Pet Wants

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.