- Franchise 500 Rank
-
N/R Not ranked last year
- Initial investment
-
$138K - $219K
- Units as of 2024
-
134 7.2% over 3 years
Pet Wants Franchise
Now more than ever, pet parents want to purchase the best food for their furry friends.
Whether their pets have dietary restrictions or not, many pet owners won’t settle for anything but the best and are always looking for new pet food brands that offer additional choices and quality foods for canines, cats and more.
If this is also important to you, you might consider starting a Pet Wants franchise. Doing so could combine your passion for pets with your desire to run your own business.
Let’s take a closer look at what it takes to successfully start and run a Pet Wants franchise of your very own.
Why should you start a Pet Wants franchise?
Michele Hobbs founded Pet Wants in 2010 primarily because she was frustrated with not finding the right pet food for her dog when they were sick.
To solve this pet nutrition problem, she created her own dog food and a company to sell it, launching Pet Wants into the upper echelon of the pet food industry.
Since the company was founded, Pet Wants has expanded massively. It began franchising in 2015 and now has several hundred retail stores throughout the US.
There are lots of good reasons why you might want to start a Pet Wants franchise of your own, including:
- The chance to provide high-quality and nutritious Pet Wants food to customers. If you are passionate about pet health, either because you did or currently do have a pet, this could be a great business to build.
- Pet Wants allows franchisees to choose a brick-and-mortar or online business model depending on their preferences. Therefore, this is one of the most flexible and manageable businesses to start as a franchisee.
- Pet Wants gives you access to premium lines of other pet products besides food. Each product is from a curated vendor, enabling you to generate additional revenue and further enrich the lives of pets and pet parents.
There are two types of Pet Wants franchise locations you can build, both of which provide custom-made pet foods without animal by-products or fillers:
- A mobile Pet Wants business. With the mobile business, you will deliver and ship premium dog and cat food straight to pet owners’ homes. As a franchisee, this gives you unparalleled flexibility since you can base your business anywhere in the United States.
- A retail or brick-and-mortar Pet Wants business. You can alternatively opt for a permanent retail location while still offering delivery and shipping services to customers. But you may also open up your business to additional revenue, as customers can visit your store in person.
Customers love the fresh pet food they can get from these pet stores.
Pet Wants franchise owners can take advantage of this business opportunity in one of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets for a low total investment. The pet food franchise industry is ultimately a great business to run from a home office.
Given these benefits, starting a Pet Wants franchise could be great for pet lovers and would-be business owners of all stripes.
Does Pet Wants offer territory exclusivity?
Yes. Unlike other franchisors, Pet Wants provides territory exclusivity to each franchisee. Specifically, you get an exclusive territory that is delineated by postal codes.
When you start a franchise with Pet Wants, you’ll get a map of all the territory approved by your franchisor, plus a list of the postal codes to which you can ship your products.
Generally, your base initial franchise fee will qualify you for a population of up to 100,000. You’ll have to pay another $500 for all or part of every extra 1000 people you sell to over the 100,000 limit.
This is a great deal, especially if you are concerned with competition. It’s entirely possible to run a Pet Wants mobile location from your home to an exclusive territory with a minimum set-up time on your part.
Related: ‘Man’s Best Friend’ – And Investment: The Thriving Industry of Pet-Related Franchising
What support resources does Pet Wants offer franchisees?
Each Pet Wants franchisee will benefit from a wide range of support resources and initiatives on behalf of their corporate sponsors. These start with attending meetings and conventions, which allow you to boost and broaden your social network.
Pet Wants also gives business owners access to a toll-free support line, newsletter, security and safety procedure guidelines and support.
Store managers also receive grand opening support. That'll help you make the most of the first few days and weeks after opening a retail Pet Wants location, should you choose to build your business with this model.
To ensure you choose the right spot, Pet Wants provides additional lease negotiation and site selection support; that way, you’ll be sure to select an excellent retail location for your brick-and-mortar business.
