Meet 6 of the Top New And Emerging Franchises

If you're looking to buy a franchise, you can (of course) join an established brand that's been around for decades — or you can be one of the first to hop aboard a potential rocket ship that's just leaving the ground. There are plenty of new options to choose from: An estimated 300 brands begin franchising their concepts every year, and that's stayed consistent despite the unique challenges of the past two years.

In fact, more than 16% of the companies that applied for Entrepreneur's 2022 Franchise 500 began franchising just in the last five years — and you'll find the best of them in our ranking of the top new and emerging franchises, here.

Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now and take this quiz to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.

Here's a closer look at just a few of the exciting new franchise brands that made our ranking:

Epic Wings, No. 7

In 1982, Frank and Michellina Sacco moved from New York to California, bringing along their six children and a New York staple — buffalo wings. The family opened Wings N' Things in San Diego, and would stand outside the restaurant offering free samples to introduce West Coasters to the dish. After more than three decades, the Sacco family rebranded and began offering franchise opportunities with the newly minted Epic Wings — but it's still very much a family affair. "Many of the current franchises are owned and operated by former employees and next-generation family members," says president and COO Rob Streett.

LIME Painting, No. 20

When his hopes for a wrestling scholarship fell through, Nick Lopez had to find another way to fund his education at Michigan State University, so he started his first painting business at the age of 19 — and it would change the course of his life. After three summers of painting houses, he developed a love for the home improvement industry and realized he could make a career out of it. After graduating, he launched LIME Painting in Denver. LIME, which stands for Love, Integrity, Mission, and Excellence, offers high-end painting services as well as other home improvement services such as carpentry, faux finishes, and epoxy coatings.

KickHouse, No. 36

Jessica Yarmey is no stranger to the fitness industry, having served in key marketing roles at Club Pilates, Youfit, and Gold's Gym. Maybe that's what gave her the confidence to launch a new fitness franchise in the midst of a pandemic. Yarmey credits that decision with helping to shape the brand into one that is nimble, tech-forward, and relatively low-cost — attributes that have helped to attract a younger pool of franchisees. And she aims to keep KickHouse on the cutting edge in unique ways, like offering an NFT collection for members and accepting cryptocurrency for merch.

Always Faithful Dog Training, No. 74

Abraham Marshal was a certified K-9 handler with the Marines before starting his own dog training company in 2003, focusing on leadership-style training that eschews the use of treats, clickers, and shock collars. He's now trained more than 6,000 dogs — and has started training franchisees as well. Always Faithful franchisees don't need to have prior experience in dog training to succeed; in fact, many have come from the corporate world. And with the abundance of "pandemic puppies" adopted over the last two years, their services have been in high demand.

DonutNV, No. 103

Alex and Amanda Gingold dreamed about leaving corporate America, but it wasn't until Amanda lost her job that they decided to finally make that dream a reality, buying used doughnut-making equipment off of Craigslist and opening a kiosk at the Philadelphia Premium Outlets in 2014. They launched their first trailer in 2015, and that mobile model would become the basis for the DonutNV franchise. Knowing the hurdles that kept them from starting their own business sooner, they seek to keep things simple for franchisees through a low $10,000 franchise fee, a limited menu of mini doughnuts and drinks, and providing everything needed from doughnut machines to business cards.

Gone for Good, No. 125

Reid Husmer wanted to find a way to make a difference and make money at the same time. The result is Gone for Good, which stands out from other junk removal franchises because it also has a thrift store component, allowing franchisees to resell some of the items they remove from people's homes instead of sending them to landfills. The company also recycles some items and donates others to charities, like eyeglasses for the Lions Club's Recycle For Sight Program, or bras for Free The Girls, which helps sex-trafficking survivors earn an income selling them.