $50,497 of the total is paid to The Seals or an affiliate, the fee plus three months of the $499 Technology Fee*.

Additional funds for a franchise from The Seals are $30,000 to $45,000 for three months. The estimate of The Seals covers operating costs, payroll for one territory manager, royalties, Promotional Fund fees and professional fees, and excludes an owner’s salary or draw.

The Seals allows a home-based start or a rented office. The low rent estimate of The Seals is a 200 square foot climate-controlled storage unit and the high estimate a 1,000 square foot office and warehouse. The Seals requires at least one wrapped service vehicle, 2021 or newer with under 60,000 miles if bought used, and Item 7 counts three months of lease payments.

Two franchises from The Seals under a multi-unit development agreement cost $141,200 to $187,300 to start. The Multi-Unit Fee of The Seals is $89,000 for two franchises, the $49,000 fee plus $40,000* for the second after the $9,000 discount.

The Seals takes $10,000 off the first initial franchise fee for honorably discharged veterans and for qualified first responders, to $39,000*. The Seals offers 50% off the then-current fee, $24,500* at the current fee, for an additional franchise after two years of operation. In 2025, initial franchise fees paid to The Seals ranged from $5,000 to $49,000.

A franchise from The Seals typically opens 1 to 2 months after signing. The Seals requires opening by the earlier of 90 days after signing or 30 days after initial training, and each franchise term of The Seals is 10 years.

Locations

Locations, 2023 to 2025

Franchised outlets of The Seals, Item 20 Tables 1 to 3 of the 2026 FDD
Year	Start	Opened	End
2023	2	1	3
2024	3	2	5
2025	5	1	6

Figures as filed. The Seals had one company-owned or affiliate-owned outlet, in North Carolina, in 2023 and 2024, and Table 4 shows it sold to a franchisee in 2025. At December 31, 2025, The Seals had 12 signed franchise agreements not yet open and projected 15 new franchised outlets in the next year.

Franchised outlets of The Seals rose from 2 at the start of 2023 to 6 at the end of 2025. Over the three years 4* franchises of The Seals opened, and Item 20 shows no terminations, non-renewals, reacquisitions, other closures or transfers.

The Seals ended 2025 with franchised outlets in four states. South Carolina had 3 outlets of The Seals, and Connecticut, Georgia and North Carolina had 1 each.

The Seals sold its company-owned North Carolina outlet to a franchisee in 2025. The Seals had no company-owned outlets at the end of 2025.

The Seals had 12 signed franchise agreements not yet open at the end of 2025, twice the 6 open franchised outlets. The 15 projected openings of The Seals include 3 in Texas and 2 in Florida.

Questions we get asked

Questions owners ask

How much does it cost to open a franchise from The Seals?

The 2026 FDD of The Seals estimates $101,200 to $147,300 for one franchise. The total for The Seals includes the $49,000 initial franchise fee, $5,500 to $11,000 of vehicle expenses, $4,000 to $6,000 of local marketing and $30,000 to $45,000 of additional funds for three months. Two franchises from The Seals under a multi-unit development agreement cost $141,200 to $187,300 to start.

What fees does The Seals charge?

The Seals charges a royalty of 10% of annual Gross Billings up to $1,499,999, 9% to $2,999,999 and 8% above, with a minimum monthly royalty of $750 to $2,000 from the first anniversary of opening. The Seals also charges a 2% Promotional Fund contribution, a $499 monthly Technology Fee and an annual convention fee of $975, and requires local marketing of $1,000 a month in the first year.

How much does a franchise from The Seals make?

The 2026 FDD of The Seals has no Item 19, so it gives no average revenue, median revenue or profit. The revenue figure The Seals does set is a minimum: from the fourth year, each franchise must generate at least $40,000 of Gross Billings a month to keep its territory.

What happens if a franchise from The Seals bills less than the minimum?

In a month when 10% of Gross Billings is below the minimum royalty, The Seals charges the minimum, $750 to $2,000 depending on months open. From the fourth year, a franchise from The Seals that does not generate $40,000 of Gross Billings a month may be terminated on notice.

Does The Seals offer discounts on the franchise fee?

The Seals takes $10,000 off the first initial franchise fee for honorably discharged veterans and qualified first responders. The Seals takes $9,000 off a second franchise bought at the same time, and offers 50% off the then-current fee for an additional franchise after two years of operation.

How many locations does The Seals have?

Item 20 shows 6 franchised outlets of The Seals at the end of 2025, up from 2 at the start of 2023, and no company-owned outlets after The Seals sold its North Carolina outlet to a franchisee in 2025. The Seals had 12 signed franchise agreements not yet open and projected 15 franchised openings in the next year.

Questions worth putting to The Seals

These are questions the filing leaves open. An owner or a buyer can put them to the franchisor directly.

Is the revenue in Item 19 gross sales or collected revenue, and how many locations sit below the average?
What separates the highest-selling locations from the lowest: territory, years open, staffing, or the owner?
How long does a new location take to reach the average you publish, and what does the build-up look like month by month?
At what level of sales do the minimum charges stop applying and the percentage take over?
How many The Seals locations closed, were sold, or changed hands last year, and why?

Part of our Home and Commercial Services guide · Averan Franchise

Run your own numbers.

The Franchise Numbers Check runs the same checks on your own numbers. It scores where you stand and compares you with Item 19 of your brand’s FDD. It works out what one location earns and spends, and builds a 13-week cash forecast. It also checks whether you are ready to open another one. It is free and it runs in your browser.

Launch the diagnostic →

Reporting for an owner of The Seals

We review your unit economics and cash forecast and build your monthly reporting around the figures on this page.

Talk to Averan

Where this sits

the franchise library, all 447 brands · how franchise unit economics work · running the books across several locations · what Averan does for franchise owners

The same business, other brands

Other brands in the Home and Commercial Services guide:

All 165 brands

Questions owners ask next

The figures above raise these, and each one is answered on its own page.

At what level of sales does a minimum fee stop costing me more than the percentage?It works out the sales level where a minimum fee stops applying.
How much cash do I fund before a new location covers its own costs?It builds a 13-week forecast for the months before break-even.
What does this location earn on the money I put into it?It works out the payback period and cash-on-cash return for one unit.
How much of Item 19 can I rely on?It explains what an Item 19 financial performance representation tells you and what it leaves out.

Scott Engler

Founder & Principal, Averan Advisors

Averan provides bookkeeping, controller, and fractional CFO support for franchise owners and has Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors on the team. More about the team →

Where these figures come from

Every figure here comes from The Seals Franchising, LLC’s 2026 FDD and is unaudited by us. We are unaffiliated with the brand. Calculations of our own are labeled where they appear. The figures describe past performance at other businesses and are not a projection of yours. This page is an educational summary. It is not an offer to sell a franchise, and it is not financial, legal or tax advice. The Seals is a trademark of its owner. How Averan reads a Franchise Disclosure Document.

These figures come from the brand's disclosure. They are not a forecast, an offer to sell a franchise or advice. Source: The Seals Franchising, LLC, 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued 1 April 2026.