No matter which business model you choose, Pet Wants will provide lots of marketing support.
This includes co-op advertising support, national and social media advising, regional advertising support and email marketing support. Regional advertising will help you draw people in your local territory to your Pet Wants business.
Then, once you have some customers, you can use the corporate loyalty program and app. This is a great way to get customers to return to your brand repeatedly by allowing them to build up loyalty points and special perks, which give them access to discounts and free shipping.
You can use Pet Wants’s ad templates to make advertisements for your target audience without making those ads from scratch.
Related: The Top 12 Pet Franchises You Can Buy in 2023
How much does a Pet Wants franchise cost?
Before starting a Pet Wants franchise, you’ll want to know how much it will cost you in the long run.
To start, you must pay an initial franchise fee of $42,500, plus an initial investment of anywhere between $70,000 and $200,000, depending on your chosen location. Pet Wants requires new franchisees to have at least $50,000 in cash to cover all these fees.
When your Pet Wants location is up and running, you’ll have to pay a royalty fee of 7% plus an ad royalty fee of 2%. Each term of agreement lasts for 10 years and is renewable.
Overall, these costs aren’t the most expensive in the franchising world. Then there are financial aid opportunities to consider.
Does Pet Wants provide financial assistance?
Yes. Pet Wants provides connections to third-party financing sources. These sources allow you to get financing deals to cover your franchise fee, equipment and inventory costs.
Furthermore, Pet Wants provides a $2000 discount on the franchise fee for all veterans. Therefore, this could be a great franchise business for veterans looking to become entrepreneurs.
Even without financial assistance, however, starting a Pet Wants franchise doesn’t cost nearly as much as some other business types. With some loans, many business owners can afford these start-up costs.
Related: Calling All Pet Lovers: The Best Pet Care Franchise Opportunities
What training is required for your Pet Wants franchise?
The Pet Wants team provides intense training modules for all new business owners to ensure you successfully run your Pet Wants franchise.
This includes 36 hours of on-the-job training plus 40 hours of classroom training. The initial classroom training takes place at the corporate headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it is mandatory for all new franchisees.
You have to begin the training program within three months of signing the franchise agreement if you plan to be responsible for the general management of your business.
Then, employees other than the general manager must also complete the initial training program. However, franchisees don’t have to take refresher courses or other training programs after completing this initial module.
All in all, the training requirements are not too excessive or intense. They provide the tools you need to run your Pet Wants franchise store well, especially if you don’t have business management experience yet.
Related: Dog Lovers Bring a New Pet-Care Franchise to Georgia
Start a Pet Wants franchise today
With a Pet Wants franchise, you’ll be a business owner and a provider of quality pet food simultaneously. Consider starting a Pet Wants franchise today.
Check out Entrepreneur’s other articles for more information about Pet Wants and other franchise opportunities.
Company Overview
About Pet Wants
More from Pet Wants
What is it?
- Pet Wants provides exclusive, high-quality, fresh, and nutritious pet food delivered right to customers’ homes with our mobile business model.
- Pet Wants also has a brick-and-mortar retail model which allows customers to see and learn about products in person.
- Pet Wants franchisees have the option to choose which model they would like to invest in. All retail locations include delivery operations.
- Pet Wants owners also offer premium lines of additional pet products from carefully curated vendors as an additional source of revenue.
How does it make money?
- Customers pay Pet Wants owners directly for their products.
- Pet Wants Franchise support staff provides lead generation support for their owners through digital marketing efforts
- Pet Wants owners participate in local events to promote their business and sell products
Who is it for?
- Successful Pet Wants Franchise owners are entrepreneurial, driven to succeed and passionate about pets and helping pet owners. Business management experience is a plus. No special knowledge of pet nutrition and pet health needs is necessary.
- People seeking an affordable and home-based business
What would you do as a franchisee?
