Los Angeles-based Milk Jar Cookies, a rapidly-growing gourmet cookie bakery with a star-studded following, has announced the launch of its franchising program in 39 states across the country.

“The Milk Jar Cookies brand has waited ten years to prove the concept, maintaining our hands-on baking method, perfecting our recipes, and protecting the integrity of an extraordinary cookie community bond,” says Courtney Cowan, founder of Milk Jar Cookies and author of The Milk Jar Cookies Bakebook. “We are now ready to partner with others to help share this vision; you don’t need to be a professional baker or a serial entrepreneur to join our franchising family, just have an entrepreneurial spirit.”

The first Milk Jar Cookies location opened in 2013 on Wilshire Blvd. in Central Los Angeles, and the second one in Encino, California will open this summer.

Milk Jar Cookies plans to leverage its dedicated corporate team and technology to support franchisees through onboarding. This will include robust training, site selection, real estate, construction, premarketing, hiring, location opening training and support, grand opening and ongoing operations/marketing support.

“Having been deeply involved in the franchising industry for years, I've come to understand the essential ingredients that create a successful brand and franchise, and Milk Jar Cookies embodies those qualities wholeheartedly,” says Matt Hale, franchising consultant. “Their commitment to preserving the culture of ‘cookies and kindness’ and vetting exceptionally qualified individuals sets them apart, ensuring that every franchisee they bring on board is not just a business partner, but a dedicated ambassador of the Milk Jar experience.”

Interested individuals can become Milk Jar Cookies franchisees by making an initial investment between $327,545 and $750,770, which includes an initial franchise fee of $50,000 for a single-unit franchise. Costs may vary based on market factors, lease terms, construction materials availability and location conditions. Franchisees will pay a royalty fee of 7 percent of gross sales, as well as a national ad fund fee of 2 percent of gross sales.

Milk Jar Cookies stores require a minimum of 800 square feet, 15 feet of store frontage minimum, and a preference for end-cap or inline locations in well-curated collectives featuring other unique brands. The company aims to establish its presence in neighborhood and daily-needs centers with favorable demographics, targeting areas with a population of at least 50,000 households within the trade area and a median household income of $75,000 per year.

Aspiring franchisees will undergo a personalized and detailed vetting process, including a meeting and a potential full-day program at company headquarters to learn more about Milk Jar, meet the team and review key aspects of the franchise program in more detail.