- Network, market and promote your business within your community to gain customers
- Become an expert on Pet Wants products and provide advice to customers
- Nurture and maintain positive relationships with customers to encourage recurring business
- Make regular deliveries of fresh pet food to your customers
Overview
- Spending on fresh, nutritious pet food is at an all-time high and the demand for consumer product delivery has skyrocketed, making it a great time to own a Pet Wants franchise.
- Over 100 Pet Wants owners have invested in their lives and futures by becoming a Pet Wants franchisee. When you join the Pet Wants franchise system, you are entering into a partnership with a proven business system. You become a small business owner, but you get big business support, training, marketing and technology. Franchising provides entrepreneurs the opportunity to launch a nationally recognized business without the hassles of a start-up. Pet Wants franchise owners are provided with hands-on training, business coaching, marketing and technology support.
- Pet owners are starting to hold pet food to the same high standards as they do the food they put on their own tables. Spending on premium and custom-made pet foods is skyrocketing.
- Consumer demand for products that can be delivered safely and conveniently to their homes has also skyrocketed.
Why Pet Wants?
- The People – Our franchise owner network of peers, the business coaches and operations support staff are a strong community. From on-boarding and business coaching, to marketing, technology and operational support, the Pet Wants support team is there to guide new and existing owners to success.
- Marketing Support & Operational Support – At Pet Wants, our franchisees are constantly surrounded by support from both our Marketing Department and our Operations Team. We provide national and local marketing assistance through digital marketing strategies, national publicity, and local lead generation support. Our operations team provides you with your own dedicated business coach to help guide you through all the details of owning a Pet Wants franchise.
- Products – Pet Wants provides its owners with the highest quality, freshest custom-made pet foods and treats available, which are exclusive to the brand. Our franchise owners also offer a carefully curated selection of other pet products including health-conscious pet salves, balms, and sprays.
- Strategic Start – Pet Wants is part of Strategic Franchising Systems, which includes four other service-based brands including The Growth Coach. An added benefit to joining the Strategic Franchising family of brands is complimentary business and sales coaching from a member of The Growth Coach team. In addition to your dedicated Pet Wants coach, a Growth Coach will also be available to provide business strategy, sales coaching, and accountability for the first six months after launch.
The Winner’s Circle – Franchise Fee Reimbursement Program!
The Winner’s Circle is an incentive-based program that allows new franchise owners the opportunity to gain full franchise fee reimbursement within their first year of operations. Franchise owners who enroll in the Winner’s Circle program will become eligible for initial fee reimbursement after obtaining required milestones. This program truly incentivizes our new owners to utilize all their resources to reach their first-year goals to reach the Winner’s Circle. Winner’s Circle members will be recognized at the yearly Franchise Conference.
Business Overview
Franchising Since | 2015 (9 years) |
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# of employees at HQ | 14 |
Where seeking |
This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming |
# of Units | 134 (as of 2024) |
|
Information for Franchisees
Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Pet Wants franchise.
Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees
Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.
Initial Franchise Fee
|
$48,500 |
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Initial Investment
|
$137,850 - $219,000 |
Cash Requirement
|
$50,000 |
Veteran Incentives
|
10% off franchise fee |
Royalty Fee
|
7% |
Ad Royalty Fee
|
2% |
Term of Agreement
|
10 years |
Is franchise term renewable? | Yes |
Financing Options
Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.
Third Party Financing | Pet Wants has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll |
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Training & Support Offered
Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.
On-The-Job Training | 8+ hours |
---|---|
Classroom Training | 40 hours |
Ongoing Support |
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
|
Marketing Support |
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App
|
Operations
Additional details about running this franchise.
Is absentee ownership allowed? | No |
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Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
|
Yes |
Can this franchise be run part time?
|
No |
# of employees required to run | 2 |
Are exclusive territories available?
|
Yes |
Franchise 500 Ranking History
Compare where Pet Wants landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.
Additional Rankings
Curious to know where Pet Wants ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.